TheMakololoarecowardlyinrespecttoanimals，butbraveagainstmen。
Mpololotookalltheguiltuponhimselfbeforethepeople，anddeliveredupacaptivechildwhomhiswifehadinherpossession；othersfollowedhisexample，tillweprocuredthereleaseoffiveoftheprisoners。
Somethought，asMasikohadtriedtotaketheirchildrenbystratagem，theyoughttotakehisbyforce，asthetwomodessuitedthegeniusofeachpeopletheMakalakadelightincunning，andtheMakololoinfighting；andothersthought，ifSekeletumeantthemtobeatpeacewithMasiko，heoughttohavetoldthemso。
Itisratherdangeroustotreadinthefootstepsofamaraudingpartywithmenofthesametribeastheaggressors，butmypeoplewereingoodspirits，andseveralvolunteersevenofferedtojoinourranks。
We，however，adheredstrictlytotheordersofSekeletuastoourcompanions，andrefusedallothers。
Thepeopleofeveryvillagetreatedusmostliberally，presenting，besidesoxen，butter，milk，andmeal，morethanwecouldstowawayinourcanoesThecowsinthisvalleyarenowyielding，astheyfrequentlydo，moremilkthanthepeoplecanuse，andbothmenandwomenpresentbutterinsuchquantitythatIshallbeabletorefreshmymenaswemovealongAnointingtheskinpreventstheexcessiveevaporationofthefluidsofthebody，andactsasclothinginbothsunandshadeTheyalwaysmadetheirpresentsgracefully。
Whenanoxwasgiven，theownerwouldsay，“Hereisalittlebitofbreadforyou。”Thiswaspleasing，forIhadbeenaccustomedtotheBechuanaspresentingamiserablegoat，withthepompousexclamation，“Beholdanox！”
Thewomenpersistedingivingmecopioussuppliesofshrillpraises，or“lullilooing“；but，thoughIfrequentlytoldthemtomodifytheir“greatlords“and“greatlions“tomorehumbleexpressions，theysoevidentlyintendedtodomehonorthatIcouldnothelpbeingpleasedwiththepoorcreatures’wishesforoursuccess。
TherainsbeganwhilewewereatNaliele；thisismuchlaterthanusual；
but，thoughtheBarotsevalleyhasbeeninneedofrain，thepeopleneverlackabundanceoffoodTheshowersarerefreshing，buttheairfeelshotandclose；thethermometer，however，inacoolhut，standsonlyat84DegTheaccessoftheexternalairtoanyspotatonceraisesitstemperatureabove90DegAnewattackoffeverherecausedexcessivelanguor；but，asIamalreadygettingtiredofquotingmyfevers，andneverlikedtoreadtravelsmyselfwheremuchwassaidabouttheillnessesofthetraveler，Ishallhenceforthendeavortosaylittleaboutthem。
WeheresentbackthecanoeofSekeletu，andgottheloanofothersfromMpololoEightridingoxen，andsevenforslaughter，were，accordingtotheordersofthatchief，alsofurnished；
somewereintendedforourownuse，andothersaspresentstothechiefsoftheBalondaMpololowasparticularlyliberalingivingallthatSekeletuordered，though，ashefeedsonthecattlehehasincharge，hemighthavefeltitsomuchabstractedfromhisownperquisitesMpololonowactsthegreatman，andisfollowedeverywherebyacrowdoftoadies，whosingsongsindisparagementofMpepe，ofwhomhealwayslivedinfear。
WhileMpepewasalive，hetoowasregaledwiththesamefulsomeadulation，andnowtheycursehimTheyareveryfoul-tongued；equals，onmeeting，oftengreeteachotherwithaprofusionofoaths，andendthevolleywithalaugh。
IncominguptherivertoNalielewemetapartyoffugitiveBarotsereturningtotheirhomes，and，asthecircumstanceillustratesthesocialstatusofthesesubjectsoftheMakololo，Iintroduceithere。
Thevillagersinquestionwerethechildren，orserfs，ifwemayusetheterm，ofayoungmanofthesameageandtribeasSekeletu，who，beingofanirritabletemper，wentbythenicknameofSekobinyane
alittleslavishthingHistreatmentofhisservantswassobadthatmostofthemhadfled；andwhentheMambaricame，and，contrarytotheordersofSekeletu，purchasedslaves，SekobinyanesoldoneortwooftheBarotsechildrenofhisvillage。
TherestfledimmediatelytoMasiko，andweregladlyreceivedbythatBarotsechiefashissubjects。
