isletsinmarshesandriversareitsfavoritehaunts，anditisquiteunknownexceptinthecentralhumidbasinofAfricaHavingagooddealofcuriosity，itpresentsanobleappearanceasitstandsgazing，withheaderect，attheapproachingstrangerWhenitresolvestodecamp，itlowersitshead，andlaysitshornsdowntoalevelwiththewithers；itthenbeginswithawaddlingtrot，whichendsinitsgallopingandspringingoverbusheslikethepallahsItinvariablyrunstothewater，andcrossesitbyasuccessionofbounds，eachofwhichappearstobefromthebottom。
Wethoughtthefleshgoodatfirst，butsoongottiredofit。
Greatshoalsofexcellentfishcomedownannuallywiththeaccessofwaters。
Themullet`MugilAfricanus’isthemostabundantTheyarecaughtinnets。
The`Glanissiluris’，alarge，broad-headedfish，withoutscales，andbarbedcalledbythenatives“mosala“attainsanenormoussizeandfatness。
TheyarecaughtsolargethatwhenamancarriesoneoverhisshoulderthetailreachesthegroundItisavegetablefeeder，andinmanyofitshabitsresemblestheeelLikemostlophoidfishes，ithasthepowerofretainingalargequantityofwaterinapartofitsgreathead，sothatitcanleavetheriver，andevenbeburiedinthemudofdried-uppools，withoutbeingdestroyed。
Anotherfishcloselyresemblingthis，andnamed`Clariascapensis’
byDrSmith，iswidelydiffusedthroughouttheinterior，andoftenleavestheriversforthesakeoffeedinginpools。
Asthesedryup，largenumbersofthemareentrappedbythepeople。
Awater-snake，yellow-spottedanddarkbrown，isoftenseenswimmingalongwithitsheadabovethewater：itisquiteharmless，andisrelishedasfoodbytheBayeiye。
Theymentiontenkindsoffishintheirriver；and，intheirsongsofpraisetotheZouga，say，“Themessengersentinhasteisalwaysforcedtospendthenightonthewaybytheabundanceoffoodyouplacebeforehim。”
TheBayeiyelivemuchonfish，whichisquiteanabominationtotheBechuanasofthesouth；andtheycatchtheminlargenumbersbymeansofnetsmadeofthefine，strongfibresofthehibiscus，whichgrowsabundantlyinallmoistplacesTheirfloat-ropesaremadeoftheife，or，asitisnowcalled，the`SanseviereAngolensis’，aflag-lookingplant，havingaverystrongfibre，thataboundsfromKolobengtoAngola；andthefloatsthemselvesarepiecesofawater-plantcontainingvalvesateachjoint，whichretaintheairincellsaboutaninchlongThemodeofknottingthenetsisidenticalwithourown。
Theyalsospearthefishwithjavelinshavingalighthandle，whichreadilyfloatsonthesurfaceTheyshowgreatdexterityinharpooningthehippopotamus；and，thebarbedbladeofthespearbeingattachedtoaropemadeoftheyoungleavesofthepalmyra，theanimalcannotridhimselfofthecanoe，attachedtohiminwhalefashion，exceptbysmashingit，whichhenotunfrequentlydoesbyhisteethorbyastrokeofhishindfoot。
OnreturningtotheBakurutse，wefoundthattheircanoesforfishingweresimplylargebundlesofreedstiedtogetherSuchacanoewouldbeareadyextemporaneouspontoonforcrossinganyriverthathadreedybanks。
Chapter4。
LeaveKolobengagainfortheCountryofSebituaneReachtheZouga
TheTsetseAPartyofEnglishmenDeathofMrRider
ObtainGuidesChildrenfallsickwithFeverRelinquishtheAttempttoreachSebituaneMrOswell’sElephant-hunting
ReturntoKolobengMakeathirdStartthence
ReachNchokotsaSalt-pans“Links“，orSpringsBushmen
OurGuideShoboTheBanajoaAnuglyChiefTheTsetse
BitefataltodomesticAnimals，butharmlesstowildAnimalsandMan
OperationofthePoisonLossescausedbyitTheMakololo
OurMeetingwithSebituaneSketchofhisCareer
HisCourageandConquestsManoeuvresoftheBatokaHeoutwitsthemHisWarswiththeMatebelePredictionsofanativeProphet
SuccessesoftheMakololoRenewedAttacksoftheMatebele
TheIslandofLoyeloDefeatoftheMatebeleSebituane’sPolicy
HisKindnesstoStrangersandtothePoorHissuddenIllnessandDeath
