Makololo; and when they found that all my people
held cattle, we were told that Matiamvo alone had a herd. One very
intelligent man among them asked, "If he should make a canoe, and take
it down the river to the Makololo, would he get a cow for it?" This
question, which my men answered in the affirmative, was important,
as showing the knowledge of a water communication from the country of
Matiamvo to the Makololo; and the river runs through a fertile country
abounding in large timber. If the tribes have intercourse with each
other, it exerts a good influence on their chiefs to hear what other
tribes think of their deeds. The Makololo have such a bad name, on
account of their perpetual forays, that they have not been known in
Londa except as ruthless destroyers. The people in Matiamvo's country
submit to much wrong from their chiefs, and no voice can be raised
against cruelty, because they are afraid to flee elsewhere.

We left Quendende's village in company with Quendende himself, and the
principal man of the embassadors of Matiamvo, and after two or three
miles' march to the N.W., came to the ford of the Lotembwa, which flows
southward. A canoe was waiting to ferry us over, but it was very tedious
work; for, though the river itself was only eighty yards wide, the whole
valley was flooded, and we were obliged to paddle more than half a mile
to get free of the water. A fire was lit to warm old Quendende, and
enable him to dry his tobacco-leaves. The leaves are taken from the
plant, and spread close to the fire until they are quite dry and crisp;
they are then put into a snuff-box, which, with a little pestle, serves
the purpose of a mill to grind them into powder; it is then used
as snuff. As we sat by the fire, the embassadors communicated their
thoughts freely respecting the customs of their race. When a chief dies,
a number of servants are slaughtered with him to form his company in the
other world. The Barotse followed the same custom, and this and other
usages show them to be genuine negroes, though neither they nor the
Balonda resemble closely the typical form of that people. Quendende said
if he were present on these occasions he would hide his people, so that
they might not be slaughtered. As we go north, the people become more
bloodily superstitious.

We were assured that if the late Matiamvo took a fancy to any thing,
such, for instance, as my watch-chain, which was of silver wire, and was
a great curiosity,