CHAP. VII. DESTRUCTIVENESS OF HIPPOPOTAMI. 185 



the island ; so that he did not visit the opposite sides of 

 the cleft, nor see the wonderful course of the river beyond 

 the Falls. The hippopotami had destroyed the trees 

 which were then planted ; and, though a strong stockaded 

 hedge was made again, and living orange-trees, cashew- 

 nuts, and coffee seeds put in afresh, we fear that the per- 

 severance of the hippopotami will overcome the obstacle of 

 the hedge. It would require a resident missionary to rear 

 European fruit-trees. The period at which the peach and 

 apricot come into blossom is about the end of the dry 

 season, and artificial irrigation is necessary. The Batoka, 

 the only arboriculturists in the country, rear native fruit- 

 trees alone — the mosibe, the motsikiri, the boma, and 

 others. When a tribe takes an interest in trees, it be- 

 comes more attached to the spot on which they are planted, 

 and they prove one of the civilizing influences. 



Where one Englishman goes, others are sure to follow. 

 Mr. Baldwin, a gentleman from Natal, succeeded in reach- 

 ing the Falls guided by his pocket-compass alone. On 

 meeting the second subject of Her Majesty, who had ever 

 beheld the greatest of African wonders, we found him a 

 sort of prisoner at large. He had called on Mashotlane to 

 ferry him over to the north side of the river, and, when 

 nearly over, he took a bath, by jumping in and swimming 

 ashore. " If," said Mashotlane, " he had been devoured 

 by one of the crocodiles which abound there, the English 

 would have blamed us for his death. He nearly inflicted 

 a great injury upon us, therefore, we said, he must pay a 

 fine." As Mr. Baldwin had nothing with him wherewith 

 to pay, they were taking care of him till he should receive 

 beads from his wagon, two days distant. 



Mashotlane's education had been received in the camp 

 of Sebituane, where but little regard was paid to human 

 life. He was not yet in his prime, and his fine open 

 countenance presented to us no indication of the evil 



