Chap. XIV. 
MODE OF SPENDING THE DAY. 
243 
CHAPTEE XIV. 
Increasing beauty of the country — Mode of spending the day — The people 
and the falls of Gonye — A Makololo foray — A second prevented, and 
captives delivered up —< Politeness and liberality of the people — The 
rains — Present of oxen — The fugitive Barotse — Sekobinyane’s mis- 
government — Bee-eaters and other birds — Fresh-water sponges — Cur¬ 
rent — Death from a lion’s bite at Libonta — Continued kindness — 
Arrangements for spending the night during the journey Cooking and 
washing — Abundance of animal life — Different species of birds — Water- 
fowl — Egyptian geese — Alligators — Narrow escape of one of my men 
— Superstitious feelings respecting the alligator — Large game — Tlie 
most vulnerable spot — Gun medicine — A Sunday — Birds of song ■— 
Depravity; its treatment — Wild fruits — Green pigeons — Shoals of fish 
— Hippopotami. 
ZOtJi November, 1853.—At Gonye Falls. No rain lias fallen 
here, so it is excessively hot. The trees have put on their 
gayest dress, and many flowers adorn tlie landscape, yet the 
heat makes all the leaves droop at mid-day and look languid 
for want of rain. If the country increases as much in beauty in 
front, as it has done 'within the last four degrees of latitude, it 
'v\dll be indeed a lovely land. 
We all felt great lassitude in travelling. The atmosphere is 
oppressive both in cloud and sunshine. The evaporation from 
the river must be excessively great, and I feel as if the fluids 
of the system joined in the general motion of watery vapour 
upwards, as enormous quantities qf water must be drunk to 
supply its place. 
When under weigh our usual procedure is this :—We get up 
a little before five in the morning; it is then beginning to daAvn. 
While I am dressing, coffee is made; and, having filled my 
pannikin, the remainder is handed to my companions, who 
eagerly partake of tlie refreshing beverage. The servants are 
busy loading the canoes, while the principal men are sipping the 
coffee, and, that being soon over, we embark. The next two 
hours are the most pleasant part of the day’s sail. The men 
paddle away most vigorously; the Barotse, being a tribe of boat- 
E 2 
