INUNDATED COUNTRY. 117 



agreeably surprised by the presence of vines growing luxuriantly, and yield- 

 ing clusters of dark purple grapes. The seeds, as large as split peas and very 

 astringent, leave but little room for pulp, though the grape itself is of good 

 size. The Bakwain lad now became ill ; but, by the aid of two Bushmen, we 

 continued to make some progress. I was both driver and road-maker, having 

 either the axe or whip in hand all day long till we came to lat. 18° 4. Here 

 we discovered that the country adjacent to the Chobe was flooded : valleys 

 looked like rivers, and after crossing several we came to one, the Sanshureh, 

 which presented a complete barrier to further travelling with waggons. It 

 was deep, half a mile broad, and contained hippopotami. After searching in 

 vain for a ford, our two Bushmen decamped. Being very anxious to reach 

 the Makololo, I took one of the strongest of our invalids, crossed the Sanshureh 

 in a small pontoon, kindly presented by Messrs. Webb and Codrington, and 

 went N.N.W. across the flooded country in search of the Chobe. After 

 splashing through about 20 miles of an inundated plain, we came to a mass 

 of reed, which towards the N.E. seemed interminable. We then turned for a 

 short distance in the direction of our former waggon-stand, and from a high tree 

 were gratified by a sight of the Chobe ; but such a mass of vegetation grew 

 between the bank and the flowing river, that our utmost efforts failed in pro- 

 curing a passage into it. The water among the reeds either became too deep, 

 or we were unable to bend down the barrier of papyrus and reed bound 

 together by a kind of convolvulus. You will understand the nature of our 

 struggles, when I mention that a horrid sort of grass, about 6 feet high, and 

 having serrated edges which cut the hands most cruelly, wore my strong 

 moleskin ' unmentionables ' quite through at the knees, and my shoes (nearly 

 new) at the toes. My handkerchief protected the former ; but in subsequent 

 travelling through the dense grass of the plains the feet fared badly. Though 

 constantly wet up to the middle during the day, we slept soundly by night 

 during the three days we spent among this mass of reeds, and only effected a 

 passage into the open water of the Chobe river on the fourth day. After 

 paddling along the river in the pontoon about 20 miles, we discovered a 

 village of Makololo. We were unexpected visitors, and the more so since 

 they believed that no one could cross the Chobe from the South bank without 

 their knowledge. 



" In their figurative language they said, ' I had fallen on them as if from 

 a cloud, yet came riding on a hippopotamus ' (pontoon). A vague report of 

 our approach had previously reached the chief, and two parties were out in 

 search of us ; but they had gone along the old paths. In returning to the 

 waggons, which we did in canoes and in a straight line, we found the distance 

 not more than 10 miles. Our difficulties were now ended, for a great number 

 of canoes and about 140 people were soon dispatched from the town. They 

 transported our goods and waggons across the country and river, and when 



