and road-maker, having either the axe or whip in hand all day long till we came to lat. 18° 4′. Here we discovered that the country adjacent to the Chobe was flooded: valleys looked like rivers, and after crossing several we came to one, the Sanshureh, which presented a complete barrier to further travelling with waggons. It was deep, a mile broad, and contained hippopotami. After searching in vain for a ford, our two Bushmen decamped. Being very anxious to reach the Makololo, I took one of the strongest of our invalids, crossed the Sanshureh in a small pontoon, kindly presented by Messrs. Webb and Codrington, and went N.N.W. across the flooded country in search of the Chobe. After splashing through about 20 miles of an inundated plain, we came to a mass of reed, which towards the N.E. seemed interminable. We then turned for a short distance in the direction of our former waggonstand, and from a high tree were gratified by a sight of the Chobe; but such a mass of vegetation grew between the bank and the flowing river, that our utmost efforts failed in procuring a passage into it. The water among the reeds either became too deep, or we were unable to bend down the barrier of papyrus and reed bound together by a kind of convolvulus. You will understand the nature of our struggles, when I mention that a horrid sort of grass, about 6 feet high, and having serrated edges which cut the hands most cruelly, wore my strong moleskin" unmentionables" quite through at the knees, and iny shoes (nearly new) at the toes. My handkerchief protected the former; but in subsequent travelling through the dense grass of the plains the feet fared badly. Though constantly wet up to the middle during the day, we slept soundly by night during the three days we spent among this mass of reeds, and only effected a passage into the open water of the Chobe river on the fourth day. After paddling along the river in the pontoon about 20 miles, we discovered a village of Makololo. We were unexpected visitors, and the more so since they believed that no one could cross the Chobe from the S. bank without their knowledge.

In their figurative language they said, "I had fallen on them as if from a cloud, yet came riding on a hippopotamus" (pontoon). A vague report of our approach had previously reached the chief, and two parties were out in search of us; but they had gone along the old paths. In returning to the waggons, which we did in canoes and in a straight line, we found the distance not more than 10 miles. Our difficulties were now ended, for a great number of canoes and about 140 people were soon dispatched from the town. They transported our goods and waggons across the country and river, and when we had been landed on the other side of the Chobe, we travelled northward till within about one day from Sesheké, in order to avoid the flooded lands adjacent to the river. We there

struck upon the path which Mr. Oswell and I travelled on horseback in 1850, and turning into it proceeded S.W. until we came to Sekeletu's town Linyanti. Our reception here was as warm as could have been expected. The chief Sekeletu, not yet 19 years of age, said he had got another father instead of Sebituane; he was not quite sure, however, about learning to read: "he feared it might change his heart and make him content with one wife only, as in the case of Sechele." It is pleasant to hear objections frankly

stated.

About the end of July we embarked on our journey to the N., embarking at Sekhose's village on the Zambesé, or, as the aborigines universally name it, the Leeambye, viz., the river. This village is about 25 miles W. of the town of Sesheké. When I proposed to Sekeletu to examine his country and ascertain if there were any suitable locality for a mission, he consented frankly; but he had not yet seen me enough. Then he would not allow me to go alone; some evil might befal me, and he would be accountable. This and fever caused some delay, so that we did not get off till about the end of July. In the mean time I learned particulars of what had taken place here since my last visit in 1852.

The daughter of Sebituane had resigned the chieftainship into (Sekeletu's) her brother's hands. From all I can learn she did it gracefully and sincerely. Influential men advised her to put Sekeletu to death, lest he should become troublesome when he became older. She turned from their proposals in disgust, called a meeting, and, with a womanly gush of tears, said she had been induced to rule by her father, but her own inclination had always been to lead a domestic life. She therefore requested Sekeletu to take the chieftainship, and allow her to marry.

