Chap. XIV. MAKOLOLO FORAY. 245 



There we heard that a party of the Makololo, headed by Lerimo, 

 had made a foray to the north and up the Leeba, in the very 

 direction in which we were about to proceed. Mpololo, the 

 uncle of Sekeletu, is considered the headman of the Barotse 

 yalley; and the perpetrators had his full sanction, because 

 Masiko, a son of Santuru, the former chief of the Barotse, had 

 fled high up the Leeambye, and, establishing himself there, had 

 sent men down to the vicinity of Naliele to draw away the 

 remaining Barotse from their allegiance. Lerimo's party had 

 taken some of this Masiko's subjects prisoners, and destroyed 

 several villages of the Balonda, to whom we were going. This 

 was in direct opposition to the policy of Sekeletu, who wished 

 to be at peace with these northern tribes ; and Pitsane, my head 

 man, was the bearer of orders to Mpololo to furnish us with 

 presents for the very chiefs they had attacked. Thus, we were 

 to get large pots of clarified butter and bunches of beads, in 

 confirmation of the message of peace we were to deliver. 



When we reached Litofe, we heard that a fresh foray was in 

 contemplation, but I sent forward orders to disband the party 

 immediately. At Ma-Sekeletu's town we found the head offender, 

 Mpololo himself, and I gave him a bit of my mind, to the effect 

 that, as I was going with the full sanction of Sekeletu, if any 

 harm happened to me in consequence of his ill-advised expedi- 

 tion, the guilt would rest with him. Ma-Sekeletu, who was pre- 

 sent, heartily approved all I said, and suggested that all the 

 captives taken by Lerimo should be returned by my hand, to 

 show Masiko that the guilt of the foray lay not with the superior 

 persons of the Makololo, but with a mere servant. Her good 

 sense appeared in other respects besides, and, as this was ex- 

 actly what my own party had previously resolved to suggest, 

 we were pleased to hear Mpololo agree to do what he was 

 advised. He asked me to lay the matter before the under- 

 chiefs of Naliele, and when we reached that place, on the 

 9th of December, I did so in a picho, called expressly for the 

 purpose. Lerimo was present, and felt rather crestfallen when 

 his exploit was described by Mohorisi, one of my companions, as 

 one of extreme cowardice, he having made an attack upon the 

 defenceless villagers of Londa, while, as we had found on our 

 former visit, a lion had actually killed eight people of Naliele, 



