84 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.R 



and assegais (spears) for killing fish; their canoes are fiat-bottomed, and scooped 

 out of single trees. The banks of the river are in many parts lined with trees 

 of gigantic growth. I observed twelve quite new to us at Kolobeng. The 

 banyan and palmyra were recognised as Indian trees by our friend Mr. 

 Oswell ; the baobab, the body of which gives one the idea of a mass of granite 

 from its enormous size, yields a fruit about the size of a quart-bottle ; the 

 pulp between the seeds tastes like cream of tartar, and it is used by the 

 natives to give a flavour to their porridge. Three others bear edible fruits, 

 one of which, called ' moporotla,' yields a fruit, an unripe specimen of which 

 measures 20^ inches in length and 1\ in circumference ; the seeds are roasted 

 and eaten, and the body of the tree is used for making canoes. Another, 

 called ' motsouri,' is a beautiful tree, and very much resembles the orange, 

 but we did not see the fruit. The natives pound the root of a kind of flag, 

 and obtain flour not greatly inferior to that from wheat in taste and 

 appearance ; this flag is called ' tsitla,' and grows abundantly on both lake 

 and river. The root of a water-lily is likewise used as a vegetable, but it is 

 not so agreeable as the tsitla. The people sow when the river has risen high 

 enough to moisten the soil of the flats in which their gardens are situated ; 

 they do not require to wait for rain, as the other tribes must do, for they 

 have good crops, though but little rain falls. Rain-makers are consequently 

 at a discount among the Bakhoba. Besides the usual native produce they 

 cultivate an excellent ground-nut. 



" The banks of the Zouga are studded with pitfalls, which the Bakhoba 

 dig for the purpose of killing game. Some of these are very neatly smeared 

 over with mud, and if a sharp look out is not kept, one finds himself at the 

 bottom with the sand running down on him, as the first intimation of the 

 presence of the trap ; they are from 8 to 10 feet in depth, and the wild 

 animals are so much afraid of them that they drink during the night, and 

 immediately depart to the desert. Elephants abound in large numbers, but 

 previous to our first visit the ivory was of no value ; the tusks were left in the 

 field with the other bones. I saw 13 which had been thus left, and which 

 were completely spoiled by the weather. In our first visit the Batavana would 

 have preferred to sell a tusk for a few beads to parting with a goat for twice 

 the amount ; they soon, however, acquired a knowledge of the value of ivory. 

 In one village the headman informed me that two of his wives had been 

 killed by elephants entering the village during the night and turning over the 

 huts, apparently by way of amusement. Besides elephants, rhinoceros, 

 buffaloes, &c, we observed a new species of antelope, called ' leche ; ' it is 

 rather larger than the pallah, the horns in shape are like those of the water- 

 buck, the colour of the skin is a beautiful brownish yellow, and its habits are 

 those of the waterbuck. Mr. Oswell has this year secured a new variety of 

 the koodoo. 



