4/4 A SELECTION OF HUSBANDS. 



tribe, and they have been known to proceed thus cautiously 

 to form connections, and gradually gain so much influence, 

 as to draw all the tribe over to their religion. I never 

 heard of any persecution, although the Arabs with whom 

 I came in contact seemed much attached to their religion. 

 This daughter of Sebituane, named Manchunyane, was 

 about twelve years of age. As I was the bosom friend 

 of her father, I was supposed to have a voice in her dis- 

 posal, and, on being asked, objected to her being taken 

 away, we knew not whither, and where we might never 

 see her again. As her name implies, she was only a little 

 black, and, besides being as fair as any of the Arabs, had 

 quite the Arab features ; but I have no doubt that Ben 

 Habib will renew his suit more successfully on some other 

 occasion. In these cases of marriage, the consent of the 

 young women is seldom asked. A maidservant of Seke- 

 letu, however, pronounced by the Makololo to be good- 

 looking, was at this time sought in marriage by five 

 young men. Sekeletu, happening to be at my waggon 

 when one of these preferred his suit, very coolly ordered 

 all five to stand in a row before the young woman, that 

 she might make her choice. Two refused to stand, 

 apparently, because they could not brook the idea of 

 a repulse, although willing enough to take her, if Sekeletu 

 had acceded to their petition without reference to her 

 will. Three dandified fellows stood forth, and she un- 

 hesitatingly decided on taking one who was really the 

 best looking. It was amusing to see the mortification 

 exhibited on the black faces of the unsuccessful candidates, 

 while the spectators greeted them with a hearty laugh. 



During the whole of my stay with the Makololo, Seke- 

 letu supplied my wants abundantly, appointing some 

 cows to furnish me with milk, and, when he went out to 

 hunt, sent home orders for slaughtered oxen to be given. 

 That the food was not given in a niggardly spirit, may 

 be inferred from the fact, that, when I proposed to depart 

 on the 20th of October, he protested against my going 

 off in such a hot sun. " Only wait," said he, " for the 

 first shower, and then I will let you go." This was 

 reasonable, for the thermometer, placed upon a deal box 

 in the sun, rose to 138 . It stood at 108 in the shade by 

 day, and 96 at sUnset. If my experiments were correct, 

 the blood of a European is of a higher temperature than 

 that of an African. The bulb, held under my tongue, 



