Chap. XII. LIONS— ARABS. 153 



the Loeti joins the Leeambye the different-coloured waters 

 flow side by side for some distance unmixed. 



Before reaching the Loeti we came to a number of people 

 from the Lobale region, who were hunting hippopotami. 

 The}" fled precipitately, leaving their canoes and all their 

 utensils and clothing, as soon as they saw the Makololo. My 

 own Makalaka, who were accustomed to plunder wherever 

 they went, rushed after them like furies, regardless of my 

 shouting. As this proceeding would have destroyed my 

 character at Lobale, I forced them to lay down all the plunder 

 on a sandbank, and leave it for its owners. 



The numbers of large game above Libonta are prodigious, 

 and they proved remarkably tame. Eighty-one buffaloes 

 defiled in slow procession within gunshot before our fire one 

 evening ; and herds of splendid elands stood by day without 

 fear at two hundred yards' distance. They were all of the 

 striped variety, and with their forearm markings, large dew- 

 laps, and sleek skins, were a beautiful sight. The lions here 

 give tongue much more than in the south. One of these 

 animals stood for hours on the opposite side of the river 

 roaring as loudly as he could, and putting his mouth near the 

 ground, as he usually does on such occasions, to make the 

 sound reverberate. Wherever the game abounds lions exist 

 in proportionate numbers. They were frequently seen in 

 this district, and two of the largest seemed about as tall as 

 common donkeys. 



We came down a branch of the Leeambye called Marile, 

 which departs from the main river in lat. 15° 15' 43" S. It is 

 a fine deep stream about sixty yards wide, and makes the 

 whole of the district around Naliele an island. A party of Arabs 

 from Zanzibar were in the country at this time, and when we 

 were sleeping at a village in the same latitude as Kaliele two 

 of them made their appearance. They were quite as dark as 

 tl\o Makololo, but, having their heads shaved, I could not 

 compare their hair with that of the natives. I asked them to 

 help us to eat our ox. As they had scruples about partaking 

 of it because it had not been killed in their own way, I gained 

 their good will by saying I was quite of their opinion as to 

 the propriety of draining out the blood, and gave them two 



