The shores of the river here consisted of alternate strata of clay and earth, varying from two to eighteen inches in thickness, the mould made up of alluvial soil and decayed vegetable matter. In some places where the outflow from some hollow in the plain had made itself a channel to the river, the natives had dammed it up by an embankment of rushes ten feet high. We travelled at the rate of three to three-and-a-half miles an hour; and in the course of the day crossed the river ten times, either to cut off a bend in the stream or to avoid the full current. Towards the right we had an extensive view of Blockley’s kraal, full of life with its innumerable heads of game and cattle, but towards the south and west we were quite shut in by towering banks of reeds grown up into thickets, which, together with the lagoons they form, are the resort of elephants as well as of hippopotamuses. Finding a deserted hut upon a sandy bank, we resolved to spend the night beneath its shelter.
Several of the men set to work immediately with their knives and assegais to cut down a number of reeds, which they tied together into bundles; others with the same implements dug a series of holes into which the reeds were put upright as props; meanwhile three canoes had been sent across the stream to fetch dry grass which was spread over the top of the supports, and thus in marvellously quick time some huts were erected from four to six feet in height.
Next morning on the left-hand shore we passed the mouth of the Kasha or Kashteja, the river called by Livingstone the Majeela, the name by which it is known amongst the Makololos. A few hundred yards above its mouth the stream was in some places hardly more than fifteen yards wide, but although it was only three feet deep, it was quite unsafe to try to wade across it, on account of the crocodiles with which its seething waters abounded. We met several canoes full of people from Makumba’s town, who had been to Sesheke with ivory for Sepopo, and were now returning, having received a present of some ammunition and two woollen shirts apiece.
We paused on our way to refresh ourselves with a bath in a shallow place which we ascertained was safe, and then hurried on with all speed, that we might reach the royal quarters before evening. Some small herds of cattle grazing along the river-side, under the close surveillance of their keepers, apprised us of our approach to the new settlement, which enjoys the advantage of being free from the tsetse fly.
Old Sesheke lay on a lagoon about a mile and a half west of the place where the river makes a sudden bend to the east, and the original Marutse royal residence was in the fertile mother-country of the Barotse, which was eminently fitted for cattle-breeding. Sepopo, however, the present king, had made himself unpopular amongst the Barotse, and had moved away into the Masupia country, although it was a district which, except in a few detached places, was much infested with the tsetse. He had, however, another reason for the change he made; he was dissatisfied with the dealings of the Portuguese traders, whose goods he found to be of very inferior quality as compared with those brought by Westbeech, and accordingly he was anxious to make a move that would bring him into nearer connexion with the traders from the south.
As we approached the royal residence, Blockley proposed that we should announce our arrival by a rumela. The echoes of our shots had hardly died away before some groups of men gathered under the trees, and our salute was answered by another; manifestly the king was amongst the people, superintending the organization of the new settlement. Our boatmen joined in the shouting that was commenced upon the beach, where the clamour lasted for a quarter of an hour, until we reached the landing-place, where several canoes were drawn up under the trees.
In order to have audience of the ruler of the Central Zambesi, I felt that it was becoming on my part to dress myself in my very best, but it was rather aggravating at the last moment to find that my hat had been mislaid. Blockley would scarcely allow me time to overhaul my baggage to get at the missing article, but dragged me off, telling me that the sound of the myrimba was already begun.
I have already mentioned that Sepopo had been expecting me for some months; he had often inquired of Westbeech and Blockley when the nyaka was coming, to travel through the country like Monari (Livingstone); and although since the visit of the great explorer he had had interviews with at least fifteen white men, he was desirous to give me a more imposing reception than any of them.
CHAPTER VII.
FIRST VISIT TO THE MARUTSE KINGDOM.
My reception by Sepopo—The libeko—Sepopo’s pilfering propensities—The royal residence—History of the Marutse-Mabunda empire—The various tribes and their districts—Position of the vassal tribes—The Sesuto language—Discovery of a culprit—Portuguese traders at Sepopo’s court—Arrangements for exploring the country—Construction of New Sesheke—Fire in Old Sesheke—Culture of the tribes of the Marutse-Mabunda kingdom—Their superstition—Rule of succession—Resources of the sovereign—Style of building—The royal courtyard—Musical instruments—War-drums—The kishi dance—Return to Impalera and Panda ma Tenka—A lion adventure.