THE RISE AND FALL OF RIVERS. 99 



taining nothing but sand and stones. All of those we saw contained large 

 volumes of water. The period of our visit happened to be the end of an 

 extraordinary dry season, yet, on sounding the Ghobe, we found it to have a 

 regular depth of 15 feet on the side to which the water swung, and of 12 feet 

 on the calm side. The banks below the lowest water mark were more 

 inclined to the perpendicular than those of a canal. It was generally as deep 

 at a foot from the bank as in the middle of the stream. The roots of the 

 reeds and grass seem to prevent it wearing away the land, and in many parts 

 the bank is undermined and hangs over the deep water. Were its course not 

 so very winding, a steam vessel could sail on it. The higher lands in this 

 region are raised only by a few feet above the surrounding level. On these, 

 the people pasture their cattle, make their gardens, and build their towns. 

 The rivers overflow their banks annually. The great drought prevented the 

 usual rise of the water while we were in the country in July, and the people 

 ascribed the non-appearance of the water to the death of their chief. But 

 when the rivers do fill, the whole country is inundated, and must present 

 the appearance of a vast lake with numerous islands scattered over its surface. 

 The numerous branches given off by each of the rivers and the annual over- 

 flow of the country, explain the reports we had previously heard of 

 c Linokanoka ' (rivers upon rivers), and ' large waters ' with numerous islands 

 in them. The Chobe must rise at least 10 feet in perpendicular height before 

 it can reach the dykes built for catching fish, situated about a mile from its 

 banks, and the Sesheke must rise 15 or 20 feet before it overflows its banks. 

 Yet, Mr. Oswell and I saw unmistakeable evidence of that overflow, reaching 

 about 15 miles out. We were fortunate in visiting the country at the end of 

 a remarkably dry year, but even then the amount of zigzag necessary to avoid 

 the numerous branches of the rivers — the swamps and parts infested by the 

 tsetse — would have frittered away the only season in which further progress, 

 by means of waggons, would have been practicable. As the people traverse 

 the country in every direction in their canoes, and even visit their gardens 

 in them, a boat may be indispensable in the equipment of future travellers. 



" The soil seemed fruitful. It is generally covered with rank coarse 

 grass ; but many large and beautiful trees adorn the landscape. Most of 

 these were to us entirely new. We claimed acquaintance, however, with the 

 gigantic Baobab, which raises its enormous arms high above all the other 

 forest trees, and makes them by the contrast appear like bushes below it. 

 Large numbers of date trees and palmyras grow on the road to Sesheke. 

 The former were in blossom at the time of our visit, and we saw date seeds 

 under them. Of the new trees, some were very beautiful evergreens ; and in 

 addition to numbers of large parasitical plants, we observed two of the 

 orchidian family. One splendid fruit tree particularly attracted our notice, 

 but, unfortunately, all the seeds (about the size of peach stones) were broken 



