126 THE MAKOLOLO. Chap. IX 



Soon after our arrival at Linyanti, Sekeletu pressed me to 

 mention the things I hoped to get from him. Anything, 

 either in or out of his town, should be freely given if I would 

 only mention it. I explained that my object was to elevate 

 nim and his people to be Christians. He replied that he did 

 not wish to learn to read the Book, for he was afraid " it might 

 change his heart, and make him content with only one wife, 

 like Sechele." It was of little use to urge that the change of 

 heart implied a contentment with a single consort equal to 

 his present complacency in polygamy. " No, no; he wanted 

 always to have five wives at least." According to the system 

 of the Bechuanas he became possessor of his father's wives, 

 and adopted two of them. The rest were given to influential 

 under-chiefs. When an elder brother dies his wives are taken 

 by the next brother. A chieftain has always a head wife, or 

 queen. Her hut is called the great house, and her children 

 inherit the chieftainship. If she dies, a new wife is selected 

 for the same position. 



The women complain that the proportion between the 

 sexes is so changed that they are not valued as they deserve. 

 The majority of the real Makololo have been cut off by fever. 

 Those who remain are a mere fragment of the people who 

 came to the north with Sebituane. Migrating from a healthy 

 climate in the south, they were more subject to the febrile 

 diseases of the valley than the black tribes they conquered. 

 The women generally escaped the attack, but they are less 

 fruitful than formerly, and mourn the want of children, of 

 whom they are all excessively fond. 



Each village does not contain above one or two families 

 of true Makololo, who are themselves a compound of many 

 tribes. The members of that miscellaneous nation are distri- 

 buted as lords among the people they conquered, who are 

 forced to render certain services, and to aid in tilling the 

 soil. They are proud to be called Makololo, but their dis- 

 tinguishing title is Makalaka, which is often used in reproach, 

 as betokening inferiority. The servitude which has resulted 

 from their subjection by force of arms is very mild. Each 

 has his own land under cultivation, and lives nearly in- 

 dependent. It is so easy to escape to other tribes, that the 

 Makololo are compelled to treat them rather as children than 



