i882.] 
Among the Barotse. 
63 
INCIDENTS IN ASCENDING THE ZAMBESI. 
With fair prospects of a quick journey up the Zambesi, and 
a friendly reception from the chief Liwanika, I started from 
Shesheke. During the first few days the journey was very 
pleasant. Though still very weak, I enjoyed the varied scenes 
that pass before one on an African river. 
On one occasion, towards evening, going round a sharp bend 
in the river close to the bank, we came upon two lions that were 
sporting on a beautiful sandy beach. The male at once shook 
his shaggy head, lay down with his paws out as a cat does when 
watching a mouse, and kept his eye upon us. So close was my 
boat to the beast that I could distinctly see him closing one eye 
and opening the other alternately as he lay surveying us. The 
lioness walked up and down in a restless manner in front of 
a clump of reeds. The men assured me that she had cubs 
hidden there. At another point the boat was passing along 
the side of a steep bank, covered with a network of roots, in 
the midst of which the paddler in front of me spied a puff-adder 
coiled up. He immediately lifted his spear from between his 
toes and threw it at the snake, which instantly uncoiled itself and 
struck at its assailant, grazing my hat with its fangs. The spear, 
however, had done its work, pinning the lower part of its body to 
the ground, and in a short time my men killed it. 
Shortly after leaving Shesheke I found the country entirely 
deserted of people. Occasionally we came upon a few fishermen 
throwing their nets, or some wandering Basubia digging for lotus 
roots among the lagoons and backwaters \ but when they saw us 
they rushed off and hid themselves in the bush. My men, 
however, assured me that there were many villages on the hills on 
each side of the river; but the poor people seem to dread this 
great waterway, which no doubt has been used by conquering 
tribes as a highway for their evil pursuits. 
Our difficulties began when we entered the cataract region. 
Although the river was low at this time, the current was so strong 
at many of the rapids that the boats had to be unloaded and the 
goods carried overland, that the boats might be dragged up the 
river empty. At Nyambe there is a decided fall in the river, and 
we had to take both boats and goods overland. 
