6o Seven Years in Ceittral Africa, [Oct. 
at a time, and it took me nearly two days to get over about twelve 
miles. On reaching the river I bargained with the old ferryman 
to take my men and bundles across, leaving them to walk up to 
Mbova, and come back and take me up the river to that town 
in his boat. The man landed me on the north bank that he 
might go to his hut to refresh himself with a smoke of tobacco. 
I lay on the bank of the river for some hours, and as he never 
returned, and was not likely to do so, I determined to start off 
on foot after my men and blankets. 
BENIGHTED AND HELPLESS. 
In my weak state, and being quite alone, I wandered repeatedly 
from the path. At last night came on. The path lay over a 
sharp hill covered with large boulders, in the midst of which I 
completely lost my way, wandered about from right to left, then 
lay down between two boulders, where I found myself fairly 
comfortable, as the stones were still radiating heat. I had not 
lain long when I heard a footstep in the distance. On looking 
up, and watching in the direction from which the sound came, 
I saw the figure of a man, with a gun over his shoulder, walking 
along slowly in the direction I had come from. I called, and 
he at once replied and came over to me, when I found that he 
was one of the Bushmen I had hired at Leshuma, and that he 
was out in search of me. With his help I was able to reach 
Mbova shortly before midnight. The natives there provided 
me with a hut to sleep in, and brought food ; but it was fully ten 
days ere I recovered the use of my limbs, in any measure, I may 
say. 
NATIVE HUTS. 
Their native huts are cool and comfortable. They consist of 
a large capacious roof of reeds and grass placed over two circular 
walls of wattle and mud, thus making an inner and outer com- 
partment. These houses usually stand in the centre of a spacious 
yard fenced round with reeds, and they are kept fresh and clean 
by being smeared over occasionally with a mixture of cow-dung 
and sand. This is the sort of house I hope to live in when 
staying with the chief The yard affords a secluded and comfort- 
able place for sitting and conversing with the people during the 
day. 
