306 



FISH-BONE MEDICINE. 



Chap. XV. 



fairly commenced. The canoe-men were quite positive that 

 crocodiles frequently stun men by striking them with their 

 tails, and then squat on them till they are drowned. We 

 once caught a young crocodile, which certainly did use its tail 

 to inflict sharp blows, and led us to conclude that the native 

 opinion is correct. They believed also that, if a person shuts 

 the beast's eyes, it lets go its hold. Crocodiles have been 

 known to unite and kill a large one of their own species and 

 eat it.* Some fishermen throw the bones of the fish into 

 the river, but in most of the fishing villages there are heaps 

 of them in various places. The villagers can walk over them 

 without getting them into their feet; but the Makololo, from 

 having softer soles, are unable to do so. The explanation 

 offered was, that the t fishermen have a medicine against 

 fish-bones, but that they will not reveal it to the Makololo. 



We spent a night on Mparira island, which is four miles 

 long and about one mile broad. Mokompa, the headman, 

 was away hunting elephants. His wife sent for him on our 

 arrival, and he returned next morning before we left. Taking 

 advantage of the long-continued drought, he had set fire to 

 the reeds between the Chobe and Zambesi, in such a manner 

 as to drive the game out at one corner, where his men laid 

 in wait with their spears. He had killed five elephants and 

 three buffaloes, wounding several others which escaped. 



On our land party coming up, we were told that the oxen 

 were bitten by the tsetse : they could see a great difference 



* A greater variety of fishes are 

 on the same authority found above 

 than below the Falls. Of those above 

 they name : — Mpofu— M5 — Nijnje— 

 Ngwesi — Moshona — Nembwe — Seeo 

 Lobotu— Lobangwa — Motome — Ne- 

 mbele — Litore — Leshuala or Nclombe' 

 — Linyonga — Mpala — Jorungo — 



Likeya — Mosbiba — Bundo — Seto — 

 Minga — Lisinje. 



In addition to these, say twenty 

 fishes, tbey mention Mumbo, called 

 also by the Bashubia Mohumbwe, 

 which seems to be a kind of saw-fish, 

 and Likala, or nala, the Lepidosiren 

 in the Barotse Valley. 



