Chap. XL 
AXT-HILLS—DATE~TKEES. 
203 
CHAPTEE XL 
Departure from Linyanti for Sesheke — Level country—Ant-hills —Wild date- 
trees —■ Appearance of our attendants on the march — The chiefs guard —■ 
They attempt to ride on oxhack — Vast herds of the new antelopes, leches, 
and nakongs — The native way of hunting them — Keception at the villages 
— Presents of heer and milk —■ Eating with the hand —■ The chief pro¬ 
vides the oxen for slaughter —- Social mode of eating — The sugar-cane — 
Sekeletu’s novel test of character — Cleanliness of Makololo huts — Their 
construction and appearance ■— The beds — Cross the Leeamhye — Aspect 
of this part of the country — The small antelope Tianyane unknown in the 
south ■— Hunting on foot — An eland. 
Having waited a montli at Linyanti (lat. 18° IT 20" S., long. 
23° 50' 9" E.), we again departed, for the purpose of ascending 
the river from Shesheke (lat. 17° 31' 38" S., long. 25° 13' E.). 
To the Barotse country, the capital of which is Xariele or Nahele 
(lat. 15° 24' 17" S., long. 23° 5' 54" E.), I went in company with 
Sekeletu and about one hundred and sixty attendants. We had 
most of the young men with us, and many of the under-cliiefs 
besides. The country between Linyanti and Sesheke is perfectly 
flat, except patches elevated only a few feet above the smTounding 
level. There are also many mounds where the gigantic anthills 
of the country have been situated, or still appear; these mounds 
are evidently the work of the termites. No one who has not 
seen their gigantic structoes can fancy the industry of these 
little labourers; they seem to impart fertility to the soil which 
has once passed through their mouths, for the Makololo find the 
sides of anthills the choice spots for rearing early maize, tobacco, 
or anything on which they wish to bestow especial care. In the 
parts through which we passed the mounds are generally covered 
with masses of wild date-trees; the firuit is small, and no tree is 
allowed to stand long, for, having abundance of food, the Mako¬ 
lolo have no inclination to preserve wild fruit-trees: accordingly, 
when a date shoots up to seed, as soon as the fruit is ripe they 
cut down the tree rather than be at the trouble of climbing it. 
The other parts of the more elevated land have the camel-thorn 
{Acacia giraffce), white-thomed mimosa (Acacia horrida), and 
baobabs. In sandy spots there are palmyras somewhat similar 
