A NIGHT EN ROUTE. 233 



was rife, as is generally the case before the rain begins. 

 Some of my own men required my assistance, as well as 

 the people of I,ibonta. A lion had done a good deal of 

 mischief here, and when the people went to attack it two 

 men were badly wounded ; one of them had his thigh- 

 bone quite broken, showing the prodigious power of this 

 animal's jaws. The inflammation produced by the teeth- 

 wounds proved fatal to one of them. 



Here we demanded the remainder of the captives, and 

 got our number increased to nineteen. They consisted of 

 women and children, and one young man of twenty. One 

 of the boys was smuggled away in the crowd as we em- 

 barked. The Makololo under-chiefs often act in direct 

 opposition to the will of the head chief, trusting to circum- 

 stances and brazenfacedness to screen themselves from 

 his open displeasure ; and as he does not always find it 

 convenient to notice faults, they often go to considerable 

 lengths in wrongdoing. 



Libonta is the last town of the Makololo, so, when we 

 parted from it, we had only a few cattle-stations and 

 outlying hamlets in front, and then an uninhabited border 

 country till we came to Londa, or Lunda. Libonta is 

 situated on a mound like the rest of the villages in the 

 Barotse valley, but here the tree-covered sides of the 

 valley begin to approach nearer the river. The village 

 itself belongs to two of the chief wives of Sebituane, who 

 furnished us with an ox and abundance of other food. 

 The same kindness was manifested by all who could 

 afford to give anything ; and as I glance over their deeds 

 of generosity recorded in my journal, my heart glows with 

 gratitude to them, and I hope and pray that God may 

 spare me to make them some return. 



Before leaving the villages entirely, we may glance at 

 our way of spending the nights. As soon as we land, 

 some of the men cut a little grass for my bed, while 

 Mashauana plants the poles of the little tent. These are 

 used by day for carrying burdens, for the Barotse fashion 

 is exactly like that of the natives of India, only the burden 

 is fastened near the ends of the pole, and not suspended 

 by long cords. The bed is made, and boxes ranged on 

 each side of it, and then the tent pitched over all. 

 Four or five feet in front of my tent is placed the principal 

 or kotla fire, the wood for which must be collected by the 

 man who occupies the post of herald, and takes as his 



