" RIFTING " NOT " STEALING." 49 1 



convincing, he would undoubtedly be fined. As that 

 would be the first instance of a fine being levied for maraud- 

 ing, I looked upon it as the beginning of a better state 

 of things. In tribes which have been accustomed to 

 cattle-stealing, the act is not considered immoral, in the 

 way that theft is. Before I knew the language well, 

 I said to a chief, " You stole the cattle of so and so." 

 " No, I did not steal them," was the reply, " I only lifted 

 them." The word " gap a " is identical with the Highland 

 term for the same deed. 



Another point came to our notice here. Some Mambari 

 had come down thus far, and induced the Batoka to sell 

 a very large tusk which belonged to Sekeletu, for a few 

 bits of cloth. They had gone among the Batoka who 

 need hoes, and, having purchased some of these from 

 the people near Sesheke, induced the others living farther 

 east, to sell both ivory and children. They would not 

 part with children for clothing or beads, but agriculture 

 with wooden hoes is so laborious, that the sight of the 

 hoes prevailed. The Makololo proposed to knock the 

 Mambari on the head as the remedy, the next time they 

 came ; but on my proposing that they should send hoes 

 themselves, and thereby secure the ivory in a quiet way, 

 all approved highly of the idea, and Pitsane and Mohorisi 

 expatiated on the value of the ivory, their own willing- 

 ness to go and sell it at I^oanda, and the disgust with 

 which the Mambari whom we met in Angola, had looked 

 upon their attempt to reach the proper market. If 

 nothing untoward happens, I think there is a fair prospect 

 of the trade in slaves being abolished in a natural way 

 in this quarter ; Pitsane and Mohorisi having again 

 expressed their willingness to go away back to Luanda 

 if Sekeletu would give them orders. This was the more 

 remarkable, as both had plenty of food and leisure at 

 home. 



20th November. — Sekeletu and his large party having 

 conveyed me thus far, and furnished me with a company 

 of 114 men to carry the tusks to the coast, we bade adieu 

 to the Makololo, and proceeded northwards to the L,ekone. 

 The country around is very beautiful, and was once well 

 peopled with Batoka, who possessed enormous herds of 

 cattle. When Sebituane came in former times, with his 

 small but warlike party of Makololo, to this spot, a general 

 rising took place 01 the Batoka through the wnole country, 



