Chap. XXV. CfflTLANE'S VILLAGE. 495 



was presented to me, was a hundred and seventy-five unfledged 

 birds. They had been rather late in collecting them, in conse- 

 quence of waiting for the arrival of Mpololo, who acts the part 

 of chief, but gave them to me, knowing that this would be 

 pleasing to him, otherwise this colony would have yielded double 

 the amount. The old ones appear along the Leeambye in vast 

 flocks, and look lean and scraggy. The young are very fat, and 

 when roasted are esteemed one of the dainties of the Barotse 

 valley. In presents of tins kind, as well as of oxen, it is a sort 

 of feast of joy, the person to whom they are presented having the 

 honour of distributing the materials of the feast. We generally 

 slaughtered every ox at the village where it was presented, and 

 then our friends and we rejoiced together. 



The village of Chitlane is situated, like all others in the Barotse 

 valley, on an eminence, over which floods do not rise ; but this 

 last year, the water approached nearer to an entire submergence 

 of the whole valley, than has been known in the memory of man. 

 Great numbers of people were now suffering from sickness, which 

 always prevails when the waters are drying up ; and I found much 

 demand for the medicines I had brought from Loanda. The great 

 variation of the temperature each day, must have a trying effect 

 upon the health. At this village there is a real Indian banian- 

 tree, which has spread itself over a considerable space by means 

 of roots from its branches ; it has been termed in consequence 

 " the tree with legs " (more oa maotu). It is curious that trees 

 of this family are looked upon with veneration, and all the way 

 from the Barotse to Loanda, are thought to be preservatives from 

 evil. 



On reaching Naliele on the 1st of August, we found Mpololo 

 in great affliction on account of the death of his daughter and 

 her child. She had been lately confined ; and her father natu- 

 rally remembered her when an ox was slaughtered, or when the 

 tribute of other food, which he receives in lieu of Sekeletu, came 

 in his way, and sent frequent presents to her. This moved the 

 envy of one of the Makololo who hated Mpololo, and, wishing to 

 vex him, he entered the daughter's hut by night, and strangled 

 both her and her child. He then tried to make fire in the hut 

 and burn it, so that the murder might not be known ; but the 

 squeaking noise of rubbing the sticks awakened a servant, and 



