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Santuru loved to govern men, but Masiko wanted to govern wild beasts only, as he sold his people to the Mambari;" adding an explanation of the return of the captives, and an injunction to him to live in peace, and prevent his people kidnapping the children and canoes of the Makololo, as a continuance in these deeds would lead to war, which I wished to prevent.
I told the captive young man to inform Masiko that he was very unlike his father Santuru, who had refused to sell his people to Mambari. He will probably be afraid to deliver such a message himself, but it is meant for his people, and they will circulate it pretty widely, and Masiko may yet feel a little pressure from without. We sent Mosantu, a Batoka man, and his companions, with the captives.
The influence of the partial obstruction it meets with there is seen in the more winding course of the river north of 16 Deg.; and when the swell gets past Katima-molelo, it spreads out on the lands on both banks toward Sesheke. Santuru, at whose ancient granary we are staying, was a great hunter, and very fond of taming wild animals.
They were the wonder of the country, till a stranger, happening to come to visit Santuru, saw them reclining in the sun, and speared one of them on the supposition that it was wild. The same unlucky accident happened to one of the cats I had brought to Sekeletu.
Mpololo, the uncle of Sekeletu, is considered the head man of the Barotse valley; and the perpetrators had his full sanction, because Masiko, a son of Santuru, the former chief of the Barotse, had fled high up the Leeambye, and, establishing himself there, had sent men down to the vicinity of Naliele to draw away the remaining Barotse from their allegiance.
As the chief sufferers in case of such an attack would have been the poor slaves chained in gangs, I interceded for them, and the result of an intercession of which they were ignorant was that they were allowed to depart in peace. Naliele, the capital of the Barotse, is built on a mound which was constructed artificially by Santuru, and was his store-house for grain.
Some portion of the waters of inundation comes from the northwest, where great floodings also occur, but more comes from the north and northeast, descending the bed of the Leeambye itself. There are but few trees in this valley: those which stand on the mounds were nearly all transplanted by Santuru for shade.
Procure Canoes and ascend the Leeambye Beautiful Islands Winter Landscape Industry and Skill of the Banyeti Rapids Falls of Gonye Tradition Annual Inundations Fertility of the great Barotse Valley Execution of two Conspirators The Slave-dealer's Stockade Naliele, the Capital, built on an artificial Mound Santuru, a great Hunter The Barotse Method of commemorating any remarkable Event Better Treatment of Women More religious Feeling Belief in a future State, and in the Existence of spiritual Beings Gardens Fish, Fruit, and Game Proceed to the Limits of the Barotse Country Sekeletu provides Rowers and a Herald The River and Vicinity Hippopotamus-hunters No healthy Location Determine to go to Loanda Buffaloes, Elands, and Lions above Libonta Interview with the Mambari Two Arabs from Zanzibar Their Opinion of the Portuguese and the English Reach the Town of Ma-Sekeletu Joy of the People at the first Visit of their Chief Return to Sesheke Heathenism.
I was pleased to hear the long-forgotten cry of alarm of the canaries in the woods, and observed one warbling forth its song, and keeping in motion from side to side, as these birds do in the cage. We saw also tame pigeons; and the Barotse, who always take care to exalt Santuru, reminded us that this chief had many doves, and kept canaries which had reddish heads when the birds attained maturity.
On making inquiries to ascertain whether Santuru, the Moloiana, had ever been visited by white men, I could find no vestige of any such visit;* there is no evidence of any of Santuru's people having ever seen a white man before the arrival of Mr. Oswell and myself in 1851.
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