232 INSTINCT OF TREES. Chap. XVllL 



nearly over at Kuruman, and far advanced at Linyanti, but 

 here we were in the middle of it ; fruits which we had eaten 

 ripe on the Zambesi were here quite green ; but we were 

 coming into the region where the inhabitants are favoured 

 with two rainy seasons and two crops, viz., when the sun is 

 going south, and when it returns to the north. 



On the 8th one of my men, having left an ounce or two of 

 powder at our sleeping-place, went back several miles for it. 

 I was compelled to wait for him, and, as my clothes were wet 

 at the time, I caught a violent fit of fever. This was a source 

 of much regret, for the next day was, for a wonder, fine, but I 

 was so prostrated by the fever that I could scarcely manage, 

 after some hours' trial, to get a lunar observation in which I 

 could repose confidence. Those who know the difficulties of 

 making observations, and commiting all of them to paper, will 

 sympathise with me in this and many similar instances. We 

 crossed a rivulet named the Chihune, which flows into the 

 Longe, and ultimately into the Kasai. Some villagers brought 

 us wax for sale, and, finding that we wished for honey, they 

 soon returned with a hive. All the bees in this country are 

 private property, for the natives place hives sufficient to house 

 them all. We therefore paid no attention to the call of the 

 honey-guide, for we were sure it would only lead us to a hive 

 which we had no right to touch. The bird continues its 

 habit of inviting attention to the honey, though its services in 

 this district are never actually needed. 



As we traversed a succession of open lawns and deep 

 forests, it was interesting to observe the manner in which 

 trees adapt themselves, almost as if by instinct, to different 

 circumstances. I noticed one, for instance, which on open 

 ground grows as an ordinary umbrageous tree, but, when it 

 gets into the forest, where it is overshadowed by loftier trees, 

 secures for itself a fair share of light and air, either by sending 

 out an arm, which climbs to the top of a neighbouring tree, or 

 by converting itself wholly into a climber. In the former 

 case it retains its original form and lias a double head, below 

 and above ; in the latter case it has but a single head. 



In passing through the narrow paths I had an opportunity 

 of observing the peculiarities of my ox " Sinbad," who was 

 blessed with a most intractable temper Being unable to dv 



