ring our marches for the last fortnight), we forded
it, thigh deep on one side and breast deep on the other. We made only
about three miles of northing, and found the people on the left bank
uncivil: they would not lend a hut, so we soon put up a tent of
waterproof cloth and branches.

_18th December, 1866._--As the men grumbled at their feet being
pierced by thorns in the trackless portions we had passed I was
anxious to get a guide, but the only one we could secure would go to
Molenga's only; so I submitted, though this led us east instead of
north. When we arrived we were asked what we wanted, seeing we brought
neither slaves nor ivory: I replied it was much against our will that
we came; but the guide had declared that this was the only way to
Casembe's, our next stage. To get rid of us they gave a guide, and we
set forward northwards. The Mopane Forest is perfectly level, and
after rains the water stands in pools; but during most of the year it
is dry. The trees here were very large, and planted some twenty or
thirty yards apart: as there are no branches on their lower parts
animals see very far. I shot a gnu, but wandered in coming back to the
party, and did not find them till it was getting dark. Many parts of
the plain are thrown up into heaps, of about the size of one's cap
(probably by crabs), which now, being hard, are difficult to walk
over; under the trees it is perfectly smooth. The Mopane-tree
furnishes the iron wood of the Portuguese Pao Ferro: it is pretty to
travel in and look at the bright sunshine of early morning; but the
leaves hang perpendicularly as the sun rises high, and afford little
or no shade through the day,[38] so as the land is clayey, it becomes
hard-baked thereby.

We observed that the people had placed corn-granaries at
different parts of this forest, and had been careful to leave no
track to them--a provision in case of further visits of Mazitu.
King-hunters[39] abound, and make the air resound with their
stridulous notes, which commence with a sharp, shrill cheep, and then
follows a succession of notes, which resembles a pea in a whistle.
Another bird is particularly conspicuous at present by its chattering
activity, its nest consists of a bundle of fine seed-stalks of grass
hung at the end of a branch, the free ends being left untrimmed, and
no attempt at concealment made. Many other birds are now active, and
so many new notes are heard, that it is probable this is a richer
orni