272 SEKELETU'S LEPEOSY. Chap. XIII. 



devour all the fat first, that being considered the best, and 

 afterwards eat the lean, and, last of all, the porridge or 

 bread, if they have any. The people who, like them, live 

 much on milk and meat, can bear fatigue and privation 

 much better than those whose sustenance is chiefly grain and 

 pulse. When the Makololo go on a foray, as they sometimes 

 do, a month distant, many of the subject tribes who accom- 

 pany them, being grain eaters, perish from sheer fatigue, 

 while the beef eaters scorn the idea of even being tired. 



A constant stream of visitors rolled in on us the day after 

 our arrival. Several of them, who had suffered affliction 

 during the Doctor's absence, seemed to be much affected 

 on seeing him again. All were in low spirits. A severe 

 drought had cut off the crops, and destroyed the pasture of 

 Linyanti, and the people were scattered over the country 

 in search of wild fruits, and the hospitality of those whose 

 ground-nuts (Arachis hypogcea) had not failed. Sekeletu's 

 leprosy brought troops of evils in its train. Believing him- 

 self 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 presence but his uncle Mam ire. Ponwane, who 

 had been as " head and eyes " to him, had just died ; evi- 

 dence, he thought, of the potent spells of those who hated 

 all who loved the Chief. The country was suffering griev- 

 ously, 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 



