396 THE MAKOLOLO COUNTEY. 



Sekeletu's leprosy brought troops of evils in its train. Believ- 

 ing himself bewitched, he had suspected a number of his chief 

 men, and had put some, with their families, to death ; others 

 had fled to distant tribes and were living in exile. The chief 

 had shut himself up, and allowed no one to come into his pres- 

 ence but his uncle Mam ire. Ponwane, who had been as " head 

 and eyes" to him, had just died ; evidence, he thought, of the 

 potent sj)ells of those who hated all who loved the chief. The 

 country was suffering grievously, and Sebituane's grand empire 

 was crumbling to pieces. A large body of young Barotse had 

 revolted and fled to the north, killing a man by the way, 

 in order to put a blood-feud between Masiko, the chief to whom 

 they were going, and Sekeletu. The Batoka under Sinamane 

 and Muemba were independent, and Mashotlane at the falls 

 was setting Sekeletu's authority virtually at defiance. Sebituane's 

 wise policy in treating the conquered tribes on equal terms with 

 his own Makololo, as all children of the chief, and equally elig- 

 ible to the highest honors, had been abandoned by his son, who 

 married none but Makololo women, and appointed to office none 

 but Makololo men. He had become unpopular among the 

 black tribes, conquered by the spear but more effectually won by 

 the subsequent wise and just government of his father. 



The utter overthrow of the Makololo dominion, which was 

 only four years in the future, was strongly foreshadowed in the 

 increasing discontent of the people. Strange rumors were afloat 

 respecting the unseen Sekeletu ; his fingers were said to have 

 grown like eagle's claws, and his face so frightfully distorted 

 that no one could recognize him. Some had begun to hint that 

 he might not really be the son of the great Sebituane, the founder 

 of the nation, strong in battle and wise in the affairs of state. 

 " In the days of the Great Lion (Sebituane)," said his only sister, 

 Moriantsiane's widow, whose husband Sekeletu had killed, "we 

 had chiefs and little chiefs and elders to carry on the govern- 

 ment, and the great chief, Sebituane, knew them all, and every- 

 thing they did, and the whole country was wisely ruled ; but 

 now Sekeletu knows nothing of what his underlings do, and 

 they care not for him, and the Makololo power is fast passing 

 away." 



The native doctors had given the case of Sekeletu up. They 



