286 LENDING ROOFS OF HUTS. Chap. XVI. 



could I look at water being thrown away, without a slight, quick 

 iinp ress io n flitting across the mind that we were guilty of 

 wasting it. Every now and then we emerged from the deep 

 gloom into a pretty little valley, having a damp portion in the 

 middle ; winch, though now filled with water, at other times 

 contains moisture enough for wells only. These wells have 

 shades put over them in the form of little huts. 



We crossed, in canoes, a little never-failing stream, which 

 passes by the name Lefuje, or " the rapid." It comes from a 

 goodly high mountain, called Monakadzi (the woman), which 

 gladdened our eyes as it rose to our sight about twenty or thirty 

 miles to the east of our course. It is of an oblong shape, and 

 seemed at least eight hundred feet above the plains. The Lefuje 

 probably derives its name from the rapid descent of the short 

 course it has to flow from Monakadzi to the Leeba. 



The number of little villages seemed about equal to the 

 number of valleys. At some we stopped and rested, the people 

 becoming more liberal as we advanced. Others we found de- 

 serted, a sudden panic having seized the inhabitants, though the 

 drum of Manenko was kept beaten pretty constantly, in order 

 to give notice of the approach of great people. When we had 

 decided to remain for the night at any village, the inhabitants 

 lent us the roofs of their huts, which in form resemble those of 

 the Makololo, or a Chinaman's hat, and can be taken off the walls 

 at pleasure. They lifted them off, and brought them to the spot 

 we had selected as our lodging, and, when my men had propped 

 them up with stakes, they were then safely housed for the night. 

 Every one who comes to salute either Manenko or ourselves, 

 rubs the upper parts of the arms and chest with ashes ; those 

 who wish to show profounder reverence, put some also on the 

 face. 



We found that every village had its idols near it. This is the 

 case all through the country of the Balonda, so that, when we 

 came to an idol in the woods, we always knew that we were 

 within a quarter of an hour of human habitations. One very 

 ugly idol we passed, rested on a horizontal beam placed on 

 two upright posts. This beam was furnished with two loops of 

 cord, as of a chain, to suspend offerings before it. On remarking 

 to my companions that these idols had ears, but that they heard 



