254 WATER-FOWL— ALLIGATORS. Chap. XIV. 



feeding. They have a strong black spur on the shoulder like the 

 armed plover, and as strong as that on the heel of a cock, but are 

 never seen to use them, except in defence of their young. They 

 choose anthills for their nests ; and, in the time of laying, the 

 Barotse consume vast quantities of their eggs. There are also 

 two varieties of geese, of somewhat smaller size, but better 

 eating. One of these, the Egyptian goose or Vulpanser, cannot 

 rise from the water, and during the floods of the river great 

 numbers are killed by being pursued in canoes. The third is 

 furnished with a peculiar knob on the beak. These, with myriads 

 of ducks of three varieties, abound everywhere on the Leeambye. 

 On one occasion the canoe neared a bank on which a large 

 flock was sitting. Two shots furnished our whole party with a 

 supper, for we picked up seventeen ducks and a goose. No 

 wonder the Barotse always look back to this fruitful valley as the 

 Israelites did to the flesh-pots of Egypt. The poorest persons 

 are so well supplied with food from their gardens, fruits from 

 the forest trees, and fish from the river, that their children, when 

 taken into the service of the Makololo, where they have only one 

 large meal a-day, become quite emaciated and pine for a return 

 to their parents. 



Part of our company marched along the banks with the oxen, 

 and part went in the canoes, but our pace was regulated by 

 the speed of the men on shore. Their course was rather difficult, 

 on accomit of the numbers of departing and re-entering branches 

 of the Leeambye, which they had to avoid, or wait at till we 

 ferried them over. The number of alligators is prodigious, and 

 in this river they are more savage than in some others. Many 

 children are carried off annually at Sesheke and other towns ; 

 for, notwithstanding the danger, when they go down for water 

 they almost always must play awhile. This reptile is said by the 

 natives to strike the victim with its tail, then drag him in and 

 drown him. When lying in the water watching for prey, the 

 body never appears. Many calves are lost also, and it is seldom 

 that a number of cows can swim over at Sesheke without some 

 loss. I never could avoid shuddering on seeing my men 

 swimming across these branches, after one of them had been 

 caught by the thigh and taken below. He, however, retained, as 

 nearly all of them in the most trying circumstances do, his full 



