Chap. XXIY. LEVEL PLAINS — BIRDS. 471 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



Level plains — Vultures and other birds — Diversity of colour in flowers of the 

 same species — The sundew — Twenty-seventh attack of fever — A river 

 which flows in opposite directions — Lake Dilolo the watershed between 

 Atlantic and Indian Oceans — Position of rocks — Sir Roderick Murchison's 

 explanation — Characteristics of rainy season in connexion with the floods 

 of the Zambesi and the Nile — Probable reason of difference in amount of rain 

 south and north of the equator — Arab reports of region east of Londa — 

 Probable watershed of the Zambesi and the Nile — Lake Dilolo — Reach 

 Katema's town : his renewed hospitality ; desire to appear like a white 

 man; ludicrous departure — Jackdaws — Ford southern branch of Lake 

 Dilolo — Small fish — Project for a Makololo village near the confluence of 

 the Leeba and the Leeambye — Hearty welcome from Shinte — Kolim- 

 bota's wound — Plant-seeds and fruit-trees brought from Angola — Masiko 

 and Limboa's quarrel — Nyamoana now a widow — Purchase canoes and 

 descend the Leeba — Herds of wild animals on its banks — Unsuccessful 

 buffalo-hunt — Frogs — Sinbad and the tsetse — Despatch a message to 

 Manenko — Arrival of her husband Sambanza — The ceremony called 

 Kasendi — Unexpected fee for performing a surgical operation — Social 

 condition of the tribes — Desertion of Mboenga — Stratagem ofMambowe 

 hunters — Water-turtles — Charged by a buffalo — Reception from the 

 people of Libonta — Explain the causes of our long delay — Pitsane's 

 speech — Thanksgiving services — Appearance of my " Braves " — Won- 

 derful kindness of the people. 



After leaving the Kasai, we entered upon the extensive level 

 plains which we had formerly found in a flooded condition. The 

 water on them was not yet dried up, as it still remained in certain 

 hollow spots. Vultures were seen floating in the air, showing 

 that carrion was to be found ; and, indeed, we saw several of the 

 large game, but so exceedingly wild as to be unapproachable. 

 Numbers of caterpillars mounted the stalks of grass, and many 

 dragonfiies and butterflies appeared, though tins was winter. The 

 caprimulgus or goat-sucker, swifts, and different kinds of swallows, 

 with a fiery-red bee-eater in flocks, showed that the lowest tem- 

 perature here, does not destroy the insects on winch they feed. 

 Jet-black larks, with yellow shoulders, enliven the mornings with 

 their songs, but they do not continue so long on the wing as ours, 

 nor soar so high. We saw many of the pretty white ardea, and 



