174 DISTANT VIEW OF THE FALLS. Chap. VII. 



eating : it tastes exactly like liquorice-root, and is named 

 kezu-kezu. The tsetse, known to the Batoka by the name 

 "ndoka," does not exist here, though buffaloes and ele- 

 phants abound. 



A small trap in the path, baited with a mouse, to catch 

 spotted cats (F. Genetta), is usually the first indication 

 that we are drawing near to a village ; but when we get 

 within the sounds of pounding corn, cockcrowing, or the 

 merry shouts of children at play, we know that the huts 

 are but a few yards off, though the trees conceal them 

 from view. We reached, on the 4th of August, Moachemba, 

 the first of the Batoka villages which now owe allegiance 

 to Sekeletu, and could see distinctly with the naked eye, 

 in the great valley spread out before us, the columns of 

 vapour rising from the Victoria Falls, though upwards 

 of 20 miles distant. We were informed that, the rains 

 having failed this year, the corn crops had been lost, and 

 great scarcity and much hunger prevailed from Sesheke to 

 Linyanti. Some of the reports which the men had heard 

 from the Batoka of the hills concerning their families, 

 were here confirmed. Takelang's wife had been killed by 

 Mashotlane, the headman at the Falls, on a charge, as 

 usual, of witchcraft. Inchikola's two wives, believing 

 him to be dead, had married again; and Masakasa was 

 intensely disgusted to hear that two years ago his friends, 

 upon a report of his death, threw his shield over the Falls, 

 slaughtered all his oxen, and held a species of wild Irish 

 wake, in honour of his memory : he said he meant to disown 

 them, and to say, when they come to salute him, " I am 

 dead. I am not here. I belong to another world, and 

 should stink if I came among you." 



All the sad news we had previously heard, of the 

 disastrous results which followed the attempt of a party 

 of missionaries, under the Eev. H. Helmore, to plant the 

 gospel at Linyanti, were here fully confirmed. Several of 



