WILD CATTLE. 



181 



eating toddy is drawn from the cut frond, than else- 

 where. The country abounded in game, but we were 

 both too weak to work — my companion, indeed, was com- 

 pelled to lag behind — and the Baloch, to whom the guns 

 were lent, returned empty-handed. Sign of the Mbogo 

 (Bos Caffer) here appeared ; it is general in East Africa, 

 especially upon the river plains where water abounds. 

 These wild cattle are fine animals, somewhat larger than 

 the common-sized English bullock, with uniform dun 

 skins, never parti-coloured like the tame herds, and with 

 thick black-brown horns, from twelve to thirteen inches 

 broad at the base, diverging outwards, and incurved at 

 the points, which in large specimens are distant about 

 three feet from each other ; they are separated by a 

 narrow channel, and this in age becomes a solid mass of 

 bone. The Mbogo is as dull of comprehension as it is 

 fierce and powerful ; affecting particular spots, it will 

 often afford several chances of a successful shot to the 

 Fundi — Shikari, or Chasseur — of a caravan : the Africans 

 kill it with arrows. The flesh, though considered heat- 

 ing and bilious, is eaten, and the hide is preferred for 

 thongs and reins to that of the tame animal. 



The approach to the kraal was denoted by a dead 

 level of dry, caked, and cracked mud, showing the sub- 

 sidence of an extensive inundation. We passed a large 

 camping-ground, affected by down-caravans, on the near 

 side of the Makata, a long river-like " tank," whose lay 

 is E. by N. The oozy banks of this water, which is 

 said to flow after rains into the Mukondokwa Eiver, are 

 fringed with liliaceous and other large aquatic plants ; 

 the water, though dark, is potable. After fording the 

 tank, which was then breast-deep, we found on the fur- 

 ther side the kraal used by porters of up-caravans, who 

 sensibly avoid commencing the day with hard labour, and 



ii 3 



