Chap. VIII. sekeletu's health improved. 207 



with the dead, and no such thing as taking portions of 

 human bodies to make charms of, as is the custom further 

 north, has ever been known among the Makololo. 



Sekeletu's health improved greatly during our visit, 

 the melancholy foreboding left his spirits, and he became 

 cheerful, but resolutely refused to leave his den, and 

 appear in public till he was perfectly cured, and had 

 regained what he considered his good looks. He also 

 feared lest some of those who had bewitched him originally 

 might still be among the people, and neutralize our 

 remedies.* 



As we expected another steamer to be at Kongone in 

 November, it was impossible for us to remain in Sesheke 

 more than one month. Before our departure, the chief 

 and his principal men expressed in a formal manner their 

 great desire to have English people settled on the Batoka 

 highlands. At one time he proposed to go as far as Phori, 

 in order to select a place of residence ; but as he after- 

 wards saw reasons for remaining where he was, till his 

 cure was completed, he gave orders to those sent with us, 

 in the event of our getting, on our return, past the rapids 

 near Tette, not to bring us to Seshekej but to send forward 

 a messenger, and he with the whole tribe would come to 



* It was with sorrow that we ( only two real Makololo among 



learned by a letter from Mr. them, these could neither return 



Moffat, in 1864, that poor Seke- ' themselves alone or force their 



letu was dead. As will he men- i attendants to leave a part of 



tioned further on, men were sent | the country where they were 



with us to bring up more medi- j independent, and could support 



cine. They preferred to remain themselves with ease. Sekeletu, 



on the Shire, and, as they were however, lived long enough to 



free men, we could do no more receive and acknowledge goods to 



than try and persuade them to the value of £50, sent, in lieu of 



hasten back to their chief with ! those which remained in Tette, 



iodine and other remedies. They ! by Robert Moffat, jun., since 



took the parcel, but there being i dead. 



