230 NATIVE VILLAGE. 



informed me, ran into the Shir^ within a few miles of 

 the Rivi Rivi, to the south of that river ; adding that 

 Cotondway lived on its banks some distance further 

 on. The remainder of the march led up the bed 

 of the stream, which was delightfully shaded from 

 the hot sun by the grand trees on either bank, whose 

 branches in many places met each other overhead. 

 We soon found footprints of men, which the omni- 

 scient Makololos at once asserted to be those of Man- 

 ganjas. Here and there were patches of water, and 

 the whole bed of the river was covered with the 

 tracks of different kinds of wild beasts. The elephant 

 and buffalo, the lion and leopard, antelopes varying 

 in size from the waterbuck to the gazelle, evidently 

 loved this cool resort; but it was too late to find them 

 wandering about, and I did not see any. Our course 

 along this river lay almost due east. 



As we passed along, voices were heard on our left, 

 and on climbing the bank we saw a native village close 

 by. The inhabitants, surprised at our sudden appear- 

 ance, grouped together and steadily watched our ap- 

 proach. Selecting a large tree close to the village, I 

 took up my position there, and had the loads all put 

 together. As few of these villagers were armed, I 

 left my guns against the tree, and, accompanied by 

 Moloka, with Chinsoro as interpreter, walked over 

 to them. Chinsoro opened the conversation by the 

 customary salute, and we were received with clapping 

 of hands. They had heard of the white people being 

 in the country, but as they had never seen them, I un- 

 derwent another close inspection. They brought me 

 a present of pombe, the man who brought it drinking 



