Chap. VIII. LESHORE AND HIS MEN. 209 



reference to the truth of the Book and its Author seems 

 always to have more influence on the native mind than the 

 cleverness of the illustration. The knowledge of the 

 people is scanty, but their reasoning is generally clear as 

 far as their information goes. 



We left Sesheke on the 17th September, 1860, convoyed 

 by Pitsane and Leshore with their men. Pitsane was 

 ordered by Sekeletu to make a hedge round the garden at 

 the Falls, to protect the seeds we had brought ; and also to 

 collect some of the tobacco tribute below the Falls. Leshore, 

 besides acting as a sort of guard of honour to us, was 

 sent on a diplomatic mission to Sinamane. No tribute was 

 exacted by Sekeletu from Sinamane ; but, as he had sent 

 in his adhesion, he was expected to act as a guard in case 

 of the Matebele wishing to cross and attack the Makololo- 

 As we intended to purchase canoes of Sinamane in which 

 to descend the river, Leshore was to commend us to what- 

 ever help this Batoka chief coiild render. It must be 

 confessed that Leshore's men, who were all of the black 

 subject tribes, really needed to be viewed by us in the 

 most charitable light ; for Leshore, on entering any 

 village, called out to the inhabitants, " Look out for your 

 property, and see that my thieves don't steal it." 



Two young Makololo with their Batoka servants accom- 

 panied us to see if Kebrabasa could be surmounted, and 

 to bring a supply of medicine for Sekeletu's leprosy ; and 

 half a dozen able canoe-men, under Mobito, who had pre- 

 viously gone with Dr. Livingstone to Loanda, were sent to 

 help us in our river navigation. Some men on foot drove 

 six oxen which Sekeletu had given us as provisions for the 

 journey. It was, as before remarked, a time of scarcity ; 

 and, considering the dearth of food, our treatment had 

 been liberal. 



By day the canoe-men are accustomed to keep close 

 under the river's bank from fear of the hippopotami ; by 



r 



