第71章

Tselane, one of the ladies, on observing Dr. Livingstone noting observations on the wet and dry bulb thermometers, thought that he too was engaged in play; for on receiving no reply to her question, which was rather difficult to answer, as the native tongue has no scientific terms, she said with roguish glee, "Poor thing, playing like a little child!"

Like other Africans, the Makololo have great faith in the power of medicine; they believe that there is an especial medicine for every ill that flesh is heir to.Mamire is anxious to have children; he has six wives, and only one boy, and he begs earnestly for "child medicine."The mother of Sekeletu came from the Barotse Valley to see her son.Thinks she has lost flesh since Dr. Livingstone was here before, and asks for "the medicine of fatness."The Makololo consider plumpness an essential part of beauty in women, but the extreme stoutness, mentioned by Captain Speke, in the north, would be considered hideous here, for the men have been overheard speaking of a lady whom we call "inclined to embonpoint," as "fat unto ugliness."

Two packages from the Kuruman, containing letters and newspapers, reached Linyanti previous to our arrival, and Sekeletu, not knowing when we were coming, left them there; but now at once sent a messenger for them.This man returned on the seventh day, having travelled 240 geographical miles.One of the packages was too heavy for him, and he left it behind.As the Doctor wished to get some more medicine and papers out of the wagon left at Linyanti in 1853, he decided upon going thither himself.The chief gave him his own horse, now about twelve years old, and some men.He found everything in his wagon as safe as when he left it seven years before.The headmen, Mosale and Pekonyane, received him cordially, and lamented that they had so little to offer him.Oh! had he only arrived the year previous, when there was abundance of milk and corn and beer.

Very early the next morning the old town-crier, Ma-Pulenyane, of his own accord made a public proclamation, which, in the perfect stillness of the town long before dawn, was striking:"I have dreamed!I have dreamed!I have dreamed!Thou Mosale and thou Pekonyane, my lords, be not faint-hearted, nor let your hearts be sore, but believe all the words of Monare (the Doctor) for his heart is white as milk towards the Makololo.I dreamed that he was coming, and that the tribe would live, if you prayed to God and give heed to the word of Monare."Ma-Pulenyane showed Dr. Livingstone the burying-place where poor Helmore and seven others were laid, distinguishing those whom he had put to rest, and those for whom Mafale had performed that last office.Nothing whatever marked the spot, and with the native idea of HIDING the dead, it was said, "it will soon be all overgrown with bushes, for no one will cultivate there."None but Ma-Pulenyane approached the place, the others stood at a respectful distance; they invariably avoid everything connected with the dead, and no such thing as taking portions of human bodies to make charms of, as is the custom further north, has ever been known among the Makololo.

Sekeletu's health improved greatly during our visit, the melancholy foreboding left his spirits, and he became cheerful, but resolutely refused to leave his den, and appear in public till he was perfectly cured, and had regained what he considered his good looks.He also feared lest some of those who had bewitched him originally might still be among the people, and neutralize our remedies. {4}as we expected another steamer to be at Kongone in November, it was impossible for us to remain in Sesheke more than one month.Before our departure, the chief and his principal men expressed in a formal manner their great desire to have English people settled on the Batoka highlands.At one time he proposed to go as far as Phori, in order to select a place of residence; but as he afterwards saw reasons for remaining where he was, till his cure was completed, he gave orders to those sent with us, in the event of our getting, on our return, past the rapids near Tette, not to bring us to Sesheke, but to send forward a messenger, and he with the whole tribe would come to us.Dr. Kirk being of the same age, Sekeletu was particularly anxious that he should come and live with him.He said that he would cut off a section of the country for the special use of the English; and on being told that in all probability their descendants would cause disturbance in his country, he replied, "These would be only domestic feuds, and of no importance."The great extent of uncultivated land on the cool and now unpeopled highlands has but to be seen to convince the spectator how much room there is, and to spare, for a vastly greater population than ever, in our day, can be congregated there.