IN THE I^AND OF " RFBFXS." 513 



of a mineral, namely, coal, the want of which in the central 

 country I had always deplored. Again and again we 

 came to the ruins of large towns, containing the only 

 hieroglyphics of this country, worn millstones, with the 

 round ball of quartz with which the grinding was effected. 

 Great numbers of these balls were lying about, showing 

 that the depopulation had been the result of war, for, 

 had the people removed in peace, they would have taken 

 the balls with them. 



At the river of Dila, we saw the spot where Sebituane 

 lived, and Sekwebu pointed out the heaps of bones of 

 cattle, which the Makololo had been obliged to slaughter, 

 after performing a march with great herds captured from 

 the Batoka, through a patch of the fatal tsetse. When 

 Sebituane saw the symptoms of the poison, he gave orders 

 to his people to eat the cattle. He still had vast numbers ; 

 and when the Matabele, crossing the Zambesi opposite 

 this part, came to attack him, he invited the Batoka to 

 take repossession of their herds, he having so many as to 

 be unalble to guide them in their flight. The country 

 was at that time exceedingly rich in cattle, and, besides 

 pasturage, it is all well adapted for the cultivation of 

 native produce. Being on the eastern slope of the ridge, 

 it receives more rain than any part of the westward. 

 Sekwebu had been instructed to point out to me the 

 advantages of this position for a settlement, as that which 

 all the Makololo had never ceased to regret. It needed 

 no eulogy from Sekwebu ; I admired it myself, and the 

 enjoyment of good health in fine open scenery, had an 

 exhilarating effect on my spirits. The great want was 

 population, the Batoka having all taken refuge in the hills. 

 We were now in the vicinity of those whom the Makololo 

 deem rebels, and felt some anxiety as to how we should 

 be received. 



On the 4th we reached their first village. Remaining 

 at a distance of a quarter of a mile, we sent two men to 

 inform them who we were, and that our purposes were 

 peaceful. The head-man came and spoke civilly, but 

 when nearly dark, the people of another village arrived 

 and behaved very differently. They began by trying 

 to spear a young man who had gone for water. Then 

 they approached us, and one came forward howling at 

 the top of his voice in the most hideous manner ; his eyes 

 were shot out, his lips covered with foam, and every 



2 I, 



