WATER-FOWI, — AWGATORS. 237 



except in defence of their young. They choose anthills 

 for their nests ; and, in the time of laying, the Barotse 

 consume vast quantities of their eggs. There are also 

 two varieties of geese, of somewhat smaller size, but better 

 eating. One of these, the Egyptian goose or Vulpanser, 

 cannot rise from the water, and during the floods of the 

 river great numbers are killed by being pursued in canoes. 

 The third is furnished with a peculiar knob on the beak. 

 These, with myriads of ducks of three varieties, abound 

 everywhere on the Leeambye. On one occasion the canoe 

 neared a bank on which a large flock was sitting. Two 

 shots furnished our whole party with a supper, for we 

 picked up seventeen ducks and a goose. No wonder the 

 Barotse always look back to this fruitful valley as the 

 Israelites did to the flesh-pots of Egypt. The poorest 

 persons are so well supplied with food from their gardens, 

 fruits from the forest trees, and fish from the river, 

 that their children, when taken into the service of the 

 Makololo, where they have only one large meal a-day, 

 become quite emaciated and pine for a return to their 

 parents. 



Part of our company marched along the banks with 

 the oxen, and part went in the canoes, but our pace was 

 regulated by the speed of the men on shore. Their course 

 was rather difficult, on account of the numbers of departing 

 and re-entering branches of the Leeambye, which they 

 had to avoid, or wait at till we ferried them over. The 

 number of alligators is prodigious, and in this river they 

 are more savage than in some others. Many children 

 are carried off annually at Sesheke and other towns ; for, 

 notwithstanding the danger, when they go down for 

 water they almost always must play awhile. This reptile 

 is said by the natives to strike the victim with its tail, 

 then drag him in and drown him. When lying in the 

 water watching for prey, the body never appears. Many 

 calves are lost also, and it is seldom that a number of 

 cows can swim over at Sesheke without some loss. I 

 never could avoid shuddering on seeing my men swimming 

 across these branches, after one of them had been caught 

 by the thigh and taken below. He, however, retained, as 

 nearly all of them in the most trying circumstances do, 

 his full presence of mind, and, having a small, square, 

 ragged- edged javelin with him, when dragged to the 

 bottom gave the alligator a stab behind the shoulder. 



