but a man of Matamdumba showed me the way in
exchange for a box of gun-caps. Soon after my arrival
old Matamdumba himself came to see me; he was very
friendly, but also much afraid. He promised to show
me the Nata river the next day from the top of a hill.
In the evening numbers of women brought me fresh milk
and mealies. I paid two strings of beads for a gallon
of milk, and about half a pound of them for a sack of
mealies.
The girls were all dressed in a kaross, which is made of
skins sewed together and covered with elaborate designs
of red and white beads. These
are fastened on to the shoulders
and hang below the ankles. They
last a life-time, and being never
washed emit a most dreadful odour.
The girls’ hair is shaved, with the
exception of a tuft about four
inches in diameter; this is allowed
to grow long, and’ is smeared with
a mixture of rancid butter and
black ashes; mixed up with the
hair it forms a heavy coating, and
makes the people look most repulsive.
The children are carried
M AKALAKA G IR L. r , naked m a skin on their mothers
backs, and the hair is done up like the girls’, but with
beads strung in it. - Married women wear a small triangle
of beads strung on the hair and hanging down on the
forehead.
The villages consist of circular huts with low. conical
roofs. In the centre stands the cattle kraal, and the whole
village is surrounded with a strong palisade of wood
stuck in the ground. The country is most fertile; the
people cultivate mealies, sweet potatoes, millet, watermelons,
and pumpkins. They possess large numbers
of cattle, small in size but perfect in shape. These are
180
trained as pack animals, and many natives also ride
them. They have also large numbers of goats, and a
few sheep.
For cattle they ask high prices—the equivalent of ^5
to £6 in trading goods—beads or guns. Goats can be
purchased for about six shillings’ worth of beads.
The next morning the old chief took me up a hill, and
I got from there a splendid view over the surrounding
country. It finally convinced me that this is the best
way to reach the Victoria Falls. By following this route
you avoid all the waterless part of the Kalahari; the
grass is excellent, and there is no fear of losing your
cattle through lack of water.
From Matamdumba’s kraal only five to six days are
necessary to reach Wacha Vley, whence water is abundant
right up to the Zambezi. The old chief promised to
give me guides to take me right up to the Nata river;
but in the afternoon I unfortunately climbed up a small
hill with my theodolite and my camera. I was taking
some angles when the chief appeared, followed by more
than a hundred of his men, all armed. The old man was
shaking all over with excitement.
So, he exclaimed, “ you have come here to bewitch
the country. I have a good mind to kill you.”
“ Yes, yes,” shouted his followers; “ kill him, kill him;
he has been doing witchcraft.”
My position was most disagreeable. I only had my
revolver, but I was determined to shoot the first man
who came near me. Through my interpreter I spoke
to the people, trying to explain what I had been doing;
but I hardly managed to calm them, and I returned
to my waggon followed by the angry crowd. My
interpreter strongly advised me to clear out that night,
assuring me that the people meant to try me next day for
witchcraft. So, as soon as the moon rose, we inspanned
the waggon and trekked all night. In the afternoon
we again moved away. I timed myself to pass Umsuazi’s
18 1 '