90 
Seven Years in Central Africa. 
[Jan. 
hiding among the Mangeti tribe, and killed. Ditia died some- 
where of a natural death, leaving three sons and three daughters 
that I know of j and the eldest of his sons is the present king. 
Sepopo fled among the Mambunda. 
But to return to the Makololo story. Many of Sebituane's 
headmen were much against him for taking upon himself the 
rule of so much country and so many people. "Whom," said 
they (to quote the words of an old Makololo woman), "whom 
will you leave behind you to take charge of this great nation? 
We Makololo are only a handful of people compared with all 
these." Sebituane, in the ordinary course of nature, died, and 
his son, Sekeletu, a mere boy, reigned in his stead. He made 
a desperate attempt to obtain great power, killing every one 
whom he thought to be at all powerful in his own or other 
tribes. Sekeletu, in the midst of his days, was stricken with 
leprosy, and died miserably. His son and heir, being too young 
to reign, the child's uncle, Borolo, was appointed regent. A 
dispute that followed between Borolo and his brother led to 
a civil war. The Barotse tribe up the river, watching their 
opportunity, with Sepopo at their head, now marched down and 
fell upon the Makololo, who perished to a man. Only women 
and little girls were left alive, and one or two infant boys, saved, 
like Moses, by being hid away. These Makololo women still 
live an unhappy and exiled life among a race of people whom 
they were ever taught to look down upon as dogs and slaves. 
The Makololo are of a reddish copper colour ; the Barotse of a 
pitchy black. 
As soon as the Barotse had got the upper hand they called for 
their head, Sepopo, collecting their forces in the Barotse valley. 
Meanwhile the Batoka also called back their exiled chief. Sepopo 
at once sent down his challenge to this man. The result was a 
sharp fight, and again the Barotse were victorious, and ever since 
the Batoka have been tributary to the Barotse. All the other 
tribes round about gave in to Sepopo, so he reigned paramount. 
Sepopo, though often in the Barotse valley, preferred living at 
Shesheke, for the sake of trade with the white people. 
The Barotse headmen, being left to themselves, had time to 
foster their discontent, and to lay their plans against Sepopo. 
At last, about seven or eight years ago, they started from the 