WhenSekeletuandIfirstascendedtheLeeambye，wemetSekobinyanecomingdown，onhiswaytoLinyantiOnbeingaskedthenews，heremainedsilentaboutthelossofhisvillage，itbeingconsideredacrimeamongtheMakololoforanyonetotreathispeoplesoillastocausethemtorunawayfromhimHethenpassedus，and，dreadingthevengeanceofSekeletuforhiscrime，secretlymadehisescapefromLinyantitoLakeNgamiHewassentfor，however，andthechiefatthelakedeliveredhimup，onSekeletudeclaringthathehadnointentionofpunishinghimotherwisethanbyscolding。
Hedidnotevendothat，asSekobinyanewasevidentlyterrifiedenough，andalsobecameillthroughfear。
ThefugitivevillagersremainedonlyafewweekswiththeirnewmasterMasiko，andthenfledbackagain，andwerereceivedasiftheyhaddonenothingwrong。
AllunitedinabusingtheconductofSekobinyane，andnoonecondemnedthefugitives；andthecattle，theuseofwhichtheyhadpreviouslyenjoyed，neverhavingbeenremovedfromtheirvillage，theyre-establishedthemselveswithapparentgladness。
Thisincidentmaygivesomeideaoftheserfdomofthesubjecttribes，and，exceptthattheyaresometimespunishedforrunningawayandotheroffenses，Icanaddnothingmorebywayofshowingthetruenatureofthisformofservitude。
LeavingNaliele，amidabundanceofgoodwishesforthesuccessofourexpedition，andhopesthatwemightreturnaccompaniedwithwhitetraders，webeganagainourascentoftheriverItwasnowbeginningtorise，thoughtherainshadbutjustcommencedinthevalleyThebanksarelow，butcleanlycut，andseldomslopingAtlowwatertheyarefromfourtoeightfeethigh，andmaketheriveralwaysassumeverymuchtheaspectofacanalTheyareinsomepartsofwhitish，tenaciousclay，withstrataofblackclayintermixed，andblackloaminsand，orpuresandstratifiedAstheriverrisesitisalwayswearingtoonesideortheother，andisknowntohavecutacrossfromonebendtoanother，andtoformnewchannelsAswecoastalongtheshore，pieceswhichareunderminedoftenfallinwithasplashlikethatcausedbytheplungeofanalligator，andendangerthecanoe。
Theseperpendicularbanksaffordbuilding-placestoaprettybee-eater，*
whichlovestobreedinsocietyThefaceofthesand-bankisperforatedwithhundredsofholesleadingtotheirnests，eachofwhichisaboutafootapartfromtheother；andaswepasstheypouroutoftheirhiding-places，andfloatoverhead。
*`Meropsapiaster’and`Mbullockoides’Smith。
Aspeckledkingfisherisseennearlyeveryhundredyards，whichbuildsinsimilarspots，andattractstheattentionofherd-boys，whodigoutitsnestforthesakeoftheyoungThis，andamostlovelylittleblueandorangekingfisher，areseeneverywherealongthebanks，dashingdownlikeashotintothewaterfortheirpreyAthird，seenmorerarely，isaslargeasapigeon，andisofaslatycolor。
Anotherinhabitantofthebanksisthesand-martin，whichalsolikescompanyintheworkofraisingafamilyTheyneverleavethispartofthecountry。
Onemayseethempreeningthemselvesintheverydepthofwinter，whiletheswallows，ofwhichweshallyetspeak，takewintertrips。
Isawsand-martinsattheOrangeRiverduringaperiodofwinterfrost；
itis，therefore，probablethattheydonotmigrateevenfromthence。
Aroundthereeds，whichinsomepartslinethebanks，weseefresh-waterspongesTheyusuallyencirclethestalk，andarehardandbrittle，presentingnumbersofsmallroundgrainsneartheircircumference。
Theriverwasrunningattherateoffivemilesanhour，andcarriedbunchesofreedanddecayingvegetablematteronitssurface；
yetthewaterwasnotdiscoloredIthad，however，aslightlyyellowish-greentinge，somewhatdeeperthanitsnaturalcolor。
Thisarosefromthequantityofsandcarriedbytherisingfloodfromsand-banks，whichareannuallyshiftedfromonespottoanother，andfromthepiecesfallinginasthebanksareworn；forwhenthewaterisallowedtostandinaglass，afewsecondssufficeforitsdepositatthebottomThisisconsideredanunhealthyperiodWhenwaiting，ononeoccasion，fortheothercanoestocomeup，IfeltnoinclinationtoleavetheoneIwasin；butmyheadboatman，Mashauana，toldmenevertoremainonboardwhilesomuchvegetablematterwasfloatingdownthestream。
