PRESENT FROM MASIKO. 259 



Masiko expressed delight, by his principal men, at the 

 return of the captives, and at the proposal of peace and 

 alliance with the Makololo. He stated that he never 

 sold any of his own people to the Mambari, but only 

 captives whom his people kidnapped from small neigh- 

 bouring tribes. When the question was put, whether 

 his people had been in the habit of molesting the Mako- 

 lolo by kidnapping their servants and stealing canoes, 

 it was admitted! that two of his men, when hunting, had 

 gone to the Makololo gardens, to see if any of their relatives 

 were there. As the great object in all native disputes 

 is to get both parties to turn over a new leaf, I explained 

 the desirableness of forgetting past feuds, accepting the 

 present Makololo professions as genuine, and avoiding 

 m future to give them any cause for marauding. I pre- 

 sented Masiko with an ox, furnished by Sekeletu as pro- 

 vision for ourselves. All these people are excessively 

 fond of beef and butter, from having been accustomed 

 to them in their youth, before the Makololo deprived 

 them of cattle. They have abundance of game, but 

 I am quite of their opinion, that, after all, there is nought 

 in the world equal to roast beef ; and that in their love 

 for it the Knglish show both good taste and sound sense. 

 The ox was intended for Masiko, but his men were very 

 anxious to get my sanction for slaughtering it on the spot. 

 I replied, that when it went out of my hands I had no more 

 to do with it. They, however, wished the responsibility 

 of slaughtering it to rest with me ; if I had said they 

 might kill it, not many ounces would have remained 

 in the morning. I would have given permission, but had 

 nothing else to offer in return for Masiko's generosity. 



We were now without any provisions except a small 

 dole of manioc-roots each evening from Nyamoana, 

 which, when eaten raw, produce poisonous effects. A 

 small loaf, made from nearly the last morsel of maize- 

 meal from I^ibonta, was my stock, and our friends from 

 Masiko were still more destitute ; yet we. all rejoiced 

 so much at their arrival, that, we resolved to spend a 

 day with them. The Barotse of our party, meeting with 

 relatives and friends among the Barotse of Masiko, had 

 many old tales to tell ; and, after pleasant hungry con- 

 verse by day, we regaled our friends with the magic 

 lantern by night, and, in order to make the thing of use 

 to all, we removed our camp up to the village of Nya- 



