Chap. XVI. WATERBUCK SHOT. 333 



seized and dragged it into the water, which was not very deep. 

 The mortally-wounded animal made a desperate plunge, and, 

 hauling the crocodile several yards, tore itself out of the 

 hideous jaws. To escape the hunter, the waterbuck jumped 

 into the river, and was swimming across, when another croco- 

 dile gave chase, but a ball soon sent it to the bottom. The 

 waterbuck swam a little longer, the fine head dropped, the 

 body turned over, and one of the canoes dragged it ashore. 

 Below Kakolole, and still at the base of Manyerere mountain, 

 several coal-seams, not noticed on our ascent, were now seen 

 to crop out on the right bank of the Zambesi. 



Chitora, of Chicova, treated us with his former hospitality. 

 Our men were all much pleased with his kindness, and certainly 

 did not look upon it as a proof of weakness. They meant to 

 return his friendliness when they came this way on a maraud- 

 ing expedition to eat the sheep of the Banyai, for insulting 

 them in the affair of the hippopotamus ; they would then send 

 word to Chitora not to run away for they, being his friends, 

 would do such a good-hearted man no harm. 



In our voyage down we had gleaned the following informa- 

 tion respecting the river itself. From the point where we 

 embarked at Sinamane's to Kansalo, the river is more na- 

 vigable than between Tette and Senna, though much of it is 

 only from 250 to 300 yards broad, or like the .Thames at 

 London-bridge. It is deep, and flows gently. A little below 

 Kansalo, at Kariba, a basaltic dyke, called Nakabele, with a 

 wide opening in it, dangerous only for canoes, stretches like 

 an artificial dam across the stream. The deep and narrow 

 river then flows on for several miles through a range of lofty 

 mountains. Still further down, and from the Kafue eastward, 

 it is at least half a mile wide ; the current is gentle, and there 

 are many sandy islands. Then there is the rapid at Karivua, 

 mentioned above, about 100 yards in length, with a current of 



