316 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
right down to the river bank, a foretoken of the chain 
of hills that accompanied the stream from the Barotse 
valley. East of Sesheke, half way between the Ma- 
kumba rapids and the mouth of the Kashteja, where the 
country began to rise, I had noticed a cessation of the 
palms and papyrus, and west of Sekhose, where the 
stream has a considerable fall, was the commencement 
of the southern Barotse rapids and the cataracts of the 
central Zambesi. They are caused by ridges of rocks 
running either straight or transversely across the river, 
connecting links, as it were, between the hills on either 
side. The peaks of these reefs made countless little 
islands ; and the further we went the more interesting 
I found their variety, some being brown and bare, 
whilst others were overgrown with reeds, or occasionally 
with trees of no inconsiderable height. Within fourteen 
miles I counted, besides a cataract, as many as forty- 
four rapids. In some cases the river-bed beneath them 
presented a continuous, sloping surface of rock, while in 
others it fell abruptly in a series of steps; rapids again 
were formed by great boulders that projected above the 
water, and I noticed one instance where the rocks made 
almost a barrier across the river, whilst only here and 
there were the gaps through which the current forced 
its way. 
Were it not that the rapids are avoided by crocodiles, 
they would be impassable for canoes ; but the absence 
of crocodiles makes it possible for the natives to dis¬ 
embark, and push or drag their craft across the obstacle. 
In places that are especially dangerous, it is found 
necessary to stow the baggage on the top of the boul¬ 
ders, and to take the boat over the rapid empty. 
The first rapids at which we arrived were called by 
the natives Katima Molelo. Our oars sufficed to carry 
us over the first stretch of them, but afterwards the 
boatmen were obliged to get out and pull every canoe 
after them, taking care to lose no time in jumping in 
again, well aware that the deep water just beyond was 
almost sure to be a lurking-place for crocodiles. 
On the 5th we crossed the rapids known as Mutshila 
