Chap. XXVII. KATOSA'S VILLAGE. 563 



was not recognised among the people as a European, and we 

 found it rather an awkward thing to inquire about one who 

 had been murdered. Those who knew anything about the 

 matter were naturally suspicious that our inquiries implied 

 blood-relationship, and its attendant blood-feud ; so, after un- 

 availing search, we brought the present here, and, it being 

 unlikely that we should soon go to the east side of the Lake, 

 after a full explanation of the reasons why we were carrying 

 this present, we gave it to Katosa, and believe that, if any 

 future travelle r should require his aid, he would cheerfully 

 render it to the utmost of his ability. 



Katosa's village was embowered among gigantic trees of 

 fine timber : several cafBaceous bushes, with berries closely 

 resembling those of the common coffee, grew near, but no 

 use had ever been made of them. There are several cincho- 

 naceous trees also in the country ; and some of the wild fruits 

 are so good as to cause a feeling of regret that they have not 

 been improved by cultivation, or whatever else brought ours 

 to their present perfection. Katosa lamented that this locality 

 was so inferior to his former place at Pamalombe ; there he 

 had maize at the different stages of growth throughout the 

 year. To us, however, he seemed, by digging holes, and 

 taking advantage of the moisture beneath, to have succeeded 

 pretty well in raising crops at this the driest time. The 

 3Iakololo remarked that " here the maize had no season," — 

 meaning that the whole year was proper for its growth and 

 ripening. By irrigation a succession of crops of grain might 

 be raised anywhere within the south intertropical region of 

 Africa. 



"When we were with Motunda, on the 20th October, he 

 told us frankly that all the native provisions were hidden in 

 Kirk's range, and his village being the last place where a sup- 

 ply of grain could be purchased before we reached the ship, 



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