tow away in
our canoes. The cows in this valley are now yielding, as they frequently
do, more milk than the people can use, and both men and women present
butter in such quantity that I shall be able to refresh my men as we
move along. Anointing the skin prevents the excessive evaporation of
the fluids of the body, and acts as clothing in both sun and shade. They
always made their presents gracefully. When an ox was given, the owner
would say, "Here is a little bit of bread for you." This was pleasing,
for I had been accustomed to the Bechuanas presenting a miserable goat,
with the pompous exclamation, "Behold an ox!" The women persisted in
giving me copious supplies of shrill praises, or "lullilooing"; but,
though I frequently told them to modify their "great lords" and "great
lions" to more humble expressions, they so evidently intended to do
me honor that I could not help being pleased with the poor creatures'
wishes for our success.

The rains began while we were at Naliele; this is much later than usual;
but, though the Barotse valley has been in need of rain, the people
never lack abundance of food. The showers are refreshing, but the air
feels hot and close; the thermometer, however, in a cool hut, stands
only at 84 Deg. The access of the external air to any spot at once
raises its temperature above 90 Deg. A new attack of fever here caused
excessive languor; but, as I am already getting tired of quoting my
fevers, and never liked to read travels myself where much was said about
the illnesses of the traveler, I shall henceforth endeavor to say little
about them.

We here sent back the canoe of Sekeletu, and got the loan of others from
Mpololo. Eight riding oxen, and seven for slaughter, were, according to
the orders of that chief, also furnished; some were intended for our own
use, and others as presents to the chiefs of the Balonda. Mpololo was
particularly liberal in giving all that Sekeletu ordered, though, as
he feeds on the cattle he has in charge, he might have felt it so much
abstracted from his own perquisites. Mpololo now acts the great man,
and is followed every where by a crowd of toadies, who sing songs in
disparagement of Mpepe, of whom he always lived in fear. While Mpepe was
alive, he too was regaled with the same fulsome adulation, and now they
curse him. They are very foul-tongued; equals, on meeting, often greet
each other with a profusion of oaths, and end the volley with a laugh.

In coming