SHOOTING A HIPPOPOTAMUS. 53 1 



your Molekane (Sebituane) been alive, he would have 

 brought you to live with him. You would be on the bank 

 of the river, and by taking canoes you would at once sail 

 down to the Zambesi and visit the white people at the 

 sea." 



This part is a favourite one with the Makololo, and 

 probably it would be a good one in which to form a centre 

 of civilization. There is a large flat district of country to 

 the north, said to be peopled by the Bashukulompo and 

 other tribes, who cultivate the ground to a great extent, 

 and raise vast quantities of grain, ground-nuts, sweet 

 potatoes, &c. They also grow sugar-cane. If they were 

 certain of a market, I believe they would not be unwilling 

 to cultivate cotton too, but they have not been accus- 

 tomed to the peaceful pursuits of commerce. All are 

 fond of trade, but they have been taught none, save that 

 in ivory and slaves. 



The Kafue enters a narrow gorge close by the village of 

 Semalembue ; as the hill on the north is called Bolengwe, 

 I apply that name to the gorge (lat. 15 48' 19" S., long. 

 28 22' K.). Semalembue said, that he ought to see us 

 over the river, so he accompanied us to a pass about a 

 mile south of his village, and when we entered among the 

 hills, we found the ford of the Kafue. On parting with 

 Semalembue I put on him a shirt, and he went away with 

 it apparently much delighted. 



The ford was at least 250 yards broad, but rocky and 

 shallow. After crossing it in a canoe we went along the 

 left bank, and were completely shut in by high hills. 

 Kvery available spot between the river and the hills is 

 under cultivation ; and the residence of the people here 

 is intended to secure safety for themselves and their 

 gardens from their enemies ; there is plenty of garden 

 ground outside the hills ; here they are obliged to make 

 pitfalls, to protect the grain against the hippopotami. As 

 these animals had not been disturbed by guns, they were 

 remarkably tame, and took no notice of our passing. We 

 again saw numbers of young ones, not much larger than 

 terrier dogs, sitting on the necks of their dams, the little 

 saucy-looking heads cocking up between the old one's 

 ears ; as they become a little older, they sit on the withers. 

 Needing meat, we shot a full-grown cow, and found, as 

 we had often done before, the flesh to be very much like 

 pork. The height of this animal was 4 feet 10 inches, 



