START FOR SKBITUANE'S COUNTRY, 65 



now called, the Sansevieve Angolensis, a flag-looking plants 

 having a very strong fibre, that abounds from Kolobeng 

 to Angola ; and the floats themselves are pieces of a water- 

 plant containing valves at each joint, which retain the air 

 in cells about an inch long. The mode of knotting the nets 

 is identical with our own. 



They also spear the fish with javelins having a light 

 handle, which readily floats on the surface. They show 

 great dexterity in harpooning the hippopotamus;, and,, 

 the barbed blade of the spear being attached to a rope 

 made of the young leaves of the palmyra, the animal cannot 

 rid himself of the canoe, attached to him in whale fashion,, 

 except by smashing it, which he not unfrequently does by 

 his teeth or by a stroke of his hind foot. 



On returning to the Bakurutse, we found that their 

 canoes for fishing were simply large bundles of reeds tied 

 together. Such a canoe would be a ready extemporaneous 

 pontoon for crossing any river that had reedy banks. 



CHAPTER IV. 



Having returned to Kolobeng, I remained there till Aprils 

 1850, and then left in company with Mrs. Livingstone^ 

 our three children, and the chief Sechele, — who had now 

 bought a wrggon of his own, — in order to go across the 

 Zouga at its lower end, with the intention of proceeding up 

 the northern bank till we gained the Tamunak'le, and of 

 then ascending that river to visit Sebituane in the north, 

 Sekomi had given orders to fill up the wells which we had 

 dug with so much labour at Serotli, so we took the more 

 eastern route through the Bamangwato town and by 

 Letloche. That chief asked why I had avoided him in our 

 former journeys ? I replied that my reason was that I 

 knew he did not wish me to go to the lake, and I did not 

 want to quarrel with him. " Well/' he said, " you beat 

 me then, and I am content." 



Parting with Sechele at the ford, as he was eager to visit 

 Lechulatebe, we went along the northern woody bank of 

 the Zouga with great labour, having to cut down very many 



