VILLAGE RECEPTIONS. 107 



struggled to the heart of the continent with his messages of 

 fraternity from men and grace from God, and was bearing him 

 triumphantly through all his borders. Authority went before 

 them and opened the storehouses of tribes and the hearts of 

 people. Servants cleared the path. The beasts behaved like 

 subjects. At every village the loud lulleloo of the women pro- 

 claimed their cordiality and their respect for the chief. The 

 young chief received their cries of " Great lion/' " Great chief/' 

 " Sleep, my lord," as composedly as he invites his companion 

 to the calabash of beer which prompt Makololo have provided. 



The Makololo presented the party great bowls of milk, out 

 of which they drank, dipping by means of that primitive pro- 

 vision commonly known as the hollow of the hand, Nature's 

 spoon. An ox was commonly killed, and, quickly divided 

 amongst the company, was soon scorching in the flames, and 

 while dripping and cracking with the heat was crammed 

 voraciously into the capacious jaws of the men, each racing to 

 be filled, in mortal terror of the law which forbids that one con- 

 tinue at his food when the others have finished. Sekeletu 

 became quite fond of Dr. Livingstone's coffee and biscuit. He 

 would declare with unusual warmth that he " knew the heart 

 of the missionary loved him by finding his own heart warm 

 toward the missionary's food." A process of reasoning, by the 

 way, which may hardly be trusted in the reach of the covetous 

 people of lighter hue. The villages of the Makololo, besides 

 the gift of food and shouts of welcome, have a singular arrange- 

 ment, which makes their entertainment something like a trifling 

 custom in other places. The houses are only circles of posts 

 placed in the ground and vines and mortar filling the inter- 

 stices. The roofs are entirely detached and independent of the 

 walls. They look just like a Chinese hat, and are lifted on and 

 off at the pleasure of the occupant. The guest's chamber is 

 generally provided by lifting the roof of the hut off, and setting 

 it on the ground. The guest sleeps under the roof. The house 

 takes off its hat to you as you approach it. 



The party struck the Leeambye at the town of Katonga. 

 Sekhase sent canoes across to bring them over to him. The 

 region around Katonga or Sekhase differs little from the valley 

 of the Chobe, except that it is higher and freer from the 



