light, whence came the diamond, muslin,
and peacocks; an attempt at explanation of our manufactures usually
elicits the expression, "Truly ye are gods!"

When about to leave the Makondo, one of my men had dreamed that Mosantu
was shut up a prisoner in a stockade: this dream depressed the spirits
of the whole party, and when I came out of my little tent in the
morning, they were sitting the pictures of abject sorrow. I asked if
we were to be guided by dreams, or by the authority I derived from
Sekeletu, and ordered them to load the boats at once; they seemed
ashamed to confess their fears; the Makololo picked up courage and
upbraided the others for having such superstitious views, and said this
was always their way; if even a certain bird called to them, they would
turn back from an enterprise, saying it was unlucky. They entered the
canoes at last, and were the better of a little scolding for being
inclined to put dreams before authority. It rained all the morning,
but about eleven we reached the village of Sheakondo, on a small stream
named Lonkonye. We sent a message to the head man, who soon appeared
with two wives, bearing handsome presents of manioc: Sheakondo could
speak the language of the Barotse well, and seemed awestruck when told
some of the "words of God". He manifested no fear, always spoke frankly,
and when he made an asseveration, did so by simply pointing up to the
sky above him. The Balonda cultivate the manioc or cassava extensively;
also dura, ground-nuts, beans, maize, sweet potatoes, and yams, here
called "lekoto", but as yet we see only the outlying villages.

The people who came with Sheakondo to our bivouac had their teeth filed
to a point by way of beautifying them, though those which were left
untouched were always the whitest; they are generally tattooed in
various parts, but chiefly on the abdomen: the skin is raised in small
elevated cicatrices, each nearly half an inch long and a quarter of an
inch in diameter, so that a number of them may constitute a star, or
other device. The dark color of the skin prevents any coloring matter
being deposited in these figures, but they love much to have the whole
surface of their bodies anointed with a comfortable varnish of oil. In
their unassisted state they depend on supplies of oil from the Palma
Christi, or castor-oil plant, or from various other oliferous seeds, but
they are all excessively fond of clarified butter or ox fat. Sheakondo's
old wife