Birds--Water-fowl--Egyptian Geese--Alligators--Narrow Escape
of one of my Men--Superstitious Feelings respecting the Alligator--Large
Game--The most vulnerable Spot--Gun Medicine--A Sunday--Birds of
Song--Depravity; its Treatment--Wild Fruits--Green Pigeons--Shoals of
Fish--Hippopotami.

30TH OF NOVEMBER, 1853. At Gonye Falls. No rain has fallen here, so it
is excessively hot. The trees have put on their gayest dress, and many
flowers adorn the landscape, yet the heat makes all the leaves droop at
midday 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 will be indeed a lovely land.

We all felt great lassitude in traveling. 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 vapor upward, as enormous quantities of
water must be drunk to supply its place.

When under way our usual procedure is this: We get up a little before
five in the morning; it is then beginning to dawn. While I am dressing,
coffee is made; and, having filled my pannikin, the remainder is handed
to my companions, who eagerly partake of the 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 boatmen, have large,
deeply-developed chests and shoulders, with indifferent lower
extremities. They often engage in loud scolding of each other in order
to relieve the tedium of their work. About eleven we land, and eat
any meat which may have remained from the previous evening meal, or a
biscuit with honey, and drink water.

After an hour's rest we again embark and cower under an umbrella. The
heat is oppressive, and, being weak from the last attack of fever, I
can not land and keep the camp supplied with flesh. The men, being quite
uncovered in the sun, perspire profusely, and in the afternoon begin
to stop, as if waiting for the canoes which have been left behind.
Sometimes we reach a sleeping-place two hours before sunset, and, all
being troubled with languor, we gladly remain for the night. Coffee
again, and a biscuit, or a piece of coarse bread made of maize meal,
or that of the native c