492 EECEPTION AT LIBONTA. Chap. XXIV. 



July 21th. — We reached the town of Libonta, and were re- 

 ceived with demonstrations of joy such as I had never witnessed 

 before. The women came forth to meet us, making their curious 

 dancing gestures, and loud lulliloos. Some carried a mat and 

 stick, in imitation of a spear and shield. Others rushed forward 

 and kissed the hands and cheeks of the different persons of their 

 acquaintance among us, raising such a dust that it was quite a 

 relief to get to the men assembled and sitting with proper African 

 decorum in the kotla. We were looked upon as men risen from 

 the dead, for the most skilful of their diviners had pronounced us 

 to have perished long ago. After many expressions of joy at 

 meeting, I arose, and, thanking them, explained the causes of our 

 long delay, but left the report to be made by their own country- 

 men. Formerly I had been the chief speaker, now I would leave 

 the task of speaking to them. Pitsane then delivered a speech 

 of upwards of an hour in length, giving a highly flattering 

 picture of the whole journey, of the kindness of the white men 

 in general, and of Mr. Gabriel in particular. He concluded by 

 saying that I had done more for them than they expected ; that 

 I had not only opened up a path for them to the other white 

 men, but conciliated all the chiefs along the route. The oldest 

 man present, rose and answered this speech, and, among other 

 tilings, alluded to the disgust I felt at the Makololo for engaging 

 in marauding expeditions against Lechulatebe and Sebolamak- 

 waia, of winch we had heard from the first persons we met, 

 and which my companions most energetically denounced as 

 "mashue hela," entirely bad. He entreated me not to lose 

 heart, but to reprove Sekeletu as my child. Another old man 

 followed with the same entreaties. The following day we ob- 

 served as our thanksgiving to God for his goodness in bringing 

 us all back in safety to our friends. My men decked themselves 

 out in their best, and I found that, although their goods were 

 finished, they had managed to save suits of European clothing, 

 which, being white, with their red caps, gave them rather a 

 dashing appearance. They tried to walk like the soldiers they 

 had seen in Loanda, and called themselves my " braves " (batla- 

 bani). During the service they all sat with their guns over their 

 shoulders, and excited the unbounded admiration of the women 

 and children. I addressed them all on the goodness of God in 



