As I Never Tried It, And Am Unable To Enter Into
The Spirit Of The Thing, I Can Not Recommend
The Makololo polka
to the dancing world, but I have the authority of no less a person
than Motibe, Sekeletu's
Father-in-law, for saying "it is very nice."
They often asked if white people ever danced. I thought of the disease
called St. Vitus's dance, but could not say that all our dancers
were affected by it, and gave an answer which, I ought to be ashamed to own,
did not raise some of our young countrywomen in the estimation
of the Makololo.
As Sekeletu had been waiting for me at his mother's, we left the town
as soon as I arrived, and proceeded down the river. Our speed with the stream
was very great, for in one day we went from Litofe to Gonye,
a distance of forty-four miles of latitude; and if we add to this
the windings of the river, in longitude the distance will not be much less
than sixty geographical miles. At this rate we soon reached Sesheke,
and then the town of Linyanti.
I had been, during a nine weeks' tour, in closer contact with heathenism
than I had ever been before; and though all, including the chief,
were as kind and attentive to me as possible, and there was no want of food
(oxen being slaughtered daily, sometimes ten at a time, more than sufficient
for the wants of all), yet to endure the dancing, roaring, and singing,
the jesting, anecdotes, grumbling, quarreling, and murdering
of these children of nature, seemed more like a severe penance
than any thing I had before met with in the course of my missionary duties.
I took thence a more intense disgust at heathenism than I had before,
and formed a greatly elevated opinion of the latent effects of missions
in the south, among tribes which are reported to have been
as savage as the Makololo. The indirect benefits which, to a casual observer,
lie beneath the surface and are inappreciable, in reference to
the probable wide diffusion of Christianity at some future time,
are worth all the money and labor that have been expended to produce them.
Chapter 13.
Preliminary Arrangements for the Journey - A Picho - Twenty-seven Men
appointed to accompany me to the West - Eagerness of the Makololo
for direct Trade with the Coast - Effects of Fever - A Makololo Question
- The lost Journal - Reflections - The Outfit for the Journey -
11th November, 1853, leave Linyanti, and embark on the Chobe -
Dangerous Hippopotami - Banks of Chobe - Trees - The Course of the River
- The Island Mparia at the Confluence of the Chobe and the Leeambye -
Anecdote - Ascend the Leeambye - A Makalaka Mother defies the Authority
of the Makololo Head Man at Sesheke - Punishment of Thieves -
Observance of the new Moon - Public Addresses at Sesheke -
Attention of the People - Results - Proceed up the River -
The Fruit which yields `Nux vomica' - Other Fruits - The Rapids -
Birds - Fish - Hippopotami and their Young.
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