THE MATSANYANA THE BAVICKO-LIBÉBÉ. 405 others lying to the eastward, but only grows to perfection about the Teoge. The fibres are of great tenacity, apparently stronger and more flexible than hemp, though requiring less labor and attention in its growth and manufacture. Could this plant be naturalized, it would, no doubt, prove a valuable acquisition to any country. I believe the nets are also occasionally manufactured from fibrous and tenacious leaves, rushes, and grasses. The meshes are knotted the same way as in Europe. From the humid nature of the country, the Bayeye, although, generally speaking, a healthy race, suffer at times from rheumatism, and other similar affections. Ophthalmia is also of frequent occurrence; and many of the natives bear marks of the small-pox. Like the Lake district, the Teoge and the surrounding country is visited by a dangerous fever, which carries off many of the natives. North of the Bayeye country, we find the Matsanyana; but I have not been able to ascertain whether these people form a distinct nation. Still further north, that is, beyond the Matsanyana, we hear of the Bavicko (or Wavicko) nation, whose capital is called Libébé, from which also the chief derives his name. The Griquas, whom I mentioned when speaking of the water-sheds of the Lake, and whom I met and conversed with on the subject, say that the country about Libèbé is flat and thickly overgrown with bush, occasionally relieved by large isolated trees, and that the Teoge is there of great width and studded with beautiful islands, on which the natives chiefly dwell. The Bavicko are represented as an industrious and honest people, of agricultural habits. Their mode of dress resembles that of the Moviza (a great trading nation in the interior of the east coast, and west of the Portuguese settlement). Timbo, who was well acquainted with the appearance of the Moviza, on hearing a description of the Bavicko, mistook them for the former nation. The latter have some slight knowledge of metallurgy. Iron they procure easily and in abundance from their neighbors; but, from all I can gather, this ore does not seem to be indigenous to their own country. Libébé appears to be the centre of a great inland trade. Amongst other tribes that repair here for the purpose of commerce are the Mambari, a race probably resident in the vicinity of the new Portuguese settlement, Little Fish Bay. A strong argument in favor of this supposition is, that the Griquas, lately alluded to, and who found a party of these men at Libèbé, were informed by them that their tribe was visited by two different 406 : LIBEBÉ. white nations by one of them-meaning probably the Portuguese-chiefly for the purpose of purchasing slaves; by the other, most likely the English or Americans, to obtain, by barter, ivory and other valuable productions of the country. The Mambari bring to Libèbé, as articles of exchange, blue and striped cotton, baize, beads, and even cattle. Again, we find the Ovapangari and Ovapanyama also visiting Libébé for trading purposes. These nations, as before mentioned, occupy the country north of Ovambo-land. On our visit to the latter in 1851 (Galton's expedition), we found the tribes above-named likewise trading with the Ovambo. The Bavicko have, moreover, intercourse with Sebetoane, Lecholétébè, and others. CHAPTER XL. DEPARTURE FROM THE BAYEYE WERFT-THE REED-RAFT-THE HIPPOPO- -SAGACITY-MEMORY-GREGARIOUS LIKE MESTICATION-FOOD-FLESH-HIDE-IVORY-MEDICINAL VIRTUES. A AFTER about a week's stay at the Bayeye werft, I was once more launched on the Teoge, and only regretted that my course did not lie to the north instead of to the south. My departure afforded a fresh proof of the rascality of the Bayeye. As previously mentioned, according to the injunctions of Lecholètébè, I was to have two canoes at my disposal; but, on the day in question, the natives unceremoniously deposited me on a raft composed solely of reeds! When I first saw the unshapely mass, I could not help smiling; and it was not until I had set my people the example that they ventured to embark. This primitive raft, which is in general use amongst the Bayeye, either for hunting purposes or for descending the Teoge and other rivers, is exceedingly simple in its construction. All one has to do is to cut the reeds (the different species of palmyra, from their buoyancy, are peculiarly well adapted to the purpose) just above the surface of the water, and to throw them in layers, crosswise, until the heap is of sufficient size to support the party. No binding of any kind is requisite; but fresh layers of reeds must occasionally be added to the raft, as, from the constant pressure at the top, the reeds get soaked, and the air contained in them displaced by water. placed upright in the centre of the mass, to which is attached a A stout pole is 408 THE REED-RAFT-BEHEMOTH. strong and long rope. When the voyagers wish to land, this rope is taken ashore by one of the men in the canoe that