Chap. XXVIir. SEMALEMBUE AND HIS PEOPLE. 567 



Semalembue paid us a visit soon after our arrival, and said 

 that he had often heard of me, and now that he had the pleasure 

 of seeing me, he feared that I should sleep the first night at 

 his village hungry. This was considered the handsome way of 

 introducing a present, for he then handed five or six baskets 

 of meal and maize, and an enormous one of ground-nuts. Next 

 morning he gave about twenty baskets more of meal. I could 

 make but a poor return for his kindness, but he accepted my 

 apologies politely, saying that he knew there were no goods in 

 the country from which I had come, and, in professing great joy 

 at the words of peace I spoke, he said, " Now I shall cultivate 

 largely, in the hope of eating and sleeping in peace." It is 

 noticeable that all whom we have yet met, eagerly caught up the 

 idea of living in peace as the probable effect of the gospel. They 

 require no explanation of the existence of the Deity. Sekwebu 

 makes use of the term " Eeza," and they appear to understand at 

 once. Like negroes in general, they have a strong tendency to 

 worship, and I heard that Semalembue gets a good deal of ivory 

 from the surrounding tribes, on pretence of having some super- 

 natural power. He transmits this to some other chiefs on the 

 Zambesi, and receives in return English cotton goods winch 

 come from Mozambique by Babisa traders. My men here began 

 to sell their beads and other ornaments for cotton cloth. Sema- 

 lembue was accompanied by about forty people, all large men. 

 They have much wool on their heads, which is sometimes drawn 

 all together up to the crown, and tied there in a large tapering 

 bunch. The forehead, and round by the ears, is shaven close to 

 the base of this tuft. Others draw out the hair on one side-, and 

 twist it into little strings. The rest is taken over, and hangs 

 above the ear, which gives the appearance of having a cap 

 cocked jauntily on the side of the head. 



The mode of salutation is by clapping the hands. Various 

 parties of women came from the surrounding villages to see the 

 white man, but all seemed very much afraid. Their fear, which I 

 seldom could allay, made them, when addressed, clap their hands 

 with increasing vigour. Sekwebu was the only one of the 

 Makololo who knew this part of the country ; and this was the 

 region winch to his mind was best adapted for the residence of a 

 tribe. The natives generally have a good idea of the nature 



