456 DEPARTURE FOR LIBÉBÉ. CHAPTER XXXVI. Departure for Libèbé.-The Canoe.—The Lake.-Reach the Teoge. -Adventure with a Leché.-Luxurious Vegetation.-Exuberance of animal Life.-Buffaloes.-The Koodoo.-His Haunts.-Pace. -Food.-Flesh.-Hide. Disposition. -Gregarious Habits.-The Chase. As Lecholètébè proved true to his word with regard to providing me with men and boats, I was able, after only a few days' stay at the Lake, to proceed on my exploring tour to the north. To the last moment, however, the chief and his people endeavored to dissuade me from the attempt, urging, among other reasons, the enormous windings of the Teoge, which would prevent me from reaching my destination for many months, as, also, the great number of hippopotami, which they represented as the most savage and voracious of beasts. I did not give much credit to the story of these men, not having the least faith in their word. I told them that, with regard to the sinuosities of the stream, I hoped to overcome that difficulty by patience; and as to the sea-cows, if they really were such monsters as described, I assured them I was quite confident that my black followers (pointing to the boatmen), to whom they were accustomed, would be first swallowed, which would give me time to escape. With this rude joke, which highly pleased my untutored audience, I stepped into the canoe, and waving my hand, in token of leave, to my men and the chief, I launched forth on the Zouga. The canoe in which I embarked (and they are all somewhat similarly constructed) was but a miserable craft. It consisted of the trunk of a tree, about twenty feet long, pointed at both ends, and hollowed out by means of fire and a THE CANOE-A LOST PARTY-A LUXURY. 457 small hatchet. The natives are not at all particular as to the shape of the canoe. The after-part of some that have come under my notice would form an angle of near fortyfive degrees with the stem! Nevertheless, they were propelled through the water by the Bayeye (my boatmen were of that nation) with considerable speed and skill. The "appointments" of the canoe consist of a paddle, and a pole ten to twelve feet in length. The paddle-man sits well in the stern, and attends mostly to the steering; while his comrade, posted at the head of the canoe, sends her along, by means of the pole, with great force and skill. The natives, however, rarely venture any distance from the shore in their frail skiffs. It was said that they had made several attempts to cross the widest part of the Lake, but had never succeeded. A party, consisting of ten or twelve canoes, hazarded the experiment a few years previous to its discovery by Europeans, but were not again heard of, from which it was concluded that they had been overtaken by a storm and perished. After about an hour's paddling, the broad expanse of the Lake lay before me, glittering in all the beauty and softness produced by reflection of the warni rays of a tropical sun. It was, indeed, a luxury, after so much traveling in the burning desert, to be able at last to float upon "The glassy, cool, translucent wave," and the pleasure was increased by my partiality to water, an element with which I became familiar in the early stages of boyhood, and on which I have spent some of my happiest days. As I felt the cool breeze fanning my cheeks, new life seemed to stir within me, and my heart beat high with joyous excitement. Our party, at starting, consisted of only three or four canoes; but, as we proceeded on the voyage, the number increased, and ultimately amounted to about a dozen. U 332 CATTLE SOL "In dark nights a head of the team, and the leading ox, would course, I being totally time. "Again, I would he the road at a brisk pac pass, I found, to my a ready far ahead of us. On the 18th of Oct Cape-Town, we dispos Owing to the great scarcity of pasturage our cattle had becom in themselves an excee neither suited the but ated state, indeed, it would become acclima and before getting acc would probably die. The cows sold almos they yielded, for tha cause, strange to sa disease (strangury) Boers are in conseq ricultural purposes. It is customary the purchasers, wl if the cattle are k of the metropolis tity of wine is sup Fortunately, this a person may ha people for two da rarely exceeds se -A LOST PARTY—A LUXURY. 457 natives are not at all particular as to ts" of the canoe consist of a paddle, and "The glassy, cool, translucent wave," easure was increased by my partiality to water, with which I became familiar in the early stages d, and on which I have spent some of my happies: felt the cool breeze fanning my cheeks, new life seemstir within me, and my heart beat high with joyous ur party, at starting, consisted of only three or four ca; but, as we proceeded on the voyage, the number inwed, and ultimately amounted to about a dozen. 458 REACH THE TEOGE-AN ADVENTURE. In consequence of the frail structure of our craft, and the boatmen's tenacity in keeping near the shore, we were two days in getting from the Zouga to the western extremity of the Lake, although, in reality, it is only one good day's voyage. It was not, therefore, until the third day that we reached the chief entrance of the mouth of the Teoge (for here the river spreads out into several branches), where there is a bar. The water was so low on it that although the stream was fast rising at the time (August), we were forced to draw the canoes across it by main force. It is true we might have avoided the inconvenience by proceeding a mile or two to the westward, where a channel exists that is said to be navigable at all seasons. Our voyage across the Lake was attended with no incident worth recording, but, on reaching the point just mentioned, I had a little adventure with a leché, hundreds of which might be seen grazing and sporting among the shallows and the numerous little islets of the Teoge. I had gone in advance of my party in the hope of obtaining a shot; but though I met with vast numbers of animals, the openness of the ground prevented me from getting within range. Being quite tired by my severe but fruitless exertions, I was resting on the rifle, contemplating the novel and striking scene-the Lake, with its broad blue waters—its finely-wooded shores-the varied and vast herds of animalsthe Teoge, with its numerous little channels and sedgy shores -when I saw, a little ahead of me, two magnificent stag lechés approaching each other, evidently with no friendly intentions. I was right in my conjecture, for in a few seconds afterward they were engaged in combat. Taking advantage of this lucky incident, I approached, unperceived, within a dozen paces, when I quickly dropped on one knee and took a deliberate aim at the shoulder of the nearest ; but, just as I pulled the trigger, he received a violent thrust from his antagonist, which made him swerve to one side, and |