292 
KECEPTION BY SHINTE. 
Chap. XVI. 
we did not, they turned round towards Shinte, and saluted him; 
then retired. When all had come, and were seated, then began 
the curious capering usually seen in pichos. A man starts up, 
and imitates the most approved attitudes observed in actual 
fight,—as if throwing one javelin, receiving another on the 
shield, springing to one side to avoid a thud, running backwards 
or forwards, leaping, &c. This over, Sambanza, and the spokes¬ 
man of Nyamoana, stalked backwards and forwards in front of 
Shinte, and gave forth, in a loud voice, all they had been able 
to learn, either from myself or people, of my past history and 
connection with the Makololo; the return of the captives; the 
wish to open the country to trade; the Bible as a word from 
heaven; the white man’s desire for the tribes to live in peace: 
he ouglit to have taught the Makololo that first, for the Balonda 
never attacked them, yet they had assailed the Balonda: per¬ 
haps he is fibbing, perhaps not; they rather thought he was; 
but as the Balonda had good hearts, and Sliinte had never done 
harm to any one, he had better receive the white man well, and 
send him on his way. Sambanza was gaily attued, and, besides 
a profusion of beads, had a cloth so long that a boy carried it 
after him as a train. 
Behind Slnnte sat about a hundred women, clothed in their 
best, which happened to be a profusion of red baize. The chief 
wife of Shinte, one of the Matebele or Zulus, sat in front with a 
curious red cap on her head. During the intervals between the 
speeches, these ladies burst forth into a sort of plaintive ditty; 
but it was impossible for any of us to catch whether it was in 
praise of the speaker, of Shinte, or of themselves. This was the 
first time I had ever seen females present in a public assembly. 
In the south the women are not permitted to enter the kotla; 
and even when invited to come to a religious service there, would 
not enter until ordered to do so by the chief; but here they 
expressed approbation by clapping their hands, and laughing 
to different speakers; and Shinte frequently turned round and 
spoke to them. 
A party of musicians, consisting of three drummers and four 
performers on the piano, went round the kotla several times, 
regaling us with their music. The drums are neatly carved 
from the trunk of a tree, and have a small hole in the side 
