huts being built in the kraal entirely of mud, which'
is a new departure for the Makalanga. The insides of
these were decorated with squares of black and white,
like those one sees in Bechuanaland. Undoubtedly
foreign influence is being felt here from its proximity
to Fort Charter, and
ver}7' soon the architectural
features of
Makalangaland will
change with the
rapidity that all
thingO s chanCge in
Kaffirdom, Inside
the huts were big
household granaries
for the domestic
stores, also made of
mud and decorated
curiously with rims,
and rude paintings
in white of deer,
birds, and men.
One represents a
waggon with a span
of six oxen and a
H O U S E H O L D STO R E FO R G R A IN , W IT H
NA T IV E D RAW ING S
man driving it. The artistic skill is, of course, of a
low order, but it shows the influence of the Morunko,
or white man, and how his approach has been the
theme of their wonder and excited their imagination.
I doubt not but those who follow after us will find
.attempts made to illustrate on < their granaries a
Morunko lady with long flowing hair trotting on that
strange animal, the horse.
’Mtigeza and his kraal pleased us so much that we
did not leave till quite late in the afternoon. We
passed through quantities of rice-fields, which spoke
of prosperity ; and this Makalanga rice is truly excellent,
being larger, more glutinous, and of a pinker
hue than our Indian rice, which to our minds tasted
very insipid after it. It was almost dark when we
reached Matimbi’s kraal, and pitched our tents close
to the tomb of another chief. Matimbi came down to
see u s ; he is the handsomest of all the chiefs we had
yet seen, with quite a European-shaped face, long
hair and long beard, both rarities in this country,
and a splendid knife, carved and decorated with brass
wire, which we coveted but could not obtain.
On the following day, September 2, a long ride