TwelvedaysafterourdeparturefromthewagonsatNgabisanewecametothenortheastendofLakeNgami；andonthe1stofAugust，1849，wewentdowntogethertothebroadpart，and，forthefirsttime，thisfine-lookingsheetofwaterwasbeheldbyEuropeans。
ThedirectionofthelakeseemedtobeN。N。EandS。S。Wbycompass。
Thesouthernportionissaidtobendroundtothewest，andtoreceivetheTeoughefromthenorthatitsnorthwestextremity。
WecoulddetectnohorizonwherewestoodlookingS。S。W。，norcouldweformanyideaoftheextentofthelake，exceptfromthereportsoftheinhabitantsofthedistrict；and，astheyprofessedtogorounditinthreedays，allowingtwenty-fivemilesadaywouldmakeitseventy-five，orlessthanseventygeographicalmilesincircumferenceOtherguesseshavebeenmadesinceastoitscircumference，rangingbetweenseventyandonehundredmilesItisshallow，forIsubsequentlysawanativepuntinghiscanoeoversevenoreightmilesofthenortheastend；itcannever，therefore，beofmuchvalueasacommercialhighwayInfact，duringthemonthsprecedingtheannualsupplyofwaterfromthenorth，thelakeissoshallowthatitiswithdifficultycattlecanapproachthewaterthroughtheboggy，reedybanksThesearelowonallsides，butonthewestthereisaspacedevoidoftrees，showingthatthewatershaveretiredthenceatnoveryancientdateThisisanotheroftheproofsofdesiccationmetwithsoabundantlythroughoutthewholecountryAnumberofdeadtreeslieonthisspace，someofthemimbeddedinthemud，rightinthewater。
WewereinformedbytheBayeiye，wholiveonthelake，thatwhentheannualinundationbegins，notonlytreesofgreatsize，butantelopes，asthespringbuckandtsessebe`Acronotuslunata’，aresweptdownbyitsrushingwaters；thetreesaregraduallydrivenbythewindstotheoppositeside，andbecomeimbeddedinmud。
Thewaterofthelakeisperfectlyfreshwhenfull，butbrackishwhenlow；
andthatcomingdowntheTamunak’lewefoundtobesoclear，cold，andsoft，thehigherweascended，thattheideaofmeltingsnowwassuggestedtoourmindsWefoundthisregion，withregardtothatfromwhichwehadcome，tobeclearlyahollow，thelowestpointbeingLakeKumadau；thepointoftheebullitionofwater，asshownbyoneofNewman’sbarometricthermometers，wasonlybetween207-1/2Degand206Deg。，givinganelevationofnotmuchmorethantwothousandfeetabovetheleveloftheseaWehaddescendedabovetwothousandfeetincomingtoitfromKolobeng。
Itisthesouthernandlowestpartofthegreatriversystembeyond，inwhichlargetractsofcountryareinundatedannuallybytropicalrains，hereaftertobedescribedAlittleofthatwater，whichinthecountriesfarthernorthproducesinundation，comesasfarsouthas20d20’，thelatitudeoftheupperendofthelake，andinsteadoffloodingthecountry，fallsintothelakeasintoareservoir。
ItbeginstoflowdowntheEmbarrah，whichdividesintotheriversTzoandTeougheTheTzodividesintotheTamunak’leandMababe；
theTamunak’ledischargesitselfintotheZouga，andtheTeougheintothelakeTheflowbeginseitherinMarchorApril，andthedescendingwatersfindthechannelsofalltheseriversdriedout，exceptincertainpoolsintheirbeds，whichhavelongdryspacesbetweenthemThelakeitselfisverylowTheZougaisbutaprolongationoftheTamunak’le，andanarmofthelakereachesuptothepointwheretheoneendsandtheotherbegins。
Thelastisnarrowandshallow，whiletheZougaisbroadanddeep。
Thenarrowarmofthelake，whichonthemaplookslikeacontinuationoftheZouga，hasneverbeenobservedtofloweitherway。
Itisasstagnantasthelakeitself。
TheTeougheandTamunak’le，beingessentiallythesameriver，andreceivingtheirsuppliesfromthesamesourcetheEmbarrahorVarra，canneveroutruneachotherIfeithercould，oriftheTeoughecouldfillthelakeathingwhichhasneverhappenedinmoderntimes
thenthislittlearmwouldproveaconvenientescapementtopreventinundationIfthelakeeverbecomeslowerthanthebedoftheZouga，alittleofthewateroftheTamunak’lemightflowintoitinsteadofdowntheZouga；weshouldthenhavethephenomenonofariverflowingtwoways；butthishasneverbeenobservedtotakeplacehere，anditisdoubtfulifitevercanoccurinthislocality。
TheZougaisbroadanddeepwhenitleavestheTamunak’le，butbecomesgraduallynarrowerasyoudescendabouttwohundredmiles；
thereitflowsintoKumadau，asmalllakeaboutthreeorfourmilesbroadandtwelvelongThewater，whichhigherupbeginstoflowinApril，doesnotmakemuchprogressinfillingthislaketilltheendofJune。
