onds suffice for its deposit at the bottom. This is
considered an unhealthy period. When waiting, on one occasion, for the
other canoes to come up, I felt no inclination to leave the one I was
in; but my head boatman, Mashauana, told me never to remain on board
while so much vegetable matter was floating down the stream.

17TH DECEMBER. At Libonta. We were detained for days together collecting
contributions of fat and butter, according to the orders of Sekeletu, as
presents to the Balonda chiefs. Much fever prevailed, and ophthalmia was
rife, as is generally the case before the rains begin. Some of my own
men required my assistance, as well as the people of Libonta. A lion had
done a good deal of mischief here, and when the people went to attack it
two men were badly wounded; one of them had his thigh-bone quite broken,
showing the prodigious power of this animal's jaws. The inflammation
produced by the teeth-wounds proved fatal to one of them.

Here we demanded the remainder of the captives, and got our number
increased to nineteen. They consisted of women and children, and one
young man of twenty. One of the boys was smuggled away in the crowd as
we embarked. The Makololo under-chiefs often act in direct opposition
to the will of the head chief, trusting to circumstances and
brazenfacedness to screen themselves from his open displeasure; and as
he does not always find it convenient to notice faults, they often go to
considerable lengths in wrong-doing.

Libonta is the last town of the Makololo; so, when we parted from it, we
had only a few cattle-stations and outlying hamlets in front, and then
an uninhabited border country till we came to Londa or Lunda. Libonta is
situated on a mound like the rest of the villages in the Barotse valley,
but here the tree-covered sides of the valley begin to approach nearer
the river. The village itself belongs to two of the chief wives of
Sebituane, who furnished us with an ox and abundance of other food. The
same kindness was manifested by all who could afford to give any thing;
and as I glance over their deeds of generosity recorded in my journal,
my heart glows with gratitude to them, and I hope and pray that God may
spare me to make them some return.

Before leaving the villages entirely, we may glance at our way of
spending the nights. As soon as we land, some of the men cut a little
grass for my bed, while Mashauana plants the poles of the little tent.
These are used by day