PLAINS FIX)ODED BY RAIN. 287 



his wife dining our journey. He also carved many- 

 wooden spoons and a bowl ; then commenced a basket ; 

 but as what he considered good living was anything but 

 agreeable to us, who had been accustomed to milk and 

 maize, we went forward on the 2nd without him. He soon 

 followed, but left our pontoon, saying it would be brought 

 by the head man of the village. This was a great loss, as 

 we afterwards found ; it remained at this village more than 

 a year, and when we returned, a mouse had eaten a 

 hole in it. 



We entered on an extensive plain beyond the Leeba, 

 at least twenty miles broad, and covered with water, 

 ankle deep in the shallowest parts. We deviated some- 

 what from our N.W. course by the direction of Intemese, 

 and kept the hills Piri nearly on our right during a great 

 part of the first day, in order to avoid the still more 

 deeply flooded plains of Lobale (Luval ?) on the west. 

 These, according to Intemese, are at present impassable 

 on account of being thigh-deep. The plains are so perfectly 

 level that rain-water, which this was, stands upon them 

 for months together. They were not flooded by the L,eeba, 

 for that was still far within its banks. Here and there, 

 dotted over the surface, are little islands, on which grow 

 stunted date-bushes and scraggy trees. The plains them- 

 selves are covered with a thick sward of grass, which 

 conceals the water, and makes the flats appear like great 

 pale yellow-coloured prairie-lands, with a clear horizon, 

 except where interrupted here and there by trees. The 

 clear rain-water must have stood some time among the 

 grass, for great numbers of lotus-flowers were seen in full 

 blow ; and the runs of water tortoises and crabs were 

 observed ; other animals also, which prey on the fish 

 that find their way to the plains. 



The continual splashing of the oxen keeps the feet of 

 the rider constantly wet, and my men complain of the 

 perpetual moisture of the paths by which we have travelled 

 in tonda, as softening their horny soles. The only infor- 

 mation we can glean is from Intemese, who points out 

 the different localities as we pass along, and among the 

 rest " Mokala a Mania," his " mama's home." It was 

 interesting to hear this tall grey-headed man recall the 

 memories of boyhood. All the Makalaka children cleave 

 to the mother in cases of separation, or removal from one 

 part of the country to another. This love for mothers 



