CHAPTER XXII 
Lose our last goats in the enormous swamps on the route—Native with ostrich 
feathers—Scene of battle between Matabele and Moremi’s people—Invasion 
of the Matabele—Da Tapo the Brave repulses Matabele—Matabele attack the 
Batowaana—Their strongholds—The island in the reeds—Chief Tschukoorroo 
beats slave for theft—Long walk across a sand-belt—Large herds of cattle 
and much milk—Malarial germs supposed to be in milk—Our surprise 
at finding well-dressed natives—Reach the lake—Palaver with suspicious 
chiefs—Natives wish to murder us in cold blood during the night, but are 
prevented by Mashabie—Stremboom and Umkook—March into King’s kraal 
amid fearful excitement of native women, and are tried—Saved by a child— 
Paul’s danger—Hammar’s foot. 
The country we passed through after this was one intricate 
labyrinth of swamp, with many small streams running outward 
from the river into the sandy wastes on the south-west. Where 
all this water goes to is a mystery, but it seemed as if a good 
part of the Cubango had spent itself already in supplying water 
to the swamps that must exist in that direction. We struggled 
and floundered along from creek to creek without intermission 
throughout the day, and all of us were very tired with the 
exertion; the pack ox and our remaining two goats were com¬ 
pletely exhausted, and those of the boys who came in last 
brought the news that unless we wished to leave the goats 
behind it would be better to kill them. What a fate for 
those poor creatures after accompanying us through all the 
vicissitudes of our long journey from Panda Matenga, to be left 
to the mercies of crocodiles in the swamp ! Reluctantly I gave 
the order to despatch them. But when the boys went on the 
back track to look for them they had disappeared, probably 
stolen by some of the natives. It was a great relief to us that 
after all they had not to meet their fate at our hands. 
A mounted native of Moremi's tribe overtook us, carrying 
