488 
THE “KASENDi; 
Chap. XXIV. 
does cattle. The next morning, the spots on which my ox had 
been bitten, were marked by patches of hair, about half an inch 
broad, being wetted by exudation. Poor Sinbad had carried me 
all the way from the Leeba to Golungo Alto, and all the way 
back again, without losing any of his pecuharities, or ever be¬ 
coming reconciled to our perversity, in forcing him away each 
morning from the pleasant pastoage on which he had fed. I 
wished to give the chmax to his usefulness, and allay our craving 
for animal food at the same time, but, my men having some com¬ 
punction, we carried him to end his days in peace at Naliele. 
Having despatched a message to our old friend Manenko, we 
waited a day opposite her village, which was about fifteen miles 
from the river. Her husband was instantly despatched to meet 
us, with hberal presents of food, she bemg unable to travel in 
consequence of a burn on the foot. Sambanza gave us a detailed 
accoimt of the pohtical affairs of the country, and of Kolimbota’s 
evil doings, and next morning performed the ceremony called 
KasendiJ^ for cementing oiu' friendship. It is accomphshed 
thus:—The hands of the parties are joined (in this case Pitsane 
and Sambanza were the parties engaged) ; small mcisions are 
made on the clasped hands ; on the pits of the stomach of each; 
and on the right cheeks and foreheads. A small quantity of 
blood is taken off from these points in both parties by means 
of a stalk of grass. The blood from one person is put into one 
pot of beer, and that of the second into another; each then drinks 
the other’s blood, and they are supposed to become perpetual 
friends or relations. Dm^ing the drinking of the beer, some of the 
party continue beating the ground with short clubs, and utter 
sentences by way of ratifymg the treaty. The men belonging to 
each, then finish the beer. The principals in the performance of 
Kasendi'' are henceforth considered blood-relations, and are 
bound to disclose to each other any impending evil. If Sekeletu 
should resolve to attack the Balonda, Pitsane would be under 
obhgation.to give Sambanza warning to escape, and so on the 
other side. They now presented each other with the most valu¬ 
able presents they had to bestow. Sambanza walked off with 
Pitsane’s suit of green-baize faced with red, which had been made 
in Loanda; and Pitsane, besides abundant supphes of food, obtained 
two shells similar to that I had received ffom Sliinte. 
