232 ISLANDS.— THE BANYETI. 



Makololo had his canoe filled by one of these waves, and, being 

 unable to swim, was lost. The Barotse who were in the canoe 

 with him saved themselves by swimming, and were afraid of be- 

 ing punished with death in the evening for not saving the doctor 

 as well. Had he been a man of more influence, they certainly 

 would have suffered death. 



We proceeded rapidly up the river, and I felt the pleasure of 

 looking on lands which had never been seen by a European be- 

 fore. The river is, indeed, a magnificent one, often more than a 

 mile broad, and adorned with many islands of from three to five 

 miles in length. Both islands and banks are covered with forest, 

 and most of the trees on the brink of the water send down roots 

 from their branches like the banian, or Ficus Inclica. The isl- 

 ands at a little distance seem great rounded masses of sylvan veg- 

 etation reclining on the bosom of the glorious stream. The beau- 

 ty of the scenery of some of the islands is greatly increased by 

 the date-palm, with its gracefully curved fronds and refreshing 

 light green color, near the bottom of the picture, and the lofty pal- 

 myra towering far above, and casting its feathery foliage against a 

 cloudless sky. It being winter, we had the strange coloring on 

 the banks which many parts of African landscape assume. The 

 country adjacent to the river is rocky and undulating, abounding 

 in elephants and all other large game, except leches and nakongs, 

 which seem generally to avoid stony ground. The soil is of a 

 reddish color, and very fertile, as is attested by the great quan- 

 tity of grain raised annually by the Banyeti. A great many 

 villages of this poor and very industrious people are situated on 

 both banks of the river : they are expert hunters of the hippo- 

 potami and other animals, and very proficient in the manufacture 

 of articles of wood and iron. The whole of this part of the coun- 

 try being infested with the tsetse, they are unable to rear do- 

 mestic animals. This may have led to their skill in handicraft 

 works. Some make large wooden vessels with very neat lids, 

 and wooden bowls of all sizes ; and since the idea of sitting on 

 stools has entered the Makololo mind, they have shown great 

 taste in the different forms given to the legs of these pieces of fur- 

 niture. 



Other Banyeti, or Manyeti, as they are called, make neat and 

 strong baskets of the split roots of a certain tree, while others 



