Chap. XXVIII. SEMALEMBUE AND HIS PEOPLE. 
567 
Semalembue paid us a visit soon after our arrival, and said 
that he had often heard of me, and now that he had the pleasure 
of seeing me, he feared that I should sleep the first night at 
his village hungry. This was considered the handsome way of 
introducing a present, for he then handed five or six baskets 
of meal and maize, and an enormous one of ground-nuts. Next 
morning he gave about twenty baskets more of meal. I could 
make but a poor return for liis kindness, but he accepted my 
apologies pohtely, saying that he knew there were no goods in 
the country from which I had come, and, in professing great joy 
at the words of peace I spoke, he said, “ Now I shall cultivate 
largely, in the hope of eating and sleeping in peace.” It is 
noticeable that all whom we have yet met, eagerly caught up the 
idea of living in peace as the probable effect of the gospel. They 
require no explanation of the existence of the Deity. Sekwebu 
makes use of the term “ Keza,” and they appear to understand at 
once. Like negroes in general, they have a strong tendency to 
worship, and I heard that Semalembue gets a good deal of ivory 
from the surrounding tribes, on pretence of having some super¬ 
natural power. He transmits this to some other chiefs on the 
Zambesi, and receives in retmm English cotton goods which 
come from Mozambique by Babisa traders. My men here began 
to sell theff beads and other ornaments for cotton cloth. Sema¬ 
lembue was accompanied by about forty people, aU large men. 
They have much wool on their heads, which is sometimes drawn 
all together up to the crown, and tied there in a large tapering 
bunch. The forehead, and round by the ears, is shaven close to 
the base of this tuft. Others draw out the hair on one side, and 
twist it into little strings. The rest is taken over, and hangs 
above the ear, which gives the appearance of having a cap 
cocked jauntily on the side of the head. 
The mode of salutation is by clapping the hands. Various 
parties of women came from the surrounding villages to see the 
white man, but all seemed very much afraid. Their fear, which I 
seldom could aUay, made them, when addressed, clap their hands 
with mcreasing vigour. Sekwebu was the only one of the 
Makololo who Imew this part of the country; and this was the 
region which to his mind was best adapted for the residence of a 
tribe. The natives generally have a good idea of the nature 
