One of Intemese’s men stole a fowl given me by a lady of the village.  When charged with the theft, every one of Intemese’s party vociferated his innocence and indignation at being suspected, continuing their loud asseverations and gesticulations for some minutes.  One of my men, Loyanke, went off to the village, brought the lady who had presented the fowl to identify it, and then pointed to the hut in which it was hidden.  The Balonda collected round him, evincing great wrath; but Loyanke seized his battle-axe in the proper manner for striking, and, placing himself on a little hillock, soon made them moderate their tones.  Intemese then called on me to send one of my people to search the huts if I suspected his people.  The man sent soon found it, and brought it out, to the confusion of Intemese and the laughter of our party.  This incident is mentioned to show that the greater superstition which exists here does not lead to the practice of the virtues.  We never met an instance like this of theft from a white man among the Makololo, though they complain of the Makalaka as addicted to pilfering.  The honesty of the Bakwains has been already noticed.  Probably the estimation in which I was held as a public benefactor, in which character I was not yet known to the Balonda, may account for the sacredness with which my property was always treated before.  But other incidents which happened subsequently showed, as well as this, that idolaters are not so virtuous as those who have no idols.

As the people on the banks of the Leeba were the last of Shinte’s tribe over which Intemese had power, he was naturally anxious to remain as long as possible.  He was not idle, but made a large wooden mortar and pestle for his wife during our journey.  He also carved many wooden spoons and a bowl; then commenced a basket; but as what he considered good living was any thing but agreeable to us, who had been accustomed to milk and maize, we went forward on the 2d without him.  He soon followed, but left our pontoon, saying it would be brought by the head man of the village.  This was a great loss, as we afterward found; it remained at this village more than a year, and when we returned a mouse had eaten a hole in it.

We entered on an extensive plain beyond the Leeba, at least twenty miles broad, and covered with water, ankle deep in the shallowest parts.  We deviated somewhat from our N.W. course by the direction of Intemese, and kept the hills Piri nearly on our right during a great part of the first day, in order to avoid the still more deeply flooded plains of Lobale (Luval?) on the west.  These, according to Intemese, are at present impassable on account of being thigh deep.  The plains are so perfectly level that rain-water, which this was, stands upon them for months together.  They were not flooded by the Leeba, for that was still far within its banks.  Here and there, dotted over the surface, are little islands, on which grow stunted date-bushes and scraggy trees.  The plains