1 68 MPEPE'S PI<OT. 



native Portuguese, carried on their traffic, without refer- 

 ence to the chief into whose country they had uncere- 

 moniously introduced themselves ; while Mpepe, feeding 

 them with the cattle of Sekeletu, formed a plan of raising 

 himself, by means of their fire-arms, to be the head of the 

 Makololo. The usual course which the slave-traders 

 adopt is to take a part in the political affairs of each tribe, 

 and, siding with the strongest, get well paid by captures 

 made from the weaker party. Long secret conferences 

 were held by the slave-traders and Mpepe, and it was 

 deemed advisable for him to strike the first blow ; so he 

 provided himself with a small battle-axe, with the intention 

 of cutting Sekeletu down the first time they met. 



My object being first of all to examine the country for 

 a healthy locality, before attempting to make a path to 

 either the east or west coast, I proposed to Sekeletu the 

 plan of ascending the great river which we had discovered 

 in 185 1. He volunteered to accompany me ; and when 

 we got about sixty miles away, on the road to Sesheke, 

 we encountered Mpepe. The Makololo, though possessing 

 abundance of cattle, had never attempted to ride oxen, 

 until I advised it in 185 1. The Bechuanas generally were 

 in the same condition, until Europeans came among them 

 and imparted the idea of riding. All their journeys pre- 

 viously were performed on foot. Sekeletu and his com- 

 panions were mounted on oxen, though, having neither 

 saddle nor bridle, they were perpetually falling off. Mpepe, 

 armed with his little axe, came along a path parallel to, 

 but a quarter of a mile distant from, that of our party ; 

 and when he saw Sekeletu he ran with all his might 

 towards us ; but Sekeletu, being on his guard, galloped 

 off to an adjacent village. He then withdrew somewhere 

 till all our party came up. Mpepe had given his own 

 party to understand that he would cut down Sekeletu, 

 either on their first meeting, or at the breaking up of their 

 first conference. The former intention having been thus 

 frustrated, he then determined to effect his purpose after 

 their first interview. I happened to sit down between the 

 two in the hut where they met : being tired with riding 

 all day in the sun, I soon asked Sekeletu where I should 

 sleep, and he replied, " Come, I will show you." As we 

 rose together, I unconsciously covered Sekeletu's body 

 with mine, and saved him from the blow of the assassin. 

 I knew nothing of the plot, but remarked that all Mpepe's 