SucceededbyhisDaughterHerFriendlinesstousDiscovery，inJune，1851，oftheZambesiflowingintheCentreoftheContinent
ItsSizeTheMambariTheSlave-tradeDeterminetosendFamilytoEnglandReturntotheCapeinApril，1852SafeTransitthroughtheCaffreCountryduringHostilitiesNeedofa“SpecialCorrespondent“
KindnessoftheLondonMissionarySocietyAssistanceaffordedbytheAstronomerRoyalattheCape。
HavingreturnedtoKolobeng，IremainedtheretillApril，1850，andthenleftincompanywithMrsLivingstone，ourthreechildren，andthechiefSechelewhohadnowboughtawagonofhisown
inordertogoacrosstheZougaatitslowerend，withtheintentionofproceedingupthenorthernbanktillwegainedtheTamunak’le，andofthenascendingthatrivertovisitSebituaneinthenorth。
SekomihadgivenorderstofillupthewellswhichwehaddugwithsomuchlaboratSerotli，sowetookthemoreeasternroutethroughtheBamangwatotownandbyLetlocheThatchiefaskedwhyIhadavoidedhiminourformerjourneysIrepliedthatmyreasonwasthatIknewhedidnotwishmetogotothelake，andIdidnotwanttoquarrelwithhim“Well。”hesaid，“youbeatmethen，andIamcontent。”
PartingwithSecheleattheford，ashewaseagertovisitLechulatebe，wewentalongthenorthernwoodybankoftheZougawithgreatlabor，havingtocutdownverymanytreestoallowthewagonstopass。
Ourlossesbyoxenfallingintopitfallswereveryheavy。
TheBayeiyekindlyopenedthepitswhentheyknewofourapproach；
butwhenthatwasnotthecase，wecouldblamenooneonfindinganestablishedcustomofthecountryinimicaltoourinterests。
OnapproachingtheconfluenceoftheTamunak’lewewereinformedthattheflycalledtsetse*aboundedonitsbanksThiswasabarrierweneverexpectedtomeet；and，asitmighthavebroughtourwagonstoacompletestand-stillinawilderness，wherenosuppliesforthechildrencouldbeobtained，wewerereluctantlycompelledtorecrosstheZouga。
*`Glossinamorsitans’，thefirstspecimensofwhichwerebroughttoEnglandin1848bymyfriendMajorVardon，fromthebanksoftheLimpopo。
FromtheBayeiyewelearnedthatapartyofEnglishmen，whohadcometothelakeinsearchofivory，werealllaidlowbyfever，sowetraveledhastilydownaboutsixtymilestorenderwhataidwasinourpowerWeweregrievedtofind，aswecamenear，thatMrAlfredRider，anenterprisingyoungartistwhohadcometomakesketchesofthiscountryandofthelakeimmediatelyafteritsdiscovery，haddiedoffeverbeforeourarrival；butbytheaidofmedicinesandsuchcomfortsascouldbemadebytheonlyEnglishladywhoevervisitedthelake，theothershappilyrecovered。
TheunfinisheddrawingofLakeNgamiwasmadebyMrRiderjustbeforehisdeath，andhasbeenkindlylentforthisworkbyhisbereavedmother。
SecheleusedallhispowersofeloquencewithLechulatebetoinducehimtofurnishguidesthatImightbeabletovisitSebituaneonox-back，whileMrsLivingstoneandthechildrenremainedatLakeNgami。
HeyieldedatlastIhadaverysuperiorLondon-madegun，thegiftofLieutenantArkwright，onwhichIplacedthegreatestvalue，bothonaccountofthedonorandtheimpossibilityofmyreplacingit。
Lechulatebefellviolentlyinlovewithit，andofferedwhatevernumberofelephants’tusksImightaskforit。
ItoowasenamoredwithSebituane；andashepromisedinadditionthathewouldfurnishMrsLivingstonewithmeatallthetimeofmyabsence，hisargumentsmademepartwiththegunThoughhehadnoivoryatthetimetopayme，Ifeltthepiecewouldbewellspentonthoseterms，anddeliveredittohimAllbeingreadyforourdeparture，ItookMrsLivingstoneaboutsixmilesfromthetown，thatshemighthaveapeepatthebroadpartofthelakeNextmorningwehadotherworktodothanpart，forourlittleboyandgirlwereseizedwithfever。
Onthedayfollowing，allourservantsweredowntoowiththesamecomplaint。
Asnothingisbetterinthesecasesthanchangeofplace，IwasforcedtogiveupthehopeofseeingSebituanethatyear；
so，leavingmygunaspartpaymentforguidesnextyear，westartedforthepureairoftheDesert。
