202 BALONEA PUNCTILIOUSNESS. Chap. XVI 



Manenko meanwhile bad been busy erecting a very pretty 

 hut and court-yard, as her residence whenever white men 

 were brought by her along the same path. On hearing that 

 we had given an ox to her uncle, she came forward with the 

 air of an injured person, and explained that " The white man 

 belonged to her ; she had brought him here, and therefore 

 the ox was hers, not Shinte's." Upon this she ordered her 

 men to bring it, had it slaughtered, and presented her uncle 

 with a leg only. Shinte did not seem at all annoyed at the 

 occurrence. 



19th. — I was awakened at an early hour by a messenger 

 from Shinte, but, as I was labouring under a profuse perspi- 

 ration, I declined going for a few hours. My visit turned 

 out fruitless, probably on account of the divination being 

 unfavourable : " They could not find Shinte." "When I 

 returned to bed another message was received to the effect 

 that "Shinte wished to say all he had to tell me at once." 

 This was too tempting an offer, and accordingly we went. 

 When we arrived he had a fowl ready in his hand to present, 

 together with a basket of manioc-meal, and a calabash of 

 mead. Referring to the constantly recurring attacks of fever, 

 he remarked that it was the only thing which would prevent 

 a successful issue to my journey On my asking what remedy 

 he would recommend, he answered, "Drink plenty of mead ? 

 and it will drive the fever out." It was rather strong, and I 

 suspect he liked the remedy pretty well, even though he had 

 no fever. He had always been a friend to Sebituane, and, 

 now that his son Sekeletu was in his place, Shinte was not 

 merely a friend but a father to him ; and if a son asks a favour 

 the father must give it. He was highly pleased with the 

 large calabashes of clarified butter and fat which Sekeletu 

 had sent him, and wished to detain Kolimbota, that he might 

 send a present back to Sekeletu by his hands. 



We were particularly struck, in passing through the village,, 

 with the punctiliousness of manners shown by the Balonda. 

 Inferiors, on meeting their superiors in the street, at once 

 drop on their knees and rub dust on their arms and chest, 

 and continue the salutation of clapping the hands until th# 

 great ones have passed. Sambanza knelt down in this manner 

 till the son of Shinto had passed him. We several times saw 