is always in tow or on board the raft, and secured to a tree or other firm object. No small recommendation to the reed-raft, is the extreme facility and ease with which it can be constructed. In the course of an hour, three or four men can put one together of sufficiently large dimensions to support themselves and baggage. This mode of conveyance, though inconvenient enough, is well worthy the traveler's attention, and more especially in localities where suitable wood for the construction of a common raft is difficult to procure-anywhere, in short, where boats or canoes are not obtainable. It must be borne in mind, however, that the reed-raft is only available where the current is in one's favor. Though I was at first much disconcerted at the appearance of our very primitive looking craft, I soon got accustomed to it, and it proved far more comfortable than might have been supposed. It was much safer, moreover, than our own canoes, one or two of which we obtained shortly after our departure. No efforts were made to steer or propel the raft, which was left entirely to the stream. As soon as we were caught by some projecting reed-bed-and this was of frequent occurrence-the raft immediately swung round and thus disengaged itself, but when we came in contact with trees overhanging the river, we were more inconvenienced; for, before we could get clear of them, ourselves and baggage were at times nearly swept into the water. In this manner, nevertheless, and without serious accident, we accomplished about one hundred and fifty miles in nine days, entirely by the force of the current, which rarely exceeded two miles an hour. Whilst descending the Teoge, we met several parties of , natives in pursuit of the hippopotamus; the men were embarked on rafts similarly constructed as our own. But before describing the manner in which the chase is conducted by these people, it may be proper to say a few words regarding the natural history of the above animal. "Behold now behemoth which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox; his bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron: he lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed and fens. The shady trees cover him with their shadow: the willows of the brook compass him about. Behold he drinketh up a river; he trusteth that he can DESCRIPTION OF THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 409 draw up Jordan into his mouth. He taketh it with his eyes; his nose pierceth through snares." The above grand and figurative language of the book of Job, seems particularly applicable to the hippopotamus, whom most people believe to be identical with the behemoth of the sacred writer. Indeed, in his "Systema Naturæ," Linnæus ends his description of the hippopotamus with calling it the "Behemoth Jobi." The hippopotamus is generally distributed in the large rivers and lakes of Africa, from the confines of the Cape Colony to about the 22nd or 23rd degree of north latitude. It is found in none of the African rivers that fall into the Mediterranean, except the Nile, and in that part of it only which runs through Upper Egypt, or in the fens and lakes of Ethiopia. It is, however, receding fast before civilization. It inhabits both fresh and salt water. Formerly, there is every reason to believe, it existed in parts of Asia; but the species is now extinct on that continent. There are said to be two species of hippopotami in Africa, namely, the hippopotamus amphibius, and the hippopotamus Liberiensis-the latter being described as very much the smaller of the two; but, to the best of my belief, I never fell in with it. The hippopotamus is a most singular-looking animal, and has not inaptly been likened to a "form intermediate between an overgrown hog and a high-fed bull without horns and with cropped ears." It has an immensely large head. Ray says the upper mandible is movable, as with the crocodile. Each of its jaws are armed with two formidable tusks; those in the lower, which are always the largest, attain, at times, two feet in length. The inside of the mouth has been described by a recent writer as resembling "a mass of butcher's meat." The eyes-which Captain Harris likens "to the garret windows of a Dutch cottage" the nostrils and ears, are all placed nearly on the same plane, which allows the use of three senses, and of respiration, with a very small portion of the animal being exposed when it rises to the surface of the water. The size of its body is not much inferior to that of the elephant; but its legs are much shorter-so low, indeed, is the animal at times in the body, that the belly almost touches the ground. The hoofs are divided into four parts, unconnected by membranes. The skin, which is of nearly an inch in thickness, is destitute of covering, excepting a few scattered hairs on the muzzle, edges of the ears and tail. The color of the animal, when on land, is of a purple brown; but when seen at the bottom of a pool, it appears al |