482 SEKOTE'S ISLAND. 



cattle and people were ferried over. The Barotse believe 

 that at certain parts of the river a tremendous monster 

 lies hid, and that it will catch a canoe and hold it fast 

 and motionless, in spite of the utmost exertions of the 

 paddlers. While near Nameta, they even objected to 

 pass a spot supposed to be haunted, and proceeded along 

 a branch instead of the main stream. They believe that 

 some of them possess a knowledge of the proper prayer to 

 lay the monster. It is strange to find fables similar to those 

 of the more northern nations even in the heart of Africa. 

 Can they be the vestiges of traditions of animals which no 

 longer exist ? The fossil bones which He in the calcareous 

 tufa of this region will yet, we hope, reveal the ancient 

 fauna. 



Having descended about ten miles, we came to the 

 island of Nampene, at the beginning of the rapids, where 

 we were obliged to leave the canoes and proceed along the 

 banks on foot. The next evening we slept opposite the 

 island of Chondo, and, then crossing the £ekdne or 

 Lekwine, early the following morning were at the island 

 of Sekdte, called Kaldi. This Sekote was the last of the 

 Batoka chiefs whom Sebituane rooted out. The island is 

 surrounded by a rocky shore and deep channels, through 

 which the river rushes with great force. Sekote, feeling 

 secure in his island home, ventured to ferry over the 

 Matabele enemies of Sebituane. When they had retired, 

 Sebituane made one of those rapid marches which he 

 always adopted in every enterprise. He came down the 

 Leeambve from Naliele, sailing by day along the banks, 

 and during the night in the middle of the stream, to 

 avoid the hippopotami. When he reached Kalai, Sekote 

 took advantage of the larger canoes they employ in the 

 rapids, and fled during the night to the opposite bank. 

 Most of his people were slain or taken captive, and the 

 island has ever since been under the Makololo. It is 

 large enough to contain a considerable town. On the 

 northern side I found the kotla of the elder Sekote, 

 garnished with numbers of human skulls mounted on 

 poles ; a large heap of the crania of hippopotami, the 

 tusks untouched except by time, stood on one side. At 

 a short distance, under some trees, we saw the grave of 

 Sekote, ornamented with seventy large elephants' tusks, 

 planted round it with the points turned inwards, and there 

 were thirty more placed over the resting-places of his 



