304 MOBITA AND HIS CANOE-MEN. Chap. XV. 



half a dozen able canoe-rnen, under Mobita, who had pre- 

 viously gone with Dr. Livingstone to Loanda, were sent to 

 help us in our river navigation. Some men on foot drove 

 six oxen which Sekeletu had given us as provisions for the 

 journey. It was, as before remarked, a time of scarcity ; 

 and, considering the dearth of food, our treatment had been 

 liberal. 



By day the canoe-men are accustomed to keep close under 

 the river's bank from fear of the hippopotami ; by night, 

 however, they keep in the middle of the stream, as then 

 those animals are usually close to the bank on their way to 

 their grazing-grounds. Our progress was considerably im- 

 peded by the high winds, which at this season of the year 

 begin about eight in the morning, and blow strongly up 

 the river all day. The canoes were poor leaky affairs, and 

 so low in parts of the gunwale, that the paddlers were afraid 

 to follow the channel when it crossed the river, lest the 

 waves might swamp us. A rough sea is dreaded by all 

 these inland canoe-men ; but, though timid, they are by 

 no means unskilful at their work. The ocean rather asto- 

 nished them afterwards ; and also the admirable way that 

 the Nyassa men managed their canoes on a rough lake, and 

 even amongst the breakers, where no small boat could pos- 

 sibly live. 



On the night of the 17th we slept on the left bank of the 

 Majeele, after having had all the men ferried across. An ox 

 was slaughtered, and not an ounce of it was left next morning. 

 Our two young Makololo companions, Moloka and Eamaku- 

 kane, having never travelled before, naturally clung to some 

 of the luxuries they had been accustomed to at home. 

 When they lay down to sleep, their servants were called to 

 spread their blankets over their august persons, not forgetting 

 their feet. This seems to be the duty of the Makololo wife 



