eld, springing to one side to avoid a third,
running backward or forward, leaping, etc. This over, Sambanza and the
spokesman of Nyamoana stalked backward and forward in front of Shinte,
and gave forth, in a loud voice, all they had been able to learn,
either from myself or people, of my past history and connection with the
Makololo; the return of the captives; the wish to open the country to
trade; the Bible as a word from heaven; the white man's desire for
the tribes to live in peace: he ought to have taught the Makololo that
first, for the Balonda never attacked them, yet they had assailed the
Balonda: perhaps he is fibbing, perhaps not; they rather thought he was;
but as the Balonda had good hearts, and Shinte had never done harm to
any one, he had better receive the white man well, and send him on his
way. Sambanza was gayly attired, and, besides a profusion of beads, had
a cloth so long that a boy carried it after him as a train.

Behind Shinte sat about a hundred women, clothed in their best, which
happened to be a profusion of red baize. The chief wife of Shinte, one
of the Matebele or Zulus, sat in front with a curious red cap on her
head. During the intervals between the speeches, these ladies burst
forth into a sort of plaintive ditty; but it was impossible for any of
us to catch whether it was in praise of the speaker, of Shinte, or of
themselves. This was the first time I had ever seen females present in
a public assembly. In the south the women are not permitted to enter the
kotla; and even when invited to come to a religious service there, would
not enter until ordered to do so by the chief; but here they expressed
approbation by clapping their hands, and laughing to different speakers;
and Shinte frequently turned round and spoke to them.

A party of musicians, consisting of three drummers and four performers
on the piano, went round the kotla several times, regaling us with their
music. Their drums are neatly carved from the trunk of a tree, and have
a small hole in the side covered with a bit of spider's web: the ends
are covered with the skin of an antelope pegged on; and when they
wish to tighten it, they hold it to the fire to make it contract: the
instruments are beaten with the hands.

The piano, named "marimba", consists of two bars of wood placed side
by side, here quite straight, but, farther north, bent round so as to
resemble half the tire of a carriage-wheel; across these are placed
about