MAKOIvOIfO HUTS. 1 9 3. 



smearing the floors with a plaster composed of cowdung 

 and earth. If we slept in the tent in some villages, the 

 mice ran over our faces and disturbed our sleep, or hungry 

 prowling dogs would eat our shoes and leave only the soles. 

 When they were guilty of this, and other misdemeanours, 

 we got the loan of a hut. The best sort of Makololo huts 

 consist of three circular walls, with small holes as doors, 

 each similar to that in a dog-house ; and it is necessary 

 to bend down the body to get in, even when on all fours. 

 The roof is formed of reeds or straight sticks, in shape like 

 a Chinaman's hat, bound firmly together with circular 

 bands, which are lashed with the strong inner bark of the 

 mimosa-tree. When all prepared except the thatch, it is 

 lifted on to the circular wall, the rim resting on a circle of 

 poles, between each of which the third wall is built. The 

 roof is thatched with fine grass, and sewed with the same 

 material as the lashings ; and, as it projects far beyond the 

 walls, and reaches within four feet of the ground, the shade 

 is the best to be found in the country. These huts are 

 very cool in the hottest day, but are close and deficient in 

 ventilation by night. 



The bed is a mat made of rushes sewn together with 

 twine ; the hip-bone soon becomes sore on the hard flat 

 surface, as we are not allowed to make a hole in the floor 

 to receive the prominent part called trochanter by an- 

 atomists, as we do when sleeping on grass or sand. 



Our course at this time led us to a part above Sesheke, 

 called Katonga, where there is a village belonging to a 

 Eashubia man named Sekhosi — latitude 17 20/ 13* ', 

 longitude 24 33'. The river here is somewhat broader 

 than at Sesheke, and certainly not less than six 

 hundred yards. It flows somewhat slowly in the first 

 part of its eastern course. When the canoes came from 

 Sekhosi to take us over, one of the comrades of Sebituane 

 rose, and, looking to Sekeletu, called out, " The elders of 

 a host always take the lead in an attack." This was 

 understood at once ; and Sekeletu, with all the young 

 men, were obliged to give the elders the precedence, and 

 remain on the southern bank and see that all went orderly 

 into the canoes. It took a considerable time to ferry over 

 the whole of our large party, as, even with quick paddling, 

 from six to eight minutes were spent in the mere passage 

 from bank to bank. 



Several days were spent in collecting canoes from 



o 