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He was equally sincere in a continued refusal during several days, for he was afraid of being cut off by a pretender, who had the audacity to utter some threatening words in the assembly. do not now wonder at the resolution of Sebituane's daughter, who had just come from a nine weeks' tour, in company with a crowd who would have been her courtiers: there was no want of food, oxen were slaughtered almost every day in numbers more than sufficient for the wants of all. They were all as kind and attentive to me as they could have been to her, yet to endure their dancing, roaring, and singing, their jesting, anecdotes, grumbling, quarrelling, murdering, and meanness, equalled a pretty stiff penance. These children of nature gave me a more intense disgust to heathenism, and a much higher opinion of the effects of missions among tribes in the S. which are reported to have been as savage as they, than I ever had before.

The pretender above referred to, after Sekeletu's accession, and at the time of my arrival, believing that he could effect his object

by means of a Portuguese slave-merchant and a number of armed Mambari, encouraged them to the utmost. The selling of children had been positively forbidden by the lawful chief Sekeletu, but his rival transported the slave-trading party across the Leeambye river, and gave them full permission to deal in all the Batoka and Bashukulompo villages to the E. of it. A stockade was erected at Katongo, and a flag-staff for the Portuguese banner planted, and in return for numerous presents of ivory and cattle, that really belonged to Sekeletu, the pretender received a small cannon. Elated with what he considered success, he came down here with the intention of murdering Sekeletu himself, having no doubt but that, after effecting this, he should, by the aid of his allies, easily reduce the whole tribe. We met him on our way to Sesheké, as we travelled there from Linyanti, and a very slight circumstance served to derange the whole conspiracy. The pretender carried a battle-axe, with which he had arranged with his confederates to hamstring Sekeletu, as a signal, when he rose up from their first interview. I happened to sit down between him and the pretender, and soon feeling disposed to retire for the evening, said to Sekeletu, "Where do we sleep to-night?" He replied, “Come, I will show you." We rose together, and my body covering that of Sekeletu, the attempt was not made. The accomplices came and revealed the whole in the evening. "If what you say you know to be true," answered Sekeletu, "take him off:" he was instantly led forth and executed in a hut close by. I knew nothing of it till the following day. Others, deeply implicated, were afterwards put to death in the same off-hand way; and when I remonstrated against shedding human blood, the counsellors calmly replied, "You see we are still Boers-we are not yet taught." Another Portuguese slave-merchant came also from the W. He remained here only three days, and finding no market, departed. A large party of Mambari was encamped by Katongo, about the time of our arrival at Linyanti. No slaves were sold to them; and when they heard that I had actually crossed the Chobe, they fled precipitately. The Makololo remonstrated, saying I would do them no harm, but the Mambari asserted that I would take all their goods from them because they bought children. The merchant I first spoke of had probably no idea of the risk he ran in listening to the tale of a disaffected under chief. He was now in his stockade at Katongo, and influential men proposed to expel both him and the Mambari from the country. Dreading the results which might follow a commencement of hostilities, I mentioned the difficulty of attacking a stockade, which could be defended by perhaps forty muskets. Hunger is strong enough," said an under chief-" a very great fellow is he." As the chief sufferers in the event of an attack would be the poor slaves chained in

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gangs, I interceded for them, and as the result of that intercession, of which of course they are ignorant, the whole party will be permitted to depart in peace: but no stockading will be allowed again.

