286 
LENDING HOOFS OF HUTS. 
Chap. XVI. 
could I look at water being thrown away, without a slight, quick 
impression flitting across the mind that we were guilty of 
wasting it. Every now and then we emerged from the deep 
gloom into a pretty little valley, having a damp portion in the 
middle; which, though now filled with water, at other times 
contains moisture enough for wells only. These wells have 
shades put over them in the form of little huts. 
We crossed, in canoes, a little never-failing stream, which 
passes by the name Lefuje, or the rapid.” It comes from a 
goodly high mountain, called Monakadzi (the woman), wliich 
gladdened our eyes as it rose to our sight about twenty or thirty 
miles to the east of our course. It is of an oblong shape, and 
seemed at least eight hundred feet above the plains. The Lefuje 
probably derives its name from the rapid descent of the short 
course it has to flow from Monakadzi to the Leeba. 
The number of little villages seemed about equal to the 
number of valleys. At some we stopped and rested, the people 
becoming more liberal as we advanced. Others we found de¬ 
serted, a sudden panic having seized the inhabitants, though the 
drum of Manenko was kept beaten pretty constantly, in order 
to give notice of the approach of great people. When we had 
decided to remain for the night at any village, the inhabitants 
lent us the roofs of their huts, which in form resemble those of 
the Makololo, or a Chinaman’s hat, and can be taken off the walls 
at pleasure. They lifted them off, and brought them to the spot 
we had selected as our lodging, and, when my men had propped 
them up with stakes, they were then safely housed for the night. 
Every one who comes to salute either Manenko or ourselves, 
rubs the upper parts of the arms and chest with ashes; those 
who wish to show profounder reverence, put some also on the 
face. 
We found that every village had its idols near it. This is the 
case all through the country of the Balonda, so that, when we 
came to an idol in the woods, we always knew that we were 
within a quarter of an hour of human habitations. One very 
ugly idol we passed, rested on a horizontal beam placed on 
two upright posts. This beam was furnished with two loops of 
cord, as of a chain, to suspend offerings before it. On remarking 
to my companions that these idols had ears, but that they heard 
