428 THE ZOUGA GREAT REED VLEY. 



considerably (one of the many curious points in African 

 geography) ; and the country on both sides is often inundated 

 to a very great extent, frequently having the appearance of 

 an endless lake, thickly overgrown with reeds and rushes, 

 and dotted with islets covered with beautiful trees and shrubs. 



At its eastern extremity the Ngami finds an outlet (the 

 only one) in the fine and stately Zouga. This river, near to 

 Batoana-town, where it escapes from the Lake, is about two 

 hundred yards wide, and, from its gentle flow, appears at 

 rest, the motion of the stream being imperceptible to the eye. 

 Indeed, it is asserted by some — and should it be found cor- 

 rect, it certainly would be a most extraordinary fact — that 

 the waters of the Zouga are, at one time of the year, forced 

 back into the Lake by a branch of the Teoge, which river 

 thus not only feeds the Lake at its northwest extremity, as 

 has been already stated, but at the east as well. From the 

 very imperfect development of the water-courses in these 

 parts, I do not think this impossible. 



The Zouga continues to run in an easterly direction from 

 the Lake for nearly a month's journey, or a distance of about 

 three hundred miles, taking all the windings into account, 

 when it is lost in an immense marsh or sand-flat,* called, by 

 some. Great Reed Vley. It is a perfect sea of reeds (with 

 occasional openings), and affords a favorite resort to innu- 

 merable herds of buffaloes. 



About twenty miles before the Zouga ceases to flow it ex- 

 pands into a lake from two to four miles broad, and about 

 twelve or fifteen in extent. During the dry season this riv- 

 er presents "a series of pools with dry spaces between." 



The vegetation all along its course is varied and luxuri- 



* Many are of opinion that this river continues to flow siibten-ane- 

 ously, and that it ultimately finds an outlet into the sea on the east 

 coast. It is by no means uncommon in African geography — and we 

 have in England an instance of it in the Mole — to find a river sud- 

 denly disappearing and as unexpectedly reappearing at some little 

 distance. 



