CHAP. VII. SEKELETU'S LEPROSY. 193 



A man hailed us from the chiefs quarters, and requested 

 us to rest under the old Kotla, or public meeting-place 

 tree. A young Makololo, with the large thighs which 

 Zulus and most of this tribe have, crossed over to receive 

 orders from the chief, who had not shown himself to the 

 people since he was affected with leprosy. On returning 

 he ran for Mokele, the headman of the new town, who, 

 after going over to Sekeletu, came back and conducted us 

 to a small but good hut, and afterwards brought us a fine 

 fat ox, as a present from the chief. " This is a time of 

 hunger," he said, " and we have no meat, but we expect 

 some soon from the Barotse Valley." We were entirely 

 out of food when we reached Sesheke. Never was better 

 meat than that of the ox Sekeletu sent, and infinitely 

 above the flesh of all kinds of game is beef ! 



A constant stream of visitors rolled in on us the day 

 after our arrival. Several of them, who had suffered 

 affliction during the Doctor's absence, seemed to be much 

 affected on seeing him again. All were in low spirits. A 

 severe drought had cut off the crops, and destroyed the 

 pasture of Linyanti, and the people were scattered over 

 the country in search of wild fruits, and the hospitality of 

 those whose ground-nuts (Arachis hypogcea) had not failed. 

 Sekeletu's leprosy brought troops of evils in its train. 

 Believing himself bewitched, he had suspected a number 

 of his chief men, and had put some, with their families, to 

 death ; others had fled to distant tribes, and were living 

 in exile. The chief had shut himself up, and allowed no 

 one to come into his presence but his uncle Mamire. 

 Ponwane, who had been as " head and eyes " to him, had 

 just died ; evidence, he thought, of the potent spells of 

 those who hated all who loved the chief. The country 

 was suffering grievously, and Sebituane's grand empire 

 was crumbling to pieces. A large body of young Barotse 

 had revolted and fled to the north ; killing a man by the 



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