21 8 DEFIANCE OF AUTHORITY. 



when the whole body of water collects into one bed, it is 

 a goodly sight for one who has spent many years in the 

 thirsty south. Standing on one bank, even the keen eye 

 of the natives cannot detect whether two large islands, a 

 few miles east of the junction, are mainland or not. 

 During a flight in former years, when the present chief 

 Sekomi was a child in his mother's arms, the Bamangwato 

 men were separated from their women, and inveigled on 

 to one of these islands by the Makalaka chief of Mparia, on 

 pretence of ferrying them across the Iyeeambye. They 

 were left to perish after seeing their wives taken prisoners 

 by these cruel lords of the Leeambye, and Sekomi owed 

 his life to the compassion of one of the Bayeiye, who, 

 pitying the young chieftain, enabled his mother to make 

 her escape by night. 



After spending one night at the Makololo village on 

 Mparia, we left the Chobe, and turning round began to 

 ascend the Leeambye ; on the 19th of November we 

 again reached the town of Sesheke. It stands on the 

 north bank of the river, and contains a large population 

 of Makalaka, under Moriantsane, brother-in-law of Sebi- 

 tuane. There are parties of various tribes here, assembled 

 under their respective headmen, but a few Makololo rule 

 over all. Their sway, though essentially despotic, is con- 

 siderably modified by certain customs and laws. One of 

 the Makalaka had speared an ox belonging to one of the 

 Makololo, and being unable to extract the spear, was 

 thereby discovered to be the perpetrator of the deed. 

 His object had been to get a share of the meat, as Moriant- 

 sane is known to be liberal with any food that comes into 

 his hands. The culprit was bound hand and foot and 

 placed in the sun to force him to pay a fine, but he con- 

 tinued to deny his guilt. His mother, believing in the 

 innocence of her son, now came forward, with her hoe in 

 hand, and, threatening to cut down any one who should 

 dare to interfere, untied the cords with which he had been 

 bound and took him home. This open defiance of 

 authority was not resented by Moriantsane, but referred 

 to Sekeletu at Linyanti. 



The following circumstance, which happened here when 

 I was present with Sekeletu, shows that the simple mode 

 of punishment, by forcing a criminal to work out a fine, 

 did not strike the Makololo mind until now. 



A stranger, having visited Sesheke for the purpose of 