SomemistakehadhappenedinthearrangementwithMrOswell，forwemethimontheZougaonourreturn，andhedevotedtherestofthisseasontoelephant-hunting，atwhichthenativesuniversallydeclareheisthegreatestadeptthatevercameintothecountry。
HehuntedwithoutdogsItisremarkablethatthislordlyanimalissocompletelyharassedbythepresenceofafewyelpingcursastobequiteincapableofattendingtomanHemakesawkwardattemptstocrushthembyfallingonhisknees；andsometimesplaceshisforeheadagainstatreeteninchesindiameter；glancingononesideofthetreeandthenontheother，hepushesitdownbeforehim，asifhethoughttherebytocatchhisenemiesTheonlydangerthehuntsmanhastoapprehendisthedogsrunningtowardhim，andtherebyleadingtheelephanttotheirmaster。
MrOswellhasbeenknowntokillfourlargeoldmaleelephantsaday。
Thevalueoftheivoryinthesecaseswouldbeonehundredguineas。
Wehadreasontobeproudofhissuccess，fortheinhabitantsconceivedfromitaveryhighideaofEnglishcourage；
andwhentheywishedtoflattermewouldsay，“IfyouwerenotamissionaryyouwouldjustbelikeOswell；youwouldnothuntwithdogseither。”
When，in1852，wecametotheCape，myblackcoatelevenyearsoutoffashion，andwithoutapennyofsalarytodraw，wefoundthatMrOswellhadmostgenerouslyorderedanoutfitforthehalf-nakedchildren，whichcostabout200Pounds，andpresentedittous，sayinghethoughtMrsLivingstonehadarighttothegameofherownpreserves。
FoiledinthissecondattempttoreachSebituane，wereturnedagaintoKolobeng，whitherweweresoonfollowedbyanumberofmessengersfromthatchiefhimselfWhenheheardofourattemptstovisithim，hedispatchedthreedetachmentsofhismenwiththirteenbrowncowstoLechulatebe，thirteenwhitecowstoSekomi，andthirteenblackcowstoSechele，witharequesttoeachtoassistthewhitementoreachhim。
Theirpolicy，however，wastokeephimoutofview，andactashisagentsinpurchasingwithhisivorythegoodshewantedThisisthoroughlyAfrican；
andthatcontinentbeingwithoutfrithsandarmsofthesea，thetribesinthecentrehavealwaysbeendebarredfromEuropeanintercoursebyitsuniversalprevalenceamongallthepeoplearoundthecoasts。
BeforesettingoutonourthirdjourneytoSebituane，itwasnecessarytovisitKuruman；andSechele，eager，forthesakeofthecommissionthereon，togettheivoryofthatchiefintohisownhands，allowedallthemessengerstoleavebeforeourreturnSekomi，however，wasmorethanusuallygracious，andevenfurnisheduswithaguide，butnooneknewthepathbeyondNchokotsawhichweintendedtofollowWhenwereachedthatpoint，wefoundthatthemainspringofthegunofanotherofhismen，whowaswellacquaintedwiththeBushmen，throughwhosecountryweshouldpass，hadopportunelybrokenIneverundertooktomendagunwithgreaterzestthanthis；for，underpromiseofhisguidance，wewenttothenorthinsteadofwestwardAlltheotherguidesweremostliberallyrewardedbyMrOswell。
Wepassedquicklyoverahardcountry，whichisperfectlyflatAlittlesoillyingoncalcareoustufa，overatractofseveralhundredsofmiles，supportsavegetationoffinesweetshortgrass，andmopaneandbaobabtrees。
Onseveralpartsofthiswefoundlargesalt-pans，oneofwhich，Ntwetwe，isfifteenmilesbroadandonehundredlong。
Thelatitudemighthavebeentakenonitshorizonaswellasuponthesea。
Althoughthesecuriousspotsseemperfectlylevel，allthoseinthisdirectionhaveagentleslopetothenortheast：thithertherain-water，whichsometimescoversthem，gentlygravitatesThis，itmayberecollected，isthedirectionoftheZougaThesaltdissolvedinthewaterhasbythismeansallbeentransferredtoonepaninthatdirection，namedChuantsa；onitweseeacakeofsaltandlimeaninchandahalfthick。
Alltheothershaveanefflorescenceoflimeandoneofthenitratesonly，andsomearecoveredthicklywithshellsTheseshellsareidenticalwiththoseofthemolluscaofLakeNgamiandtheZouga。