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This tribe began the slave-trade with Sebituane only in 1850, and but for the unwillingness of Lechulatebe to allow us to pass, we should have been with Sebituane in time to have prevented it from commencing at all. The Mambari visited in ancient times the chief of the Barotse, whom Sebituane conquered, and he refused to allow any one to sell a child.
Lechulatebe, propitiated by the present of a valuable gun, agreed to furnish guides to Sebituane's country; but the children and servants fell ill, and the attempt was for the time abandoned. A third expedition was successful, although the whole party came near perishing for want of water, and their cattle, which had been bitten by the 'Tsetse', died.
The Batauana never had a chance of a market before; but, in less than two years after our discovery, not a man of them could be found who was not keenly alive to the great value of the article. On the day after our arrival at the lake, I applied to Lechulatebe for guides to Sebituane.
Departure from Kolobeng, 1st June, 1849 Companions Our Route Abundance of Grass Serotli, a Fountain in the Desert Mode of digging Wells The Eland Animals of the Desert The Hyaena The Chief Sekomi Dangers The wandering Guide Cross Purposes Slow Progress Want of Water Capture of a Bushwoman The Salt-pan at Nchokotsa The Mirage Reach the River Zouga The Quakers of Africa Discovery of Lake Ngami, 1st August, 1849 Its Extent Small Depth of Water Position as the Reservoir of a great River System The Bamangwato and their Chief Desire to visit Sebituane, the Chief of the Makololo Refusal of Lechulatebe to furnish us with Guides Resolve to return to the Cape The Banks of the Zouga Pitfalls Trees of the District Elephants New Species of Antelope Fish in the Zouga.
When he heard of our attempts to visit him, he dispatched three detachments of his men with thirteen brown cows to Lechulatebe, thirteen white cows to Sekomi, and thirteen black cows to Sechele, with a request to each to assist the white men to reach him. Their policy, however, was to keep him out of view, and act as his agents in purchasing with his ivory the goods he wanted.
Rider just before his death, and has been kindly lent for this work by his bereaved mother. Sechele used all his powers of eloquence with Lechulatebe to induce him to furnish guides that I might be able to visit Sebituane on ox-back, while Mrs. Livingstone and the children remained at Lake Ngami. He yielded at last.
"Well," he said, "you beat me then, and I am content." Parting with Sechele at the ford, as he was eager to visit Lechulatebe, we went along the northern woody bank of the Zouga with great labor, having to cut down very many trees to allow the wagons to pass. Our losses by oxen falling into pitfalls were very heavy.
We wished to purchase some goats or oxen; Lechulatebe offered us elephants' tusks. "No, we can not eat these; we want something to fill our stomachs." "Neither can I; but I hear you white men are all very fond of these bones, so I offer them; I want to put the goats into my own stomach."
Some of Lechulatebe's people having come on a visit to Linyanti, a demonstration was made, in which about five hundred Makololo, armed, went through a mimic fight; the principal warriors pointed their spears toward the lake where Lechulatebe lives, and every thrust in that direction was answered by all with the shout, "Ho-o!" while every stab on the ground drew out a simultaneous "Huzz!"
Lechulatebe took the cows and sent back an equal number of sheep. Now, according to the relative value of sheep and cows in these parts, he ought to have sent sixty or seventy. This farther offense put a stop to amicable relations between the two tribes altogether.
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