3(52 THE ZAMBESI — ISLAND OF MENYE. 



we now view. The same thing was observed on the western 

 ridge. We never saw discoloration till we reached the 

 Quango : that obtained its matter from the western slope 

 of the western ridge, just as this part of the Zambesi 

 receives its soil from the eastern slope of the eastern ridge. 

 It carried a considerable quantity of wreck of reeds, sticks, 

 and trees. We struck upon the river about eight miles east 

 of the confluence with the Kafue, and thereby missed a 

 sight of that interesting point. The cloudiness of the 

 weather was such that but few observations could be made 

 for determining our position ; so, pursuing our course, we 

 went down the left bank, and came opposite the island of 

 Menye makaba. The Zambesi contains numerous islands : 

 this was about a mile and a half or two miles long and up- 

 ward of a quarter of a mile broad. Besides human popu- 

 lation, it has a herd of buffaloes that never leave it. In 

 the distance they seemed to be upward of sixty. The 

 numan and brute inhabitants understand each other; for 

 when the former think they ought to avenge the liberties 

 committed on their gardens, the leaders of the latter come 

 out boldly to give battle. They told us that the only time 

 in which they can thin them is when the river is full and 

 part of the island flooded. They then attack them from 

 their canoes. The comparatively small space to which 

 they have confined themselves shows how luxuriant the 

 vegetation of this region is ; for were they in want of more 

 pasture, as buffaloes can swim well, and the distance from 

 this bank to the island is not much more than 200 yards, 

 they might easily remove hither. The opposite bank is 

 much more distant. 



Ranges of hills appear now to run parallel with the 

 Zambesi, and are about fifteen miles apart. Those on the 

 north approach nearest to the river. The inhabitants on 

 that side are the Batonga, those on the south bank are 

 the Banyai. The hills abound in buffaloes, and elephants 

 are numerous; and many are killed by the people on 

 both banks. They erect stages on high trees overhang. 



