228 MAKOI,OI,0 FORAY. 



surface. Here it is that the river when in flood rises fifty 

 or sixty feet in perpendicular height. The islands above 

 the falls are covered with foliage as beautiful as can be 

 seen anywhere. Viewed from the mass of rock which 

 overhangs the fall, the scenery was the loveliest I had 

 seen. 



Nothing worthy of note occurred on our way up to 

 Nameta. There we heard that a party of the Makololo, 

 headed by Lerimo, had made a foray to the north and up 

 the Leeba, in the very direction in which we were about 

 to proceed. Mpololo, the uncle of Sekeletu, is considered 

 the headman of the Barotse valley ; and the perpetrators 

 had his full sanction, because Masiko, a son of Santuru, 

 the former chief of the Barotse, had fled high up the 

 Leeambye, and, establishing himself there, had sent men 

 down to the vicinity of Naliele to draw away the remaining 

 Barotse from their allegiance. Lerimo's party had taken 

 some of this Masiko 's subjects prisoners, and destroyed 

 several villages of the Balonda, to whom we were going. 

 This was in direct opposition to the policy of Sekeletu, 

 who wished to be at peace with these northern tribes ; 

 and Pitsane, my head man, was the bearer of orders to 

 Mpololo to furnish us with presents for the very chiefs 

 they had attacked. Thus, we were to get large pots of 

 clarified butter and bunches of beads, in confirmation of 

 the message of peace we were to deliver. 



When we reached Litofe, we heard that a fresh foray 

 was in contemplation, but I sent forward orders to disband 

 the party immediately. At Ma-Sekeletu's town we found 

 the head offender, ]\Iplolo himself, and I gave him a bit 

 of my mind, to the effect that, as I was going with the full 

 sanction of Sekeletu, if any harm happened to me in con- 

 sequence of his ill-advised expedition, the guilt would rest 

 with him. Ma-Sekeletu, who was present, heartily ap- 

 proved all I said, and suggested that all the captives 

 taken by Lerimo should be returned by my hand, to show 

 Masiko that the guilt of the foray lay not with the superior 

 persons of the Makololo, but with a mere servant. Her 

 good sense appeared in other respects besides, and, as this 

 was exactly what my own party had previously resolved 

 to suggest, we were pleased to hear Mpololo agree to do 

 what he was advised. He asked me to lay the matter 

 before the under-chiefs of Naliele, and when we reached 

 that place, on the 9th of December, I did so in a picho, 