InSeptembertheriversceasetoflowWhenthesupplyhasbeenmorethanusuallyabundant，alittlewaterflowsbeyondKumadau，inthebedfirstseenbyusonthe4thofJuly；ifthequantitywerelarger，itmightgofurtherinthedryrockybedoftheZouga，sinceseenstillfurthertotheeastThewatersupplyofthispartoftheriversystem，aswillbemorefullyexplainedfurtheron，takesplaceinchannelspreparedforamuchmorecopiousflowItresemblesadesertedEasterngarden，wherealltheembankmentsandcanalsforirrigationcanbetraced，butwhere，themaindamandsluiceshavingbeenallowedtogetoutofrepair，onlyasmallportioncanbelaidunderwaterInthecaseoftheZougathechannelisperfect，butwaterenoughtofillthewholechannelnevercomesdown；andbeforeitfindsitswaymuchbeyondKumadau，theuppersupplyceasestorunandtherestbecomesevaporated。
ThehigherpartsofitsbedevenaremuchbroaderandmorecapaciousthanthelowertowardKumadauThewaterisnotabsorbedsomuchaslostinfillingupanemptychannel，fromwhichitistoberemovedbytheairandsunThereis，Iamconvinced，nosuchthinginthecountryasariverrunningintosandandbecominglostThephenomenon，soconvenientforgeographers，hauntedmyfancyforyears；butIhavefailedindiscoveringanythingexceptamostinsignificantapproachtoit。
MychiefobjectincomingtothelakewastovisitSebituane，thegreatchiefoftheMakololo，whowasreportedtolivesometwohundredmilesbeyondWehadnowcometoahalf-tribeoftheBamangwato，calledBatauanaTheirchiefwasayoungmannamedLechulatebe。
SebituanehadconqueredhisfatherMoremi，andLechulatebereceivedpartofhiseducationwhileacaptiveamongtheBayeiye。
Hisuncle，asensibleman，ransomedhim；and，havingcollectedanumberoffamiliestogether，abdicatedthechieftainshipinfavorofhisnephewAsLechulatebehadjustcomeintopower，heimaginedthattheproperwayofshowinghisabilitieswastoactdirectlycontrarytoeverythingthathisuncleadvised。
Whenwecame，theunclerecommendedhimtotreatushandsomely，thereforethehopefulyouthpresenteduswithagoatonly。
ItoughttohavebeenanoxSoIproposedtomycompanionstoloosetheanimalandlethimgo，asahinttohismaster。
They，however，didnotwishtoinsulthimI，beingmoreofanative，andfamiliarwiththeircustoms，knewthatthisshabbypresentwasaninsulttousWewishedtopurchasesomegoatsoroxen；
Lechulatebeoffereduselephants’tusks“No，wecannoteatthese；
wewantsomethingtofillourstomachs。”“NeithercanI；
butIhearyouwhitemenareallveryfondofthesebones，soIofferthem；
Iwanttoputthegoatsintomyownstomach。”Atrader，whoaccompaniedus，wasthenpurchasingivoryattherateoftengoodlargetusksforamusketworththirteenshillingsTheywerecalled“bones“；
andImyselfsaweightinstancesinwhichthetuskshadbeenlefttorotwiththeotherboneswheretheelephantfellTheBatauananeverhadachanceofamarketbefore；but，inlessthantwoyearsafterourdiscovery，notamanofthemcouldbefoundwhowasnotkeenlyalivetothegreatvalueofthearticle。
Onthedayafterourarrivalatthelake，IappliedtoLechulatebeforguidestoSebituaneAshewasmuchafraidofthatchief，heobjected，fearinglestotherwhitemenshouldgothitheralso，andgiveSebituaneguns；
whereas，ifthetraderscametohimalone，thepossessionoffire-armswouldgivehimsuchasuperioritythatSebituanewouldbeafraidofhim。
ItwasinvaintoexplainthatIwouldinculcatepeacebetweenthem
thatSebituanehadbeenafathertohimandSechele，andwasasanxioustoseemeashe，Lechulatebe，hadbeenHeofferedtogivemeasmuchivoryasIneededwithoutgoingtothatchief；
butwhenIrefusedtotakeany，heunwillinglyconsentedtogivemeguides。
Nextday，however，whenOswellandIwerepreparedtostart，withthehorsesonly，wereceivedasenselessrefusal；andlikeSekomi，whohadthrownobstaclesinourway，hesentmentotheBayeiyewithorderstorefuseusapassageacrosstheriverTryinghardtoformaraftatanarrowpart，Iworkedmanyhoursinthewater；butthedrywoodwassoworm-eatenitwouldnotbeartheweightofasingleperson。
IwasnotthenawareofthenumberofalligatorswhichexistintheZouga，andneverthinkofmylaborinthewaterwithoutfeelingthankfulthatIescapedtheirjawsTheseasonwasnowfaradvanced；
andasMrOswell，withhiswontedgenerousfeelings，volunteered，onthespot，togodowntotheCapeandbringupaboat，weresolvedtomakeourwaysouthagain。
