ANT-HIEES — DATE-TREES. 1 89 



which is Nariele or Naliele (lat. 15 24' \y" S., long. 23 

 5' 54" E.), I went in company with Sekeletu and about 

 one hundred and sixty attendants. We had most of the 

 young men with us, and many of the under-chiefs besides. 

 The country between Linyanti and Sesheke is perfectly 

 fiat, except patches elevated only a few feet above the 

 surrounding level. There are also many mounds where 

 the gigantic anthills of the country have been situated, or 

 still appear ; these mounds are evidently the work of the 

 termites. No one who has not seen their gigantic struc- 

 tures can fancy the industry of these little labourers ; 

 they seem to impart fertility to the soil which has once 

 passed through their mouths, for the Makololo find the 

 sides of anthills the choice spots for rearing early maize, 

 tobacco, or anything on which they wish to bestow especial 

 care. In the parts through which we passed the mounds 

 are generally covered with masses of wild date-trees ; the 

 fruit is small, and no tree is allowed to stand long, for, 

 having abundance of food, the Makololo have no inclination 

 to preserve wild fruit-trees : accordingly, when a date 

 shoots up to seed, as soon as the fruit is ripe they cut 

 down the tree rather than be at the trouble of climbing 

 it. The other parts of the more elevated land have the 

 camel - thorn {Acacia girafftz), white-thorned mimosa 

 (Acacia horrida), and baobabs. In sandy spots there are 

 palmyras somewhat similar to the Indian, but with a 

 smaller seed. The soil on all the flat parts is a rich dark 

 tenacious loam, known as the " cotton-ground " in India ; 

 it is covered with a dense matting of coarse grass, common 

 on all damp spots in this country. We had the Chobe on 

 our right, with its scores of miles of reed occupying the 

 horizon there. It was pleasant to look back on the long- 

 extended line of our attendants, as it twisted and bent 

 according to the curves of the footpath, or in and out 

 behind the mounds, the ostrich-feathers of the men waving 

 in the wind. Some had the white ends of ox-tails on their 

 heads, hussar fashion, and others great bunches of black 

 ostrich-feathers, or caps made of lions' manes. Some 

 wore red tunics, or various-coloured prints which the chief 

 had bought from Fleming ; the common men carried 

 burdens ; the gentlemen walked with a small club of 

 rhinoceros horn in their hands, and had servants to carry 

 their shields ; while the " Machaka," battle-axe men, 

 carried their own, and were liable at any time to be sent 



