308 PLAINS COVERED WITH WATER. Chap. XVII. 



and then pointed to the hut in which it was hidden. The Balonda 

 collected round liini, evincing great wrath ; but Loyanke seized 

 his battleaxe in the proper manner for striking, and, placing him- 

 self on a little hillock, soon made them moderate their tones. 

 Intemese then called on me to send one of my people to search 

 the huts, if I suspected his people. The man sent soon found it, 

 and brought it out, to the confusion of Intemese and the laughter 

 of our party. This incident is mentioned to show that the greater 

 superstition which exists here, does not lead to the practice of the 

 vntues. We never met an instance like this, of theft from a 

 white man among the Makololo, though they complain of the 

 Makalaka as addicted to pilfering. The honesty of the Bak- 

 wains has been already noticed. Probably the estimation in 

 which I was held as a public benefactor, in which character I was 

 not yet known to the Balonda, may account for the sacredness with 

 which my property was always treated before. But other inci- 

 dents winch happened subsequently, showed, as well as this, that 

 idolaters are not so virtuous as those who have no idols. 



As the peojjle on the banks of the Leeba were the last of 

 Shinte's tribe over which Intemese had power, he was naturally 

 anxious to remain as long as possible. He was not idle, but 

 made a large wooden mortar and pestle for his wife during our 

 journey. He also carved many wooden spoons and a bowl ; then 

 commenced a basket ; but as what he considered good living was 

 anything but agreeable to us, who had been accustomed to milk 

 and maize, we went forward on the 2nd without him. He soon 

 followed, but left our pontoon, saying it would be brought by the 

 head man of the village. This was a great loss, as we afterwards 

 found ; it remained at this village more than a year, and when 

 we returned, a mouse had eaten a hole in it. 



We entered on an extensive plain beyond the Leeba, at least 

 twenty miles broad, and covered with water, ankle deep in the 

 shallowest parts. We deviated somewhat from our N.W. course 

 by the direction of Intemese, and kept the hills Piri nearly on 

 our right during a great part of the first day, in order to avoid 

 the still more deeply flooded plains of Lobale (Luval ?) on the 

 west. These, according to Intemese, are at present impassable 

 on account of being thigh deep. The plains are so perfectly 

 level that rain-water, which this was, stands upon them for 



