DANGER UNSEEN. 503 



more of his meal this morning, and went without himself: I 

 took my belt up three holes to relieve hunger. We got some 

 wretched wild fruit like that called ' jambos ' in India, and at 

 midday reached the village of Chafunga. Famine here too, but 

 some men had killed an elephant and came to sell the dried 

 meat : it was high, and so were their prices ; but we are obliged 

 to give our best to escape from this craving hunger." 



Sitting down one morning near a tree Dr. Livingstone's 

 head was just one yard off a good-sized cobra, coiled up in the 

 sprouts at its root, but it was benumbed with cold : a very pretty 

 little puff-adder lay in the path, also benumbed ; it is seldom 

 that any harm is done by these reptiles in Africa, although it is 

 different in India. They bought up all the food to be had, 

 but it did not suffice for the marches they expected to make be- 

 fore getting to the Zambesi, where food was said to be abun- 

 dant, and they were therefore again obliged to travel on Sunday. 

 " But although," says the doctor, " we had prayers before start- 

 ing, I always feel that I am not doing right: it lessens the 

 sense of obligation in the minds of my companions ; but I have 

 no choice." They went along a rivulet till it ended in a small 

 lake, Mapampa or Chimbwe, about five miles long, and one and 

 a half broad, of which we find this note : 



" We had to cross the Chimbwe at its eastern end, where it 

 is fully a mile wide. The guide refused to show another and 

 narrower ford up the stream, which emptied into it from the 

 east ; and I, being the first to cross, neglected to give orders 

 about the poor little dog, Chitane. The water was waist deep, 

 the bottom soft peaty stuff with deep holes in it, and the 

 northern side infested by leeches. The boys were, like myself, 

 all too much engaged with preserving their balance to think 

 of the spirited little beast, and he must have swam till he sunk. 

 He was so useful in keeping all the country curs off our huts ; 

 none dare to approach and steal, and he never stole himself. 

 He shared the staring of the people with his master ; then in 

 the march he took charge of the whole party, running to the 

 front, and again to the rear, to see that all was right. He was 

 becoming yellowish-red in color ; and, poor thing, perished in 

 what the boys all call Chitane's water." 



During the delays caused by the severe rains the doctor 



