RECEPTION AT KUAKUE.

265

to the habitation of Makaba, who stood at the door of one of his houses, and welcomed us to the town in the usual way. He seemed astonished and pleased to see us all without arms, remarking, with a hearty laugh, that he wondered we should trust ourselves, unarmed, in the town of such a villain as he was reported to be. In a few minutes a multitude gathered, who actually trode on each other in their eagerness to see the strangers and their horses. Meanwhile

Makaba walked into a house, and sent us out a large jar, or pot of beer, with calabashes, in the form of a ladle. Being thirsty, we partook very heartily of the beer, which possessed but little of an intoxicating quality.

By this time our wagons had reached the town, and as Makaba had expressed his desire that we should conduct them through the principal street, I went forward to examine the narrow winding path, through a multitude of houses, and pronounced the thing impossible, without seriously injuring the fences. "Never mind that," said Makaba, "only let me see the wagons go through my town;" and on they went, while the chieftain stood on an eminence before his door, looking with inexpressible delight on the wagons which were breaking down corners of fences, while the good wives within were so much amazed at the oxen, and what appeared to them ponderous vehicles, that they hardly found time to scold, though a few did not fail to express their displeasure. Having reached the lower end of the town, we unyoked, and were instantly surrounded by several thousands of people, all making their remarks on the novel scene, which produced a noise almost deafening; nor did they retire till night came In the course of the afternoon, Maroga, accompanied by three chief men, came with orders from his father to appoint them as representatives, which was done in our presence in the most authoritative manner; when they were commanded to abide by our wagons from sunrise till we retired to rest, and to redress every grievance. They were likewise made responsible for every article which might be either lost or stolen. About sunset, Makaba sent one of his wives, stating, that the only mark of respect which he could at present show, was to send his most beloved wife, who would deliver to us a sack full of thick milk, and that tomorrow he would provide us with slaughter oxen. The sack was so large that it was borne by two men to the wagons. The lekuka, or Bechuana milk sack, will be described in another part of this work.

on.

CHAPTER XXIV.

HAVING thus reached the metropolis of the Bauangketsi, and having cast our eyes over a dense population, we were in some measure prepared for the din of many thousands of voices on the coming day. We were not mistaken, for, early next morning, and long before we were out of bed, we were surrounded by crowds, so that it was with difficulty we could pass from one wagon to another. On going up the hill to have a view of the neighbouring country, I was followed by a number of men, who, while I was taking some bearings, were not a little surprised at the compass, which they regarded as an instrument certainly belonging to a sorcerer, though they laughed when I asked them if they thought that I was one.

About ten o'clock A. M., Makaba made his appearance, with his retinue, and sat down opposite to my wagon. The bustling crowd retired to a distance, and a dead silence ensued. He addressed us nearly as follows::- “My friends, I am perfectly happy; my heart is whiter than milk, because you have visited me. To-day I am a great man. Men will now say,' Makaba is in league with white people.' I know that all men speak evil of me. They seek my hurt. It is because they cannot conquer me that I am hated. If they do me evil, I can reward them twofold. They are like children that quarrel; what the weaker cannot do by strength, he supplies with evil names. You are come to see the villain Makaba; you are come, as the Batlapis say, 'to die by my hands.' You are wise and bold to come and see with your eyes, and laugh at the testimony of my enemies," etc. A long conversation afterwards ensued respecting the state of the country, and the Mantatee invasion. On this topic he was eloquent while describing the manner in which he entrapped many hundreds of the enemy by ambuscades; and stretching forth his muscular arm in the direction of the field of conflict, he said, "There lie the bleached bones of the enemy who came upon our hills like the locusts, but who melted before us by the shaking of the spear;" adding, with a stentorian voice, and with superlative self-complacency,

you

DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN.

267

"Who is to be compared to Makaba, the son of Meleta, the man of conquest ?" The listening multitude broke the silence in deafening applause. I then told him that the object of my present journey was to open a communication, that we might consider him in future as one of our chief friends, and, as a pledge of that friendship, a missionary should come and reside with him; to which he replied, that “in future he hoped no grass would be allowed to grow on the road between the Kuruman and Kuakue. Mothibi, I know, will hinder you, because he is afraid of losing you; he is afraid that will build your houses with me.' "He stated that the strayed oxen would arrive that day; and, in compliance with our entreaties, he should pardon the men who had killed the ox. I made him a present of beads and buttons, with a number of other trinkets; and also gave hat. One of the Griquas directed him to put it on his head, which he did, but immediately removed it to the head of another, saying that he could not see its beauty on his own. As most of the Griquas were come to barter, he informed them that on Friday he should commence. As soon as he departed, the noisy multitude did not allow us a moment's leisure; and during the night we were annoyed by hyenas, of which there are three sorts, the striped, spotted, and another kind, which, though the smallest, is the most dangerous.

