Chap. XIII. THE CATTLE-POST SCHOOL. 2G0 



his father. Any fine taken from Mr. Baldwin was to be 

 returned at once, as lie was not a Boer but an Englishman. 

 Sekeletu was very angry, and Mokompa must not conceal the 

 message." 



On finding afterwards that Mashotlane's conduct had been 

 most outrageous to the Batoka, Sekeletu sent for him to come 

 to Sesheke, in order that he might have him more under his 

 own eye ; but Mashotlane, fearing that this meant the punish- 

 ment of death, sent a polite answer, alleging that he was ill 

 and unable to travel. Sekeletu tried again to remove Mashot- 

 lane from the Falls, but without success. In theory the Chief 

 is absolute and quite despotic; in practice his authority is 

 limited, and he cannot, without occasionally putting refrac- 

 tory headmen to death, force his subordinates to do his will. 



Except the small rapids by Mparira island, near the mouth 

 of the Chobe, the rest of the way to Sesheke by water, is 

 smooth. Herds of cattle of two or three varieties graze on 

 the islands in the river : the Batoka possessed a very small 

 breed of beautiful shape, and remarkably tame, and many 

 may still be seen ; a larger kind, many of which have horns 

 pendent, and loose at the roots ; and a still larger sort, with 

 horns of extraordinary dimensions, apparently a burden for 

 the beast to carry. This breed was found in abundance 

 at Lake Ngami. We stopped at noon at one of the 

 cattle posts of Mokompa, and had a refreshing drink of 

 milk. Men of his standing have usually several herds 

 placed at different spots, and the owner visits each in 

 turn, while his head-quarters are at his village. His son, 

 a boy of ten, had charge of the establishment during 

 his father's absence. According to Makololo ideas, the 

 cattle-post is the proper school in which sons should be 

 brought up. Here they receive the right sort of education — 

 the knowledge of pasture and how to manage cattle. 