Our company, which consisted of 160 men, our fleet of 33 canoes, proceeded rapidly up the river towards the Borotse. I had the choice of all the canoes, and the best was 34 feet long and 20 inches wide. With six paddlers we passed through 44 miles of latitude, by one day's pull of 10 hours: if we add the longitude to this, it must have been upwards of 50 miles' actual distance. The river is indeed a magnificent one. It is often more than a mile broad, and adorned with numerous islands of from 3 to 5 miles in length. These and the banks, too, are covered with forest, and most of the trees on the brink of the water send down roots from their branches like the banian. The islands at a little distance seem rounded masses of sylvan vegetation of various hues, reclining on the bosom of the glorious stream. The beauty of the scene is greatly increased by the date palm and lofty palmyra towering above the rest, and casting their feathery foliage against a cloudless sky. The banks are rocky and undulating; many villages of Kanyeti, a poor but industrious people, are situated on both of them. They are expert hunters of hippopotami and other animals, and cultivate grain extensively. At the bend of Katima Molelo the bottom of the river bed begins to be rocky, and continues so the whole way to about lat. 16°, forming a succession of rapids and cataracts, which are dangerous when the river is low. The rocks are of hard sandstone and porphyritic basalt. The rapids are not visible when the river is full; but the cataracts of Kalé Bombwe and Nambwe are always dangerous. The fall of them is from 4 to 6 feet in perpendicular height; but the cataracts of Gonyé (hard by) excel them all. The main fall of these is over a straight ledge of rock, about 60 or 70 yards long and 40 feet deep. Tradition reports the destruction in this place of two hippopotamus hunters, who, too eager in the pursuit of a wounded animal, were with their prey drawn down into the frightful gulf. We also digged some yams in what was said to have been the garden of a man, who of old came down the river and led out a portion of it here for irrigation. Superior minds must have arisen from time to time in these regions, but ignorant of the use of letters, they have left no memorial. One never sees a grave nor a stone of remembrance set up. The very rocks are illiterate; they contain no fossils. All these beautiful and rocky parts of the valley of the river are covered with forest, and infested with the tsetze fly; but in other respects the country seems well adapted for a residence. When, however, we come to the northern confines of lat. 16°, the tsetze suddenly cease, and the high banks seem to leave the river and to stretch away in

ridges of about 300 feet high to the N.N.E. and N.N.W., until between 20 and 30 miles apart; the intervening space, 100 miles in length, is the Barotse country proper: it is annually inundated not by rains but by the river, as Lower Egypt is by the Nile, and one portion of this comes from the N.W. and another from the N. There are no trees in this valley, except such as were transplanted for the sake of shade by the chief Santuru; but it is covered with coarse succulent grasses, which are the pasturage of large herds of cattle during a portion of the year. One of these species is 12 feet high, and as thick as a man's thumb. The villages and towns are situated on mounds, many of which were constructed artificially. I have not put down all the villages that I visited, and many were seen at a distance; but there are no large towns, for the mounds on which alone towns and villages are built are all small, and the people require to live separate on account of their cattle. Nariele, the capital of the Barotse country, does not contain 1000 inhabitants; the site of it was constructed artificially. It was not the ancient capital. The river now flows over the site of that, and all that remains of what had cost the people of Santuru the labour of many years, is a few cubic yards of earth. As the same thing has happened to another ancient site, the river seems wearing eastwards. Ten feet of rise above low-water mark submerges the whole valley, except the foundations of the huts, and 2 feet more would sweep away the towns. This never happens, though among the hills below the valley the river rises 60 feet, and then floods the lands adjacent to Sesheké on both sides. The valley contains, as I said, a great number of villages and cattle-stations. These, and large herds of cattle grazing on the succulent herbage, meet the eye in every direction. On visiting the ridges, we found them to be only the commencement of lands which are never inundated: these are covered with trees and abound in fruitful gardens, in which are cultivated sugar-cane, sweet potato, two kinds of manioc, two kinds of yam-bananas, millet, &c. Advantage is taken of the inundation, too, to raise large quantities of maize and Caffre corn, of large grain and beautiful whiteness. These, with abundance of milk and plenty of fish in the river, make the people always refer to the Barotse country as the land of plenty. No part of the country can be spoken of as salubrious. The fever must be braved if a mission is to be established: it is very fatal even among natives. I have had eight attacks of it; the last very severe : but I never laid by. I tried native remedies in order to discover if they possessed any valuable means of cure; but after being stewed in vapour baths, smoked like a red herring over fires of green twigs in hot potsherds, and physicked secundum black artem, I believe that our own medicines are more efficacious and safer. have not relinquished the search, and as I make it a rule to keep

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