248 VEGETATION — YOUNG AIXIGATORS. 



then rapid and terrific. More accidents happen by the 

 buffalo, and the black rhinoceros, than by the Hon. 

 Though all are aware of the mischievous nature of the 

 buffalo when wounded, our young men went after him 

 quite carelessly. They never lose their presence of mind, 

 but, as a buffalo charges back in a forest, dart dexterously 

 out of his way behind a tree, and, wheeling round it, stab 

 him as he passes. 



A tree in flower brought the pleasant fragrance of 

 hawthorn-hedges back to memory ; its leaves, flowers, 

 perfume, and fruit, resembled those of the hawthorn, only 

 the flowers were as large as dog-roses, and the " haws " 

 like boys' marbles. Here the flowers smell sweetly, while 

 few in the south emit any scent at all, or only a nauseous 

 odour. A botanist would find a rich harvest on the banks 

 of the Leeba. This would be his best season, for the 

 flowers all run rapidly to seed, and then insects of every 

 shape spring into existence to devour them. The climbing 

 plants display great vigour of growth, being not only thick 

 m the trunk, but also at the very point, in the manner of 

 quickly-growing asparagus. The maroro or malolo now 

 appears, and is abundant in many parts between this 

 and Angola. It is a small bush with a yellow fruit, and 

 in its appearance a dwarf " a?iona." The taste is sweet, 

 and the fruit is wholesome : it is full of seeds, like the 

 custard- apple. 



On the 28th we slept at a spot on the right bank, from 

 which had just emerged two broods of alligators. We 

 had seen many young ones as we came up, so this seems 

 to be their time of coming forth from the nests, for we 

 saw them sunning themselves on sandbanks in company 

 with the old ones. We made our fire in one of the deserted 

 nests, which were strewed all over with the broken shells. 

 At the Zouga we saw sixty eggs taken out of one such 

 nest alone. They are about the size of those of a goose, 

 only the eggs of the alligator are of the same diameter 

 at both ends, and the white shell is partially elastic, from 

 having a strong internal membrane and but little lime 

 in its composition. The distance from the water was 

 about ten feet, and there were evidences of the same 

 place having been used for a similar purpose in former 

 years. A broad path led up from the water to the nest, 

 and the dam, it was said by my companions, after de- 

 positing the eggs, covers them up, and returns afterwards 