17THDECEMBERAtLibontaWeweredetainedfordaystogethercollectingcontributionsoffatandbutter，accordingtotheordersofSekeletu，aspresentstotheBalondachiefsMuchfeverprevailed，andophthalmiawasrife，asisgenerallythecasebeforetherainsbegin。
Someofmyownmenrequiredmyassistance，aswellasthepeopleofLibonta。
Alionhaddoneagooddealofmischiefhere，andwhenthepeoplewenttoattackittwomenwerebadlywounded；oneofthemhadhisthigh-bonequitebroken，showingtheprodigiouspowerofthisanimal’sjaws。
Theinflammationproducedbytheteeth-woundsprovedfataltooneofthem。
Herewedemandedtheremainderofthecaptives，andgotournumberincreasedtonineteenTheyconsistedofwomenandchildren，andoneyoungmanoftwentyOneoftheboyswassmuggledawayinthecrowdasweembarkedTheMakololounder-chiefsoftenactindirectoppositiontothewilloftheheadchief，trustingtocircumstancesandbrazenfacednesstoscreenthemselvesfromhisopendispleasure；andashedoesnotalwaysfinditconvenienttonoticefaults，theyoftengotoconsiderablelengthsinwrong-doing。
LibontaisthelasttownoftheMakololo；so，whenwepartedfromit，wehadonlyafewcattle-stationsandoutlyinghamletsinfront，andthenanuninhabitedbordercountrytillwecametoLondaorLunda。
LibontaissituatedonamoundliketherestofthevillagesintheBarotsevalley，butherethetree-coveredsidesofthevalleybegintoapproachnearertheriverThevillageitselfbelongstotwoofthechiefwivesofSebituane，whofurnisheduswithanoxandabundanceofotherfoodThesamekindnesswasmanifestedbyallwhocouldaffordtogiveanything；andasIglanceovertheirdeedsofgenerosityrecordedinmyjournal，myheartglowswithgratitudetothem，andIhopeandpraythatGodmaysparemetomakethemsomereturn。
Beforeleavingthevillagesentirely，wemayglanceatourwayofspendingthenightsAssoonasweland，someofthemencutalittlegrassformybed，whileMashauanaplantsthepolesofthelittletent。
Theseareusedbydayforcarryingburdens，fortheBarotsefashionisexactlylikethatofthenativesofIndia，onlytheburdenisfastenedneartheendsofthepole，andnotsuspendedbylongcordsThebedismade，andboxesrangedoneachsideofit，andthenthetentpitchedoverall。
Fourorfivefeetinfrontofmytentisplacedtheprincipalorkotlafire，thewoodforwhichmustbecollectedbythemanwhooccupiesthepostofherald，andtakesashisperquisitetheheadsofalltheoxenslaughtered，andofallthegametooEachpersonknowsthestationheistooccupy，inreferencetothepostofhonoratthefireinfrontofthedoorofthetentThetwoMakololooccupymyrightandleft，bothineatingandsleeping，aslongasthejourneylastsButMashauana，myheadboatman，makeshisbedatthedoorofthetentassoonasIretire。
Therest，dividedintosmallcompaniesaccordingtotheirtribes，makeshedsallroundthefire，leavingahorseshoe-shapedspaceinfrontsufficientforthecattletostandinThefiregivesconfidencetotheoxen，sothemenarealwayscarefultokeeptheminsightofitTheshedsareformedbyplantingtwostoutforkedpolesinaninclineddirection，andplacinganotherovertheseinahorizontalpositionAnumberofbranchesarethenstuckinthegroundinthedirectiontowhichthepolesareinclined，thetwigsdrawndowntothehorizontalpoleandtiedwithstripsofbark。
Longgrassisthenlaidoverthebranchesinsufficientquantitytodrawofftherain，andwehaveshedsopentothefireinfront，butsecurefrombeastsbehindInlessthananhourwewereusuallyallundercoverWeneverlackedabundanceofgrassduringthewholejourneyItisapicturesquesightatnight，whentheclearbrightmoonoftheseclimatesglancesonthesleepingformsaround，tolookoutupontheattitudesofprofoundreposebothmenandbeastsassumeTherebeingnodangerfromwildanimalsinsuchanight，thefiresareallowedalmosttogoout；andasthereisnofearofhungrydogscomingoversleepersanddevouringthefood，orquietlyeatingupthepoorfellows’blankets，whichatbestwerebutgreasyskins，whichsometimeshappenedinthevillages，thepicturewasoneofperfectpeace。