4:56 DEPAKTURE FOK LIBEBE. 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 



Departure for Libebe. — The Canoe. — The Lake. — Reach the Teoge. 

 — Adventure with a Leche. — Luxurious Vegetation, — Exuberance 

 of animal Life. — Buifaloes. — The Koodoo. — His Haunts. — Pace. 

 — Food. — Flesh. — Hide. — Disposition. — Gregarious Habits. — The 

 Chase. 



As Lecholetebe proved true to his word with regard to 

 providing me with men and boats, I was able, after only a 

 few days' stay at the Lake, to proceed on my exploring tour 

 to the north. To the last moment, however, the chief and 

 his people endeavored to dissuade me from the attempt, urg- 

 ing, among other reasons, the enormous windings of the 

 Teoge, which would prevent me from reaching my destina- 

 tion for many months, as, also, the great number of hippo- 

 potami, which they represented as the most savage and vora- 

 cious of beasts. 



I did not give much credit to the story of these men, not 

 having the least faith in their word. I told them that, with 

 regard to the sinuosities of the stream, I hoped to overcome 

 that difficulty by patience ; and as to the sea-cows, if they 

 really were such monsters as described, I assured them I was 

 quite confident that my black followers (pointing to the boat- 

 men), to whom they were accustomed, would be first swal- 

 lowed, which would give me time to escape. With this rude 

 joke, which highly pleased my untutored audience, I stepped 

 into the canoe, and waving my hand, in token of leave, to 

 my men and the chief, I launched forth on the Zouga. 



The canoe in which I embarked (and they are all some- 

 what similarly constructed) was but a miserable craft. It 

 consisted of the trunk of a tree, about twenty feet long, point- 

 ed at both ends, and hollowed out by means of fire and a 



