Chap. XXIV. SOCIAL CONDITION OF TEIBES. 489 



On one occasion I became blood-relation to a young woman by 

 accident. She had a large cartilaginous tumour between the 

 bones of the fore-arm, which, as it gradually enlarged, so dis- 

 tended the muscles as to render her unable to work. She applied 

 to me to excise it. I requested her to bring her husband, if he 

 were willing to have the operation performed, and, while removing 

 the tumour, one of the small arteries squirted some blood into my 

 eye. She remarked, when I was wiping the blood out of it, " You 

 were a friend before, now you are a blood-relation ; and when 

 you pass this way, always send me word, that I may cook food for 

 you." In creating these friendships, my men had the full inten- 

 tion of returning ; each one had his Molekane {friend) in every 

 village of the friendly Balonda. Mohorisi even married a wife in 

 the town of Katema, and Pitsane took another in the town of 

 Shinte. These alliances were looked upon with great favour by 

 the Balonda chiefs, as securing the goodwill of the Makololo. 



In order that the social condition of the tribes may be under- 

 stood by the reader, I shall mention that, while waiting for Sam- 

 banza, a party of Barotse came from Nyenko, the former residence 

 of Limboa, who had lately crossed the Leeba on his way towards 

 31 asiko. The head-man of this party had brought Limboa's son 

 to his father, because the Barotse at Nyenko had, since the de- 

 parture of Limboa, elected Nananko, another son of Santuru, in 

 his stead ; and our visitor, to whom the boy had been intrusted as 

 a guardian, thinking him to be in danger, fled with him to his 

 father. The Barotse, whom Limboa had left behind at Nyenko, 

 on proceeding to elect Nananko, said, " No, it is quite too much 

 for Limboa to rule over two places." I would have gone to visit 

 Limboa and Masiko too, in order to prevent hostilities, but the 

 state of my ox would not allow it. I therefore sent a message to 

 Limboa by some of his men, protesting against war with his 

 brother, and giving him formal notice that the path up the 

 Leeba had been given to us by the Balonda, the owners of the 

 country, and that no attempt must ever be made to obstruct free 

 intercourse. 



On leaving this place we were deserted by one of our party, 

 Mboenga, an Ambonda man, who had accompanied us all the 

 way to Loanda and back. His father was living with Masiko, 

 and it was natural for him to wish to join his own family agam. 



