70 THE RIVER ZAMBEZI AND ITS SCENERY 



are at work. A sudden scurry among the baboons, 

 followed by a yellowish flash, and a leopard springs 

 fropa the cover behind, and striking one of the 

 smaller animals a lightning-like blow with its paw 

 which dashes him senseless to the ground, snatches 

 him up and disappears at a bound. Now the 

 beautiful picture is at an end. The storks, the 

 bitterns, and egrets rise into the air uttering in- 

 dignant, discordant cries, to an accompaniment of 

 excited barks and squeals from the bereaved 

 chacmas, who hurriedly leave their ill-omened drink- 

 ing place, and betake themselves to the trees. 

 The crocodiles, recovered from the first short rush 

 they made towards the water, have dragged them- 

 selves once more upon the sand, where they com- 

 pose themselves for another nap. So we pass 

 onward, leaving them to the enjoyment of their 

 repose. The mist has by this time entirely dis- 

 persed, and a cool morning breeze rustles refresh- 

 ingly through the greenery above our heads. 

 Through the openings in the branches the mighty 

 form of giant Morambala looks so close in the 

 clear morning atmosphere that one could almost, 

 one thinks, throw a stone to the summit of that 

 majestic mass. 



Farther up the Shir^ River, and still in the 

 district of Zambezia, one reaches, it is true, a 

 mightier mountain as one nears Chiromo. This 

 giant, over 8,000 ft. in height, whose native 

 name, Chiperoni, I regard as infinitely more 

 suitable than the commonplace Mount Clarendon 

 which has been pompously and needlessly bestowed 

 upon it, is said to possess a healthy upland 



