Chap. Mil. DEFIANCE OF AUTHORITY. 10T 



A few miles east of the junction of the rivers are two large 

 islands, upon one of which a Makalaka chief had, several 

 years before, lured a number of fugitive Bamangwato men, 

 after separating them from their wives. The women were 

 appropriated, and their husbands left to perish. Leaving the 

 Chobe, we turned round and began to ascend the Zambesi. 

 On the 19th of November we again reached the town of 

 Sesheke, which means " white sand-banks," many of which 

 exist at this part. It stands on the north bank of the 

 river, and contains a large population of Makalaka, under 

 Moriantsane, brother-in-law of Sebituane. The Makololo sway, 

 though essentially despotic, is modified by custom. One of 

 the Makalaka had stabbed an ox, and was detected by his 

 spear which he had been unable to extract. The culprit, 

 bound hand and foot, was placed in the sun to force him to 

 pay a fine. He continued to deny his guilt. His mother, 

 believing in the innocence of her son, came forward with 

 her hoe, and, threatening to cut down any one who interfered, 

 untied the cords and took him home. This open defiance of 

 authority was not resented by Moriantsane, but referred to 

 Sekeletu at Linyanti. Where the criminal ^as unable to give 

 direct compensation, it had not occurred to the chiefs to make 

 him -pa,} 7 in work till I suggested the system on the occasion 

 of a stranger, who visited Sesheke for the purpose of barter, 

 having been robbed by one of the Makalaka of most of his 

 goods. The Makololo were much enraged at the idea of their 

 good name being compromised ; and as throwing the criminal 

 into the river, their customary mode of punishing what they 

 conceive to be a heinous offence, would not restore the lost 

 property, they were sorely puzzled how to act. AY hen the 

 case was referred to me, I paid the value of the goods, and 

 sentenced the thief to work out an equivalent with his hoe in 

 a garden. Thieves are now condemned to raise an amount of 

 corn proportioned to their offences. Among the Bakwains, 

 when a woman had stolen from the garden of another, her 

 own became the property of the person she had injured. 



A curious custom, not to be found among the Bechuanaa, 

 prevails among the black tribes beyond them. They watch 

 eagerly for the first glimpse of the new moon ; and when they (36) 

 perceive the faint outline after the sun has set deep in the 



