After spending one night at the Makololo village on Mparia, we left the Chobe, and, turning round, began to ascend the Leeambye; on the 19th of November we again reached the town of Sesheke.  It stands on the north bank of the river, and contains a large population of Makalaka, under Moriantsane, brother-in-law of Sebituane.  There are parties of various tribes here, assembled under their respective head men, but a few Makololo rule over all.  Their sway, though essentially despotic, is considerably modified by certain customs and laws.  One of the Makalaka had speared an ox belonging to one of the Makololo, and, being unable to extract the spear, was thereby discovered to be the perpetrator of the deed.  His object had been to get a share of the meat, as Moriantsane is known to be liberal with any food that comes into his hands.  The culprit was bound hand and foot, and placed in the sun to force him to pay a fine, but he continued to deny his guilt.  His mother, believing in the innocence of her son, now came forward, with her hoe in hand, and, threatening to cut down any one who should dare to interfere, untied the cords with which he had been bound and took him home.  This open defiance of authority was not resented by Moriantsane, but referred to Sekeletu at Linyanti.

The following circumstance, which happened here when I was present with Sekeletu, shows that the simple mode of punishment, by forcing a criminal to work out a fine, did not strike the Makololo mind until now.

A stranger having visited Sesheke for the purpose of barter, was robbed by one of the Makalaka of most of his goods.  The thief, when caught, confessed the theft, and that he had given the articles to a person who had removed to a distance.  The Makololo were much enraged at the idea of their good name being compromised by this treatment of a stranger.  Their customary mode of punishing a crime which causes much indignation is to throw the criminal into the river; but, as this would not restore the lost property, they were sorely puzzled how to act.  The case was referred to me, and I solved the difficulty by paying for the loss myself, and sentencing the thief to work out an equivalent with his hoe in a garden.  This system was immediately introduced, and thieves are now sentenced to raise an amount of corn proportioned to their offenses.  Among the Bakwains, a woman who had stolen from the garden of another was obliged to part with her own entirely:  it became the property of her whose field was injured by the crime.

There is no stated day of rest in any part of this country, except the day after the appearance of the new moon, and the people then refrain only from going to their gardens.  A curious custom, not to be found among the Bechuanas, prevails among the black tribes beyond them.  They watch most eagerly for the first glimpse of the new moon, and, when they perceive the faint outline after the sun has set deep in the west, they utter a loud shout of “Kua!” and vociferate prayers to it.  My men, for instance, called out, “Let our journey with the white man be prosperous!  Let our enemies perish, and the children of Nake become rich!  May he have plenty of meat on this journey!” etc., etc.