Chap. XHl. 
ARRANGEMENTS FOR JOGRNEY. 
227 
CHAPTEE XIIL 
Preliminary arrangements for the journey — A picho — Twenty-seven men 
appointed to accompany me to the west — Eagerness of the Makololo for 
direct trade with the coast — Elfects of fever — A Makololo question — 
The lost journal — Reflections — The outfit for the journey—■ 11th Nov. 
1853, leave Linyanti, and embark on the Chobe —- Dangerous hippopo¬ 
tami — Banks of Chobe — Trees — The course of the river —■ The island 
Mparia at the confluence of the Chobe and the Leeambye —Anecdote — 
Ascend the Leeambye — A Makalaka mother defies the authority of the 
Makololo headman at Sesheke — Punishment of thieves — Observance of 
the new moon —- Public addresses at Sesheke — Attention of the people 
— Results — Proceed up the river — The fruit which yields mix vomica — 
Other fruits—The rapids — Birds — Fish— Hippopotami and their young. 
Linyanti, September, 1853.—The object proposed to the Mako¬ 
lolo seemed so desirable, that it was resolved to proceed with 
it, as soon as the cooling influence of the rains should be felt 
in November. The longitude and latitude of Linyanti (lat. 
18° 17' 20" S., long. 23° 50' 9" E.) showed that St. Philip de 
Benguela was much nearer to us than Loanda; and I might 
have easily made arrangements with the Mambari to allow me 
to accomj)any them as far as Bihe, which is on the road to that 
port; but it is so undesirable to travel in a path once trodden by 
slave-traders, that I preferred to find out another line of march. 
Accordingly, men were sent at my suggestion to examine all 
the country to the west, to see if any belt of country, free from 
tsetse, could be found to afford us an outlet. The search was 
fruitless. The town and district of Linyanti are surrounded by 
forests infested by this poisonous insect, except at a fev/ points, as 
that by which we entered at Sanshureh and another at Sesheke. 
But the lands both east and west of the Barotse valley are free 
from this insect plague. There, however, the slave-trade had 
defiled the path, and no one ought to follow in its wake unless 
well armed. The Mambari had informed me that many English 
lived at Loanda, so I prepared to go thither. The prospect of 
meeting with countrymen seemed to overbalance the toils of the 
longer march. 
Q 2 
