the bend of the opposite bank; but Sebituane, with his usual foresight,
requested the island chief who ferried him across to take his seat in
the canoe with him, and detained him by his side till all his people
and cattle were safely landed. The whole Batoka country was then densely
peopled, and they had a curious taste for ornamenting their villages
with the skulls of strangers. When Sebituane appeared near the great
falls, an immense army collected to make trophies of the Makololo
skulls; but, instead of succeeding in this, they gave him a good excuse
for conquering them, and capturing so many cattle that his people were
quite incapable of taking any note of the sheep and goats. He overran
all the high lands toward the Kafue, and settled in what is called a
pastoral country, of gently undulating plains, covered with short grass
and but little forest. The Makololo have never lost their love for this
fine, healthy region.

But the Matebele, a Caffre or Zulu tribe, under Mosilikatse, crossed
the Zambesi, and, attacking Sebituane in this choice spot, captured
his cattle and women. Rallying his men, he followed and recaptured the
whole. A fresh attack was also repulsed, and Sebituane thought of going
farther down the Zambesi, to the country of the white men. He had an
idea, whence imbibed I never could learn, that if he had a cannon he
might live in peace. He had led a life of war, yet no one apparently
desired peace more than he did. A prophet induced him to turn his
face again to the westward. This man, by name Tlapane, was called a
"senoga"--one who holds intercourse with the gods. He probably had
a touch of insanity, for he was in the habit of retiring no one knew
whither, but perhaps into some cave, to remain in a hypnotic or mesmeric
state until the moon was full. Then, returning to the tribe quite
emaciated, he excited himself, as others do who pretend to the prophetic
AFFLATUS, until he was in a state of ecstasy. These pretended prophets
commence their operations by violent action of the voluntary muscles.
Stamping, leaping, and shouting in a peculiarly violent manner, or
beating the ground with a club, they induce a kind of fit, and while
in it pretend that their utterances are unknown to themselves. Tlapane,
pointing eastward, said, "There, Sebituane, I behold a fire: shun it;
it is a fire which may scorch thee. The gods say, go not thither."
Then, turning to the west, he said, "I see a city and a nation of blac