en scorched and frizzled by the sun.
In proof of what the sun could do, I compared my own bronzed face
and hands, then about the same in complexion as the lighter-colored
Makololo, with the white skin of my chest. They readily believed that,
as they go nearly naked and fully exposed to that influence, we might be
of common origin after all. Here, as every where, when heat and moisture
are combined, the people are very dark, but not quite black. There is
always a shade of brown in the most deeply colored. I showed my watch
and pocket compass, which are considered great curiosities; but,
though the lady was called on by her husband to look, she would not be
persuaded to approach near enough.

These people are more superstitious than any we had yet encountered;
though still only building their village, they had found time to erect
two little sheds at the chief dwelling in it, in which were placed two
pots having charms in them. When asked what medicine they contained,
they replied, "Medicine for the Barimo;" but when I rose and looked into
them, they said they were medicine for the game. Here we saw the first
evidence of the existence of idolatry in the remains of an old idol at a
deserted village. It was simply a human head carved on a block of wood.
Certain charms mixed with red ochre and white pipe-clay are dotted over
them when they are in use; and a crooked stick is used in the same way
for an idol when they have no professional carver.

As the Leeba seemed still to come from the direction in which we wished
to go, I was desirous of proceeding farther up with the canoes; but
Nyamoana was anxious that we should allow her people to conduct us
to her brother Shinte; and when I explained the advantage of
water-carriage, she represented that her brother did not live near the
river, and, moreover, there was a cataract in front, over which it
would be difficult to convey the canoes. She was afraid, too, that the
Balobale, whose country lies to the west of the river, not knowing the
objects for which we had come, would kill us. To my reply that I had
been so often threatened with death if I visited a new tribe that I was
now more afraid of killing any one than of being killed, she rejoined
that the Balobale would not kill me, but the Makololo would all be
sacrificed as their enemies. This produced considerable effect on my
companions, and inclined them to the plan of Nyamoana, of going to the
town of her brother rather than