554 MONZE'S VILLAGE. Chap. XXVII. 



but as soon as lie dies, the power lie built up is gone, and his 

 reign, having been one of terror, is not perpetuated. This, 

 and the want of literature, have prevented the establishment of 

 any great empire in the interior of Africa. Pingola effected his 

 conquests, by carrying numbers of smith's bellows with him. The 

 arrow-heads were heated before shooting into a town, and when 

 a wound was inflicted on either man or beast, great confusion 

 ensued. After Pingola, came. Sebituane, and after him the 

 Matebele of Mosilikatse; and these successive inroads have re- 

 duced the Batoka to a state, in which they naturally rejoice at the 

 prospect of deliverance and peace. 



We spent Sunday the 10th at Monze's village, who is con- 

 sidered the chief of all the Batoka we have seen. He lives 

 near the hill Ivisekise, whence we have a view of at least thirty 

 miles of open undulating country, covered with short grass, and 

 having but few trees. These open lawns would in any other 

 land, as well as this, be termed pastoral, but the people have 

 now no cattle, and only a few goats and fowls. They are located 

 all over the country in small villages, and cultivate large gardens. 

 They are said to have adopted this wide-spread mode of habita- 

 tion, in order to give alarm should any enemy appear. In former 

 times they lived in large towns. In the distance (S.E.) we see 

 ranges of dark mountains along the banks of the Zambesi, and 

 are told of the existence there of the rapid named Kansala, 

 which is said to impede the navigation. The river is reported 

 to be placid above that as far as the territory of Sinamane, a 

 Batoka chief, who is said to command it after it emerges smooth 

 again below the falls. Kansala is the only rapid reported in the 

 river until we come to Kebrabasa, twenty or thirty miles above 

 Tete. On the north, we have mountains appearing above the 

 horizon, which are said to be on the banks of the Kafue. 



The chief Monze came to us on Sunday morning, wrapped in 

 a large cloth, and rolled himself about in the dust, screaming 

 " Kina bomba," as they all do. The sight of great naked men 

 wallowing on the ground, though intended to do me honour, was 

 always very painful ; it made me feel thankful that my lot had 

 been cast in such different circumstances from that of so many of 

 my fellow-men. One of his wives accompanied him ; she would 

 have been comely if her teeth had been spared ; she had a little 



