GRAPlifc 
395 
sun being excessively hot by day, I was glad of tho excuse 
for resting. Wo could make no such prodigious stiidos as 
officers in the Arctic regions aro able to do. Ten or twelve 
miles a day woro a good march for both tho mm and my- 
self; and it was not tho length of the marches, but con- 
tinuing day aftor day to perform tho same distance, that 
was so fatiguing. It was in this case much longer than ap- 
pears on tho map, bocuuso wo kept out of the way of vil- 
lages. I drank loss than tho natives when riding; but all my 
clothing was now constantly damp from tho moisture which 
was imbibod in largo quantities at every pond. Ono doos 
not stay on those occasions to proparo water with alum 
or any thing else, but drinks any amount without foar. I 
never folt tho atmosphere so steamy as on tho low-lying 
lands of tho Zambesi; and yet it was ’becoming cooler than 
it was on the highlands. 
Wo crossed tho rivulets Kapopo and Ue,now running but 
usually dry. There aro groat numbors of wild grape-vines 
growing in this quarter: indood, they abound everywhere 
along tho banks of tho Zambesi. In the Batoka country 
thoro is a variety which yields a black grapo of considerable 
sweetness. The loaves arc very largo and harsh, as if capa- 
blo of withstanding tho rays of this hot sun; but tho most 
common kinds — one with a round leaf and a greenish 
grape, and another with a loaf closely resembling that of 
tho cultivated varieties and with dark or purplo fruit — 
havo largo seeds, which arc strongly astringent and rendor 
it a disagreeable fruit. The natives eat all the varieties; and 
I tasted vinegar mado by a Portugueso from theso grapes. 
Probably a country which yields tho wild vines so very 
abundantly might bo a fit ono for tho cultivated species. 
At this part of tho journey so many of tho vines had run 
across tho little footpath wo followed that ono had to 
bo constantly on tho watch to avoid being tripped. The 
ground was covered with rounded shingle, which was not 
easily seen among tho grass. Pcdcstrianism may be ail 
very well for thoso whoso obesity requires much exorciso; 
