488 THE " KASENDI." Chap. XXIV. 



does cattle. The next morning, the spots on which my ox had 

 been bitten, were marked by patches of hair, about half an inch 

 broad, being wetted by exudation. Poor Sinbad had carried me 

 all the way from the Leeba to Golungo Alto, and all the way 

 back again, without losing any of his peculiarities, or ever be- 

 coming reconciled to our perversity, in forcing him away each 

 morning from the pleasant pasturage on which he had fed. I 

 wished to give the climax to his usefulness, and allay our craving 

 for animal food at the same time, but, my men having some com- 

 punction, we carried him to end his days in peace at Naliele. 



Having despatched a message to our old friend Manenko, we 

 waited a day opposite her village, which was about fifteen miles 

 from the river. Her husband was instantly despatched to meet 

 us, with liberal presents of food, she being unable to travel in 

 consequence of a burn on the foot. Sambanza gave us a detailed 

 account of the political affairs of the country, and of Kolimbota's 

 evil doings, and next morning performed the ceremony called 

 " Kasendi" for cementing our friendship. It is accomplished 

 thus : — The hands of the parties are joined (in this case Pitsane 

 and Sambanza were the parties engaged) ; small incisions are 

 made on the clasped hands ; on the pits of the stomach of each ; 

 and on the right cheeks and foreheads. A small quantity of 

 blood is taken off from these points in both parties by means 

 of a stalk of grass. The blood from one person is put into one 

 pot of beer, and that of the second into another ; each then drinks 

 the other's blood, and they are supposed to become perpetual 

 friends or relations. During the drinking of the beer, some of the 

 party continue beating the ground with short clubs, and utter 

 sentences by way of ratifying the treaty. The men belonging to 

 each, then finish the beer. The principals in the performance of 

 " Kasendi " are henceforth considered blood-relations, and are 

 bound to disclose to each other any impending evil. If Sekeletu 

 should resolve to attack the Balonda, Pitsane would be under 

 obligation to give Sambanza warning to escape, and so on the 

 other side. They now presented each other with the most valu- 

 able presents they had to bestow. Sambanza walked off with 

 Pitsane's suit of green-baize faced with red, which had been made 

 in Loanda ; and Pitsane, besides abundant supplies of food, obtained 

 two shells similar to that I had received from Shinte. 



