296 REPUTATION OF THE MAKOI,OI,0. 



that these had never been so common as was represented 

 to Pereira, but that it occasionally happened, when certain 

 charms were needed by the chief, that a man was slaugh- 

 tered for the sake of some part of his body. He added 

 that he hoped the present chief would not act like his 

 (mad) predecessor, but kill only those who were guilty of 

 witchcraft or theft. These men were very much as- 

 tonished at the liberty enjoyed by the Makololo ; and 

 when they found that all my people held cattle, we were 

 told that Matiamvo alone had a herd. One very intelligent 

 man among them asked, " If he should make a canoe and 

 take it down the river to the Makololo, would he get a cow 

 for it ? " This question, which my men answered in the 

 affirmative, was important, as showing the knowledge of 

 a water communication from the country of Matiamvo to 

 the Makololo ; and the river runs through a fertile country 

 abounding in large timber. If the tribes have intercourse 

 with each other, it exerts a good influence on their chiefs 

 to hear what other tribes think of their deeds. The 

 Makololo have such a bad name on account of their 

 perpetual forays, that they have not been known in 

 Londa except as ruthless destroyers. The people in 

 Matiamvo's country submit to much wrong from their 

 chiefs ; and no voice can be raised against cruelty, because 

 they are afraid to flee elsewhere. 



We left Quendende's village in company with Quen- 

 dende himself, and the principal man of the ambassadors 

 of Matiamvo, and after two or three miles' march to the 

 N.W., came to the ford of the Lotembwa, which flows 

 southwards. A canoe was waiting to ferry us over, but 

 it was very tedious work ; for though the river itself was 

 only eighty yards wide, the whole valley was flooded, and 

 we were obliged to paddle more than half a mile to get 

 free of the water. A fire was lit to warm old Quendende,, 

 and enable him to dry his tobacco-leaves. The leaves are 

 taken from the plant, and spread close to the fire, until 

 they are quite dry and crisp ; they are then put into a 

 snuff-box, which, with a little pestle, serves the purpose 

 of a mill to grind them into powder ; it is then used as 

 snuff. As we sat by the fire the ambassadors communi- 

 cated their thoughts freely respecting the customs of 

 their race. When a chief dies, a number of servants are 

 slaughtered with him to form his company in the other 

 world. The Barotse followed the same custom, and this 



