lie 
THE CHIEFS GUARD 
tho industry of those little laborers; they socm tc vmpait 
fertility to tho soil which has once passed through their 
mouths, for tho Makololo find the sides of ant-hills the 
choico spots for rearing early maize, tobacco, or any thing 
on which thoy wish to bestow ospccial care. We had the 
Chobo on our right, with its scores of miles of reed occupy 
ing the' horizon thoro. It was pleasant to look back on the 
long oxtonded lino of our attendants, as it twisted and bent 
according to tho curves of tho footpath, or in and out behind 
tho mounds, tbo ostrich-feathers of tho men waving in the 
wind. Some had tho white ends of ox-tails on their heads, 
hussar fashion, and others groat bunches of black ostrich- 
feathers, or caps mado of lions’ manes. Sotno wore rod 
tunics, or various-colored prints which tho chief had bought 
from Fleming; tho common men carried burdens; tbo gen- 
tlemen walked with a small club of rhinoceros-horn in their 
hands, and had servants to carry their shields; while the 
“ Machaka,” battlo-axo men, carried their own, and wero 
liablo at any time to bo sont off a hundred miles on an 
errand, and oxpoctod to run all tho way. 
Sokelotu is always accompanied by his ow r n Mopato, a 
number of young men of his own ago. When be sits down 
they crowd around him; thoso who aro nearest cat out of 
tho same dish, for tho Makololo chiefs prido themsolvcs on 
eating with their pooplo. Ho cats a little, then beckons 
his neighbors to partako. When they have dono so, ho 
porhaps beckons to somo one at a distance to tako a sharo ; 
that person starts forward, seizes tho pot, and removes it 
to his own companions. Tho comrades of Sekelotu, wish 
ing to imitate him in riding on my old horse, leaped on tho 
backs of a number of half-broken Batoka oxen as they ran ; 
but, having noithcr saddlo nor bridle, the number of tumblos 
thoy mot with was a source of much amusement to the 
rest. 
When wo arrived at any village, tho women all turnod 
out to lulliloo their chief. Their shrill voices, to which 
they give a tremulous sound by a quick motion of thr 
