220 
THE NEW AFRICA 
eight miles before breakfast, through sand-belts, when the country 
seemed to rise suddenly in a wave, on the apex of which stood 
a large baobab tree, the first we had seen for many days. From 
this tree we caught a glimpse of the Okovanga river, flowing 
FIRST VIEW OF THE OKOVANGA 
rapidly through well-wooded banks in the valley below, about 
a mile off. 
The sight of running water—bubbling, flashing, and curling 
in the beautiful sunlight—gladdened our very souls, after the 
weary seventeen days’ tramp across the dreary sand-belts, and 
seemed to impart some of its wandering energy into our wearied 
natures, reviving our hopes and raising our spirits, as if by con¬ 
tagion we shared its joyousness. Some three miles up the 
river’s course, we distinguished, by the turmoil of water, that a 
cataract had its existence there; and straight below us, on both 
sides of a large island, a mile in length, occupying the middle of 
the river, protruding rocks stemmed the course of the water, 
which whirled and surged past these obstacles with inspiring 
speed. Our satisfaction was heightened by the belief that we 
were the first Whites who had ever gazed on this glorious stream, 
and by the prospect of exploring it to its source without being 
hampered by obnoxious swamps like those on the lacustrine 
Chobe, coupled with the fact that we had reached Debabe the 
king, who, bearing an excellent character from Westbeech’s 