him a

In the morning three oxen were sent for slaughter, and, in the course of the day, boiled corn, pottage, and beer. Í visited the town, which is very large, but was not able to judge of the number of inhabitants: the town itself covered a vast extent, so that the population must have been great compared with that of the towns of South Africa generally. Each of Makaba's wives, who were numerous, had a separate establishment, consisting of three or four houses, a corn-house, and a general storehouse. They had also a number of round jars for corn, from eight to twelve feet in diameter, and nearly the same in height, which are raised from the ground upon a circle of stones. Their premises and houses were on a plan rather different from what I had before seen. The houses, though not larger than those of the Batlapis, were built with rather more regard to taste and comfort. The accuracy with which circles were formed, and perpendiculars raised, though guided only by the eye, was surprising. Their outer yards and house-floors were very clean, and smooth as paper. No dairy-maid in England

To build and to dwell are synonymous,

268

CHARACTER OF MAKABA.

ennid keep her wooden bowl cleaner and whiter than theirs Were. In this respect they formed a perfect contrast to the Batlapia Makana frequently referred to the barbarous manners of his southern neighbours, and asked me, with an air of triumph, if the Batlapis ever washed a wooden bowl, or if ever they presented me with food which did not contain the mangled bodies of flies, in a dish which had had no better cleaning than the tongue of a dog.

are.

The front cattle-foid, or place where public meetings are heid, was a circle of 170 feet diameter, formed with round posts eight feet high, and as close to each other as they could stand, each post having been hewn round with the Behind lay the proper cattle-fold, capable of holding many thousand oxen: there were also large sheep-folds. In the early part of the day Makaba was generally employed in cutting out skins to sew together for cloaks, and in the afternoon he was frequently found in a measure intoxicated, from a stronger kind of beer made for his own use. He appeared aged, although his mother was then alive. He was tall, robust, and healthy; had rather the appearance of a Hottentot; his countenance displayed a good deal of cunning; and, from his conversation, one might easily discern that he was well versed in African politics. He dreaded the displeasure of none of the surrounding tribes; but he feared the Makooas, or civilized people. War was almost perpetual between him and the Bakones, a very populous nation to the N. E. and E. Beyond the Bakones lies the Bamanguato tribe, distinguished for industry and riches; and beyond the Bamanguato lie the Bamagalatsela, who seem to form the limits in that direction, of the aborigines of the country; for beyond them, they said, were half white people, who wear linen, and whose manners are very bogale, 'savage.' While walking to a neighbouring height, I was able to count fourteen considerable villages; the farthest distant about one mile and a half; and I was informed that there were more towns, which I could not see.

For several days I tried at noon to get a secluded spot where I might take the latitude, but was so beset with a crowd of spectators, always in motion when I sat, that the quicksilver of the artificial horizon was made to move as with a breeze. I oncce left my compass at the wagon for the purpose of attracting their attention, while I stole away with my instruments to a distance, but a crowd soon followed, to see the seipone (self-seer,) as they called the quicksilver, but

their bustling motions again rendered the taking of a correct altitude of the sun impossible.

One night we heard a woman screaming in the town, and, on inquiry in the morning, found that a hyena had carried away her child, which had happened to wander a few yards from the door. On our expressing astonishment, we were informed that such occurrences were very common, and that after night-fall the hyenas were in the habit of strolling through all the lanes of the town, and carrying away whatever they could seize. As these animals were thus accustomed to gorge themselves with human flesh, it became extremely dangerous to pass the night in the open field, especially on the confines of a town. I pointed out plans by which it appeared to me they might succeed in extirpating them, but they seemed very indifferent to my suggestions; urging as a reason, that there was something not lucky in coming in contact with the blood of a hyena.

One evening, long before retiring to rest, we heard, in the direction of the water pools, the screaming of women and children, as if they were in the greatest danger. I sent off a few men, who ran to the spot, and found three children who had been drawing water closely pursued by hyenas, which were on the point of seizing them. The men succeeded in driving the animals away, on which they ran towards the women, whom the men also rescued. I understood that it frequently happened, that children sent to the pools for water never returned. Many must thus be devoured in the course of a year, a reflection calculated to make any one shudder.

The country of the Bauangketsi is hilly, and even mountainous towards the north and east. The soil in general is very rich; but water is rather scarce, and though I believe rains are pretty abundant, yet, from what I could learn, irrigation would be absolutely necessary to raise European vegetables and grain. The countries to the north and east abound with rivers, and are very fruitful and populous. The mountains are adorned to their very summits with stately trees and shrubs, unknown in the southern parts of the continent, which give the country a picturesque and imposing appearance.

I embraced another opportunity of conversing with Makaba on the subject of a missionary residence with him, with which idea he professed to be highly pleased. I also hinted that it was probable that a missionary would go to the Bahurutsi, on which he remarked, "that men of peace