up as a trader, at a very small cost; but, his party having
discharged their guns, Ben Habib observed that the female chief and her
people were extremely alarmed, and would have fled and left their cattle
in a panic, had he not calmed their fears. Ben Habib informed the uncle
of Sekeletu that he could easily guide him thither, and he might get
a large number of cattle without any difficulty. This uncle advised
Sekeletu to go; and, as the only greatness he knew was imitation of his
father's deeds, he went, but was not so successful as was anticipated.
Sebola Makwaia had fled on hearing of the approach of the Makololo; and,
as the country is marshy and intersected in every direction by rivers,
they could not easily pursue her. They captured canoes, and, pursuing up
different streams, came to a small lake called "Shuia". Having entered
the Loangwa, flowing to the eastward, they found it advisable to return,
as the natives in those parts became more warlike the further they went
in that direction. Before turning, the Arab pointed out an elevated
ridge in the distance, and said to the Makololo, "When we see that,
we always know that we are only ten or fifteen days from the sea." On
seeing him afterward, he informed me that on the same ridge, but much
further to the north, the Banyassa lived, and that the rivers flowed
from it toward the S.W. He also confirmed the other Arab's account that
the Loapula, which he had crossed at the town of Cazembe, flowed in the
same direction, and into the Leeambye.
Several of the influential Makololo who had engaged in these marauding
expeditions had died before our arrival, and Nokwane had succumbed to
his strange disease. Ramosantane had perished through vomiting blood
from over-fatigue in the march, and Lerimo was affected by a leprosy
peculiar to the Barotse valley. In accordance with the advice of my
Libonta friends, I did not fail to reprove "my child Sekeletu" for his
marauding. This was not done in an angry manner, for no good is ever
achieved by fierce denunciations. Motibe, his father-in-law, said to me,
"Scold him much, but don't let others hear you."
The Makololo expressed great satisfaction with the route we had opened
up to the west, and soon after our arrival a "picho" was called, in
order to discuss the question of removal to the Barotse valley, so
that they might be nearer the market. Some of the older men objected to
abandoning the line of defense afforded by the rivers C
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