THE OKAVANGO RIVER 35 



of doubt in which direction to strike, which route 

 would provide the most interesting trip and the 

 best game country ; the best game country would 

 certainly mean the most likely place for lions. 



Libebe, the principal Mombakush Chief, had 

 his kraal on an island in the middle of the river, 

 and there I paid him a visit. The island is very 

 rich, every yard of it being cultivated outside the 

 kraal itself. Libebe in response came over with 

 about twenty of his retainers to return the visit, 

 and to arrange about supplying me with some boys 

 of his. After we had discussed things, I decided, 

 in spite of hearing that we might find it difficult 

 to get water on the way, to strike across country 

 to the big kraal of the Chief called Mokoya, which 

 was situated on the Luiyanna river, perhaps ioo 

 miles north-east from Libebe's kraal. I was told 

 that we might find lions anywhere in that country, 

 and my own idea was that now the first storms 

 were bringing water in the back country, the 

 game would probably work out that way from the 

 frontages : just as on our far western stations in 

 Australia the cattle after a bad time at once 

 abandon the neighbourhood of the permanent 

 waters directly rain has fallen in the back country. 

 One old Ovambo tried to persuade me instead 

 of going towards Mokoya's to keep down the 

 Okavango, and then strike out easterly from the 

 river, where he said I would find lions very plenti- 

 ful. He described the latter in true native 

 fashion : pointing to the sun as standing about 



