MOSELEKATSE ON THE MARCH. 187 



rather extensive view. Here "we halted under an ancient sycamore till the 

 chiefs own waggon, which he had sent for, should arrive. To my surprise, 

 the waggon no sooner arrived, than he requested that we should proceed to 

 where there were bushes and firewood. On its joining us we again set off — 

 his sable majesty keeping possession of my bed or stretcher, which, by its 

 creaking, gave token that it had got an unusual load. After winding through 

 considerable thickets along the base of hills, we descended into a pretty 

 valley, where was every requisite for a comfortable bivouac. During the last 

 two hours we had been followed by some carrying karosses, others food, and 

 about twenty women with large calabashes of beer on their heads. Mose- 

 lekatse's waggon being placed alongside of mine, the people then, as at every 

 halting-place during the journey, commenced hewing and tearing down 

 branches from trees, principally evergreens. Of these, very commodious 

 booths were formed in all directions, leaving an open space in the centre for 

 the cattle to sleep in. On the left of my waggon was a booth for my four 

 men, in which Moselekatse chooses to sleep, and not in his waggon, or among 

 his own people. To the right of my waggon was what may be called a royal 

 pavilion of evergreens, where he sometimes sat, and his personal attendants 

 reposed. Immediately in front of my waggon was another large circular fence, 

 where there were about nine of his wives, and twenty other women — beer- 

 carriers. Several large companies occupied other portions of the encampment, 

 which, lighted up by the blazing fires, presented an animated spectacle. 

 Before dark a troop of fat cattle were brought, of which two were slaughtered, 

 and strips of meat soon garnished the live coals at every fire-place ; and if 

 human masticators were busy, tongues were performing their part to some 

 purpose, which never seemed to incommode the sovereign of all, who walked 

 about evidently much pleased. 



" After passing half the night meditating plans, I got up and found our 

 governor in excellent spirits. When I asked him what he thought we were to 

 do, ' Let us go on,' was the reply. While we were sitting together, eating a 

 royal dish of meat — paunch cooked with fat, not invitingly clean, but such as 

 travellers get accustomed to — the men who had been sent to ascertain the 

 state of the country arrived. Their intelligence at once settled the point as 

 to our advance. Water was not to be had for oxen until the fourth day, and 

 then only amongst the tsetse. We talked and reasoned long on the subject, 

 till I asked the chief what he thought was best to be done. He replied, ' I 

 am here to serve you ; you must say what you wish, and I shall do it or order 

 it.' The idea of sending men with Livingstone's goods at that moment struck 

 me, on which I inquired how far it was to Linyanti ; and if messengers were 

 sent, when would they return ; or, if I were to go on foot, how long should I 

 be absent ? ' Twenty or thirty days,' was the reply ; and if to the Barotse 

 country, where Sekeletu might be, it would be a much longer time. I rose, 