ComingdowntheZouga，wehadnowtimetolookatitsbanks。
Theseareverybeautiful，resemblingcloselymanypartsoftheRiverClydeaboveGlasgowTheformationissoftcalcareoustufa，suchasformsthebottomofallthisbasinThebanksareperpendicularonthesidetowhichthewaterswings，andslopingandgrassyontheother。
TheslopesareselectedforthepitfallsdesignedbytheBayeiyetoentraptheanimalsastheycometodrinkTheseareaboutsevenoreightfeetdeep，threeorfourfeetwideatthemouth，andgraduallydecreasetilltheyareonlyaboutafootwideatthebottom。
ThemouthisanoblongsquaretheonlysquarethingmadebytheBechuanas，foreverythingelseisround，andthelongdiameteratthesurfaceisaboutequaltothedepthThedecreasingwidthtowardthebottomisintendedtomaketheanimalwedgehimselfmorefirmlyinbyhisweightandstrugglesThepitfallsareusuallyinpairs，withawallafootthickleftuncutbetweentheendsofeach，sothatifthebeast，whenitfeelsitsforelegsdescending，shouldtrytosaveitselffromgoinginaltogetherbystridingthehindlegs，hewouldspringforwardandleapintothesecondwithaforcewhichinsuresthefallofhiswholebodyintothetrap。
TheyarecoveredwithgreatcareAlltheexcavatedearthisremovedtoadistance，soasnottoexcitesuspicioninthemindsoftheanimals。
Reedsandgrassarelaidacrossthetop；abovethisthesandisthrown，andwateredsoastoappearexactlyliketherestofthespot。
Someofourpartyplumpedintothesepitfallsmorethanonce，evenwheninsearchofthem，inordertoopenthemtopreventthelossofourcattleIfanoxseesahole，hecarefullyavoidsit；
andoldelephantshavebeenknowntoprecedetheherdandwhiskoffthecoveringsofthepitfallsoneachsideallthewaydowntothewater。
Wehaveknowninstancesinwhichtheoldamongthesesagaciousanimalshaveactuallyliftedtheyoungoutofthetrap。
ThetreeswhichadornthebanksaremagnificentTwoenormousbaobabs`Adansoniadigitata’，ormowanas，grownearitsconfluencewiththelakewherewetooktheobservationsforthelatitude20d20’S。。
Wewereunabletoascertainthelongitudeofthelake，asourwatcheswereuseless；itmaybebetween22Degand23DegE。
Thelargestofthetwobaobabswas76feetingirth。
Thepalmyraappearshereandthereamongtreesnotmetwithinthesouth。
Themokuchong，ormoshoma，bearsanediblefruitofindifferentquality，butthetreeitselfwouldbeafinespecimenofarborealbeautyinanypartoftheworldThetrunkisoftenconvertedintocanoes。
Themotsouri，whichbearsapinkplumcontainingapleasantacidjuice，resemblesanorange-treeinitsdarkevergreenfoliage，andacypressinitsformItwasnowwinter-time，andwesawnothingoftheflora。
Theplantsandbushesweredry；butwildindigoabounded，asindeeditdoesoverlargetractsofAfricaItiscalledmohetolo，orthe“changer“，bytheboys，whodyetheirornamentsofstrawwiththejuice。
Therearetwokindsofcottoninthecountry，andtheMashona，whoconvertitintocloth，dyeitbluewiththisplant。
Wefoundtheelephantsinprodigiousnumbersonthesouthernbank。
Theycometodrinkbynight，andafterhavingslakedtheirthirst
indoingwhichtheythrowlargequantitiesofwateroverthemselves，andareheard，whileenjoyingtherefreshment，screamingwithdelight
theyevincetheirhorrorofpitfallsbysettingoffinastraightlinetothedesert，andneverdivergetilltheyareeightortenmilesoff。
Theyaresmallerherethaninthecountriesfarthersouth。
AttheLimpopo，forinstance，theyareupwardoftwelvefeethigh；
here，onlyeleven：farthernorthweshallfindthemninefeetonly。
Thekoodoo，ortolo，seemedsmaller，too，thanthosewehadbeenaccustomedtoseeWesawspecimensofthekuabaoba，orstraight-hornedrhinoceros`ROswellii’，whichisavarietyofthewhite`Rsimus’；andwefoundthat，fromthehornbeingprojecteddownward，itdidnotobstructthelineofvision，sothatthisspeciesisabletobemuchmorewarythanitsneighbors。
Wediscoveredanentirelynewspeciesofantelope，calledlecheorlechwi。
Itisabeautifulwater-antelopeofalightbrownish-yellowcolor。
Itshornsexactlylikethoseofthe`Aigocerosellipsiprimnus’，thewaterbuck，ortumogo，oftheBechuanasrisefromtheheadwithaslightbendbackward，thencurveforwardatthepointsThechest，belly，andorbitsarenearlywhite，thefrontofthelegsandanklesdeepbrown。
Fromthehorns，alongthenapetothewithers，themalehasasmallmaneofthesameyellowishcolorwiththerestoftheskin，andthetailhasatuftofblackhairItisneverfoundamilefromwater；