Large brass anklets, as thick as the little finger, and armlets of either brass or ivory, often an inch broad, were the fashionable ornaments coveted by these savage belles. Often these anklets were so heavy as to blister the skin by their weight and pressure. Strings of beads were worn about the neck; light green and pink were the fashionable colors and commanded a great price.
Comparing the huts of some of the natives, Livingstone writes: "The Makololo huts are generally clean, while those of the Makalaka are infested with vermin. The cleanliness of the former is owing to the habit of frequently smearing the floors with a plaster composed of cow manure and earth.
"If we slept in the tent in some villages, the mice ran over our faces and disturbed our sleep, or hungry, prowling dogs would eat our shoes and leave only the soles. When they were guilty of this and other misdemeanors, we got the loan of a hut.
"The best sort of Makololo huts consist of three circular walls, with small holes as doors, each similar to that in a dog house; and it is necessary to bend down the body to get in, even when on all fours. The roof is formed of reeds or straight sticks, in shape like a Chinaman's hat, bound firmly together with circular bands, which are lashed with the strong inner bark of the mimosa tree. When all is ready, except the thatch, it is lifted upon the circular wall, the rim resting on a circle of poles, between which the third wall is built.
"The roof is thatched with fine grass, and sewed with the same material as the lashings; and, as it projects far beyond the walls, and reaches within four feet of the ground, the shade is the best to be found in the country. These huts are very cool in the hottest day, but are close and deficient in ventilation by night."
Livingstone found much superstition prevailing among the people on the banks of the Leeba, and here and there evidence of the worship of idols was noticeable.
The chiefs were frequently women. One whom Livingstone visited was adorned with oil and red ochre, with a plentiful supply of ornaments upon her wrists, ankles, and about her person; but a very little clothing seemed to satisfy her desire for fine apparel. Her husband's clothing consisted of a kilt of green and red baize, his arms of a spear and a broadsword of antique fashion.
The houses in the village were found to be well stockaded, and were all separate buildings. The firearms found among the tribes farther south were lacking; bows and arrows were used in their place, and had very effectually cleared the country of game.
While penetrating farther and farther east into the Londa territory, Livingstone encountered some natives of whom he wrote: "Surrounded on all sides by large, gloomy forests, the people have a much more indistinct idea of the geography of their country than those who live in hilly regions.
"The people seemed more slender in form, and their color a lighter olive, than any we had hitherto met. Their mode of dressing the great masses of woolly hair which lay upon their shoulders, together with their general features, again reminded me of the ancient Egyptians.