318 ABUNDANCE OF WATERFOWL. 



fowl. Some of the sand-banks appear whitened daring 

 the day with flocks of pelicans ; I once counted three hun- 

 dred ; others are brown with ducks, (Anas histrionica,) — I 

 got fourteen of these by one shot, — (Querquedula Hottentota, 

 Smith,) and other kinds. Great numbers of gulls, (Proceb 

 laria turtur, Smith,) and several othei's, float over the sur- 

 face. The vast quantity of small birds which feed on in- 

 sects show that the river teems also with specimens of 

 minute organic life. In walking among bushes on the 

 banks, we are occasionally stung by a hornet, which makes 

 its nest in form like that of our own wasp, and hangs it 

 on the branches of trees. The breeding azopyr} is so strong 

 in this insect that it pursues any one twenty or thirty 

 yards who happens to brush too closely past its nest. The 

 sting, which it tries to inflict near the eye, is more like a 

 discharge of electricity from a powerful machine, or a 

 violent blow, than aught else. It produces momentary 

 insensibility, and is followed by the most pungent pain. 

 Yet this insect is quite timid when away from its nest. 

 It is named Murotuani by the Bechuanas. 



We have tsetse between Nameta and Sekhosi. An in- 

 sect of prey, about an inch in length, long-legged and 

 gaunt-looking, may be observed flying about and lighting 

 upon the bare ground. It is a tiger in its way, for it 

 springs upon tsetse and other flies, and, sucking out their 

 blood, throws the bodies aside. 



Long before reaching Sesheke we had been informed that 

 a party of Matebele, the people of Mosilikatse, had brought 

 Borne packages of goods for me to the south bank of the 

 river, near Victoria Falls, and, though they declared they 

 had been sent by Mr. Moffat, the Makololo had refused to 

 credit the statement of their sworn enemies. They ima- 

 gined the parcels were directed to me as a mere trick 

 whereby to place witchcraft-medicine in the hands of the 

 Makololo. When the Matebele on the south bank called to 

 the Makololo on the north to come over in canoes and re- 



