98 
8EKELETU BECOMES CHIEFTAIN 
to govern the Makololo so long as she had a brother living 
Sekeletn, being afraid of another member of the family. 
Mpepe, who had pretensions to the chieftainship, urged hi* 
uistcr strongly to remain as she had always been, and 
allow him to support her authority by leading the Mako- 
lolo when they wont forth to war. Three days were spent 
in public discussion on the point. Mpepo insinuated that 
Sekelotu was not the lawful son of Scbituanc, on account 
of his mother having been the wifo of another chief befere 
her marriage with Scbituane; Mamochisane, however, 
upheld Sckelctu’s claims, and at last stood up in tho as- 
sembly and addressed him with a womanly gush of tears: 
— “I have boon a chief only bocauso my father wished it. 
I always would have preferred to bo married and have a 
family like other women. You, Sekelotu, must bo chiof, 
and build up your father’s house.” This was a death-blow 
to tho hopes of Mpepe, who was soon after speared for an 
attempt to assassinate Sokeletu. 
Soon after our arrival at Linyanti, Sokeletu took mo 
aside, and pressed me to mention those things I liked best 
and hoped to get from him. Any thing, cither in or out 
of his town, should bo freely given if I would only men- 
tion it. I explained to him that my object was to olevato 
him and his people to bo Christians; but ho roplied ho did 
not wish to learn to read tho Book, for ho was afraid “ *t 
might change his heart, and make him content with only 
one wife, liko Seehele.” it was of little uso to urge that 
tho change of heart implied a contentment with ono wife 
equal to his present complacency in polygamy. Such * 
preference after tho change of mind could not now bo 
understood by him any more than tho real, unmistakable 
pleasure of religious services can by thoso who have not 
experienced what is known by tho term tho “ now heart-” 
I assured him that nothing was expected but by his owJ 
voluntary decision. “No, no; ho wanted always to have 
fivo wives at least ” I liked tho frankness of Sokeletu, f' ,T 
