ALONG THE ZOUGA. 



73 



the sea. The water is cold and soft, and fresh when full ; when 

 very low, it is a little brackish. 



But after so much toil, the main object of Dr. Livingstone 

 was not to be realized at this time. As we said before, while 

 he was in fact an explorer, he had a loftier aim. He was a 

 missionary. He desired to see Sebituane, but Lechulatebe was 

 unwilling that he should go there, and refused guides, and sent 

 an order to the Bayieye to refuse passage across the river. 

 Lechulatebe was afraid of Sebituane, who had killed his father 

 and conquered his territory long before; from whom, indeed, 

 he had himself been ransomed. The season was far advanced ; 

 they could not go on. The party turned back and passed 

 leisurely down the Zouga, Mr. Oswell having volunteered to 

 bring up a boat from the Cape. On one side, the banks of the 

 Zouga arise perpendicularly ; on the other, they slope away 

 gracefully, clothed with grass. Along these grassy slopes the 

 Bayieye have constructed pitfalls, in which to entrap the wild ani- 

 mals, when they come down to the water's edge to drink. These 

 traps are so carefully concealed that every now and then some of 

 the party would fall into one, though using all vigilance to avoid 

 them. But not unfrequently the sagacity of the lordly elephant 

 is superior to this strategy. The old ones have been known to 

 precede the rest, and carefully uncover every pit before allowing 

 them to go down to drink. These animals were found in great 

 numbers along the southern bank of the river. A beautiful 

 antelope, feeding in vast herds, attracted much attention. Its 

 noble appearance, with head uplifted, gazing curiously upon the 

 party; its full white breast; its long, curving antlers; the 

 splendid agility displayed as it went bounding away over the 

 undergrowth, were indeed charming. Magnificent trees adorn 

 the banks ; their shadows are on the glassy surface. Some of 

 these trees measure twenty feet in diameter. They are crowned 

 with splendid flowers of various hues. Their wonderful ever- 

 green foliage, drooping gracefully, presents most charming 

 retreats. They are grand, natural arbors. 



When the eye falls from these majestic views, and wearies of 

 the feeding herds and rests upon the water, there may be a fish 

 just leaping into the sun, or a singularly beautiful and harmless 

 snake gliding along the shining surface. The Bayieye are fish- 



