nabling a person to take the exact time of
observations: it was constructed by Dent, of the Strand (61), for
the Royal Geographical Society, and selected for the service by the
President, Admiral Smythe, to whose judgment and kindness I am in this
and other matters deeply indebted. It was pronounced by Mr. Maclear to
equal most chronometers in performance. For these excellent instruments
I have much pleasure in recording my obligations to my good friend
Colonel Steele, and at the same time to Mr. Maclear for much of my
ability to use them. Besides these, I had a thermometer by Dollond; a
compass from the Cape Observatory, and a small pocket one in addition; a
good small telescope with a stand capable of being screwed into a tree.

11TH OF NOVEMBER, 1853. Left the town of Linyanti, accompanied by
Sekeletu and his principal men, to embark on the Chobe. The chief came
to the river in order to see that all was right at parting. We crossed
five branches of the Chobe before reaching the main stream: this
ramification must be the reason why it appeared so small to Mr. Oswell
and myself in 1851. When all the departing branches re-enter, it is
a large, deep river. The spot of embarkation was the identical island
where we met Sebituane, first known as the island of Maunku, one of
his wives. The chief lent me his own canoe, and, as it was broader than
usual, I could turn about in it with ease.

The Chobe is much infested by hippopotami, and, as certain elderly
males are expelled the herd, they become soured in their temper, and so
misanthropic as to attack every canoe that passes near them. The herd
is never dangerous, except when a canoe passes into the midst of it
when all are asleep, and some of them may strike the canoe in terror. To
avoid this, it is generally recommended to travel by day near the bank,
and by night in the middle of the stream. As a rule, these animals
flee the approach of man. The "solitaires", however, frequent certain
localities well known to the inhabitants on the banks, and, like the
rogue elephants, are extremely dangerous. We came, at this time, to a
canoe which had been smashed to pieces by a blow from the hind foot of
one of them. I was informed by my men that, in the event of a similar
assault being made upon ours, the proper way was to dive to the
bottom of the river, and hold on there for a few seconds, because the
hippopotamus, after breaking a canoe, always looks for the people on
the surface,