.44 
Seven Years in Central Africa. 
[Aug. 
a deep growl with a rush, and poor Judy squeaked her last. I 
had scarcely time to look up ere a tiger had cleared the fires and 
was off. The brute must have been very hungry to have ventured 
so near for a supper. These tigers, properly leopards, are very 
plentiful and destructive, and, in fact, though not so powerful, are 
more dangerous than lions. 
We had a good day's journey along the Chobe to-day; on the 
whole the ground was good for walking, but we had to wade 
through one lagoon. We just get glimpses of this great river, 
the reeds are so tall and thick. It is, however, a refreshing sight 
to see such an immense body of water rolling along. The men 
are fond of their river, and have been singing away at their old 
canoe-songs, which are very musical and plaintive. 
wth. — The river is now running in one broad, deep channel 
close to the path. It is quite a treat to walk along the thickly- 
wooded bank, clad with all sorts of tropical creepers and flowers. 
The trees are full of monkeys, baboons, and beautiful birds. 
Every now and then a troop of antelopes scamper past, and on 
the river are all kinds of rare and splendid waterfowl. To-day 
I saw an immense hippopotamus rolling about in the water. 
Every thing is the perfection of beauty and symmetry, and the 
fearful, suspicious way in which my men creep along declares that 
" only man is vile." They are in mortal dread of their lives. 
We sighted a town on the other side of the river, and this 
disturbed them greatly. At first they refused to sleep at the 
place I had chosen for the night, and wanted to hide in the 
forest. They declared that the Barotse would cross during the 
night and kill them all. Talk as I will I cannot lessen their 
fears. They refuse to go along the river any further, and say that 
unless I turn from the river and make for Leshuma across the 
sand-belt they will forthwith desert. I refused at first, but when 
I saw that they really meant it I gave in. 
\2th. — After a restless night on the part of the men we started 
early this morning along the river for one short march. It was 
most impressive, yet I must say I could not help laughing to see 
how the men stole along through the high grass, glancing every 
now and then across the river, fearing that they might be seen by 
their dreaded enemies. At last we turned from the river inland, 
or, speaking more correctly, west by one point north. The sand 
