SYMPTOMS IN THE OX WHEN BITTEN.

491

the muscles generally, and emaciation commences, which proceeds unchecked until perhaps months after the bite

- purging supervenes, and the animal perishes of exhaustion. Some die soon after the bite is inflicted, especially if they are in good condition, or should rain fall; but, in general, the process of emaciation goes on for many weeks. In some cases, the animals become blind before they die.1

"From what I have seen of the tsetse," writes Mr. Oswell to me, "I believe that three or four flies are sufficient to kill a full-grown ox. We examined about twenty of ours that were bitten and died, and the appearances were similar in all. On raising the skin, we perceived a glairy appearance of the muscles and flesh, which were much wasted. The stomach and intestines were healthy; heart, lungs, and liver, sometimes all, but invariably one or the other, much diseased. The heart in particular attracted our attention. It was no longer a firm and muscular organ, but collapsed readily on compression, and had the appearance of flesh that had been steeped in water. The blood of the whole carcass was greatly diminished in quantity. Not more than twenty pints (a small pail full) were obtained from the largest ox, and this thick and albuminous; the hands, when plunged into it, came out free of stain. The poison would seem to grow in the blood, and, through the blood, affect the vital organs.

"A curious feature in the case is, that dogs, though reared on milk, die if bitten,2 while calves, and other young sucking animals, are safe as long as they suck. Man, and all the wild animals, escape with impunity. Can the poison be alkaline, and neutralized by the acid ?"

'One of my steeds,' says Gordon Cumming, 'died of the tsetse. The head and body of the poor animal swelled up in a most distressing manner before he died; his eyes were so swollen that he could not see; and, in darkness, he neighed for his comrades who stood feeding beside him.'

2 A dog, reared on the meat of game, may be hunted in tsetse districts in safety!

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

THE CROCODILE-AN ENGLISHMAN KILLED BY ONE OF THESE MONSTERS THE OMOROANGA VAVARRA RIVER HARDSHIPS BEAUTIFUL SCENERY-LECHOLÈTÉBÈ'S TREACHERY-THE REED-FERRY.

As we journeyed up the Teoge, we frequently observed crocodiles, basking in the sun in the more secluded parts of the river. One day, whilst trying to trace a wounded antelope, I nearly trod on one of these monsters who was fast asleep. My foot was already descending on his tail before I was aware of him. Without daring to move, I gently raised the rifle to my shoulder, and with a welldirected ball behind the ear killed him on the spot.

One does not often hear of crocodiles in these parts seizing on human beings when immersed in water, which would seem to prove that these animals are 'man-eaters' from the compulsion of hunger, rather than from habit. Indeed I have been assured by several persons that there is little danger of being attacked, provided one makes a great noise previously to entering the water. Accidents, however, do

occur. Only a few years ago an English gentleman, Mr. was carried off by one of these horrid creatures.

R

He and his companion, Mr. M, who told me the sad story, had encamped on the banks of the Zouga; and, as a number of water-fowl were seen disporting themselves on the stream, Mr. R proceeded there in the hope of obtaining a shot. He soon succeeded in killing several, and amongst the rest a muscovy duck; but he was unable to secure it for want of a boat.

Whilst looking about for a canoe, he observed a fine antelope approaching; and, running quickly towards the waggon, which was hard by, he called out to his men to bring him a rifle. On his return to the river, he found that the antelope had escaped. He then proceeded towards the spot whence he had shot at the duck, which was still floating on the surface. His companion having by this time joined him, he expressed his determination to possess the bird at any cost, and that he would swim after it. He confessed, however, that he felt some doubt about the safety of such a proceeding, adding that he had once been witness to the death of a man who was seized and destroyed by a shark alongside his own boat. Notwithstanding this (his own) opinion of the risk he was about to incur, and the warning of his friend, he undressed and plunged into the stream. Having swam a little distance, he was observed to throw himself on his back, as if startled at some object beneath him; but in another moment, he was pursuing his course. When, however, he was about to lay his hands on the bird, his body was violently convulsed; and throwing his arms on high, he uttered a most piercing shriek, after which he was seen to be gradually drawn under the surface, never to re-appear!

On the ninth day after we had entered the Teoge, we left the principal channel and passed into the Omoroanga (little river) Vavarra. This rivulet is merely one of those small branches of the main stream (formed by its overflowing its

494

THE OMOROANGA VAVARRA.

banks) so frequently met with, and which usually rejoin it after a day or two. The Omoroanga Vavarra is only navigable with canoes when the Teoge is at its greatest height, and even then the navigation is of the most intricate description. The boatmen, many of whom were born and bred in the neighbourhood, constantly lose their way. We passed two nights on the Omoroanga, during which time we were exposed to much inconvenience and hardship.

Lecholétébè had placed two canoes at my disposal; but the rascally boatmen had by this time so filled them with their own things that no place was left for me. The consequence was, as the country was one succession of swamps, lakes, rivulets, and quagmires, I found myself early and late immersed in water, sometimes swimming, at others wading up to my neck. Indeed, from the time that I left my camp on the Zouga, to my return to it, a period of about a month, I scarcely knew what it was to have a dry thread about me. The only time I could partially dry my clothes was at night along the bivouac-fire; but then I had to lie down wet. It would have been ruinous to any constitution not previously inured to hardships of all kinds.

But I was compensated for what I lost in comfort by the beauty of the surrounding scenery. Wherever the soil was raised a few feet above the surface of the water, it was covered by a rich and majestic vegetation.

At length, and after about twelve days voyaging, we reached a large village where the great chief of the Bayeye resided. This was a charming spot, and one to which the most skilful artist would have had some difficulty in doing justice. Located on a small island, about two hundred feet long, by one hundred in breadth, the village consisted of somewhat more than a hundred houses, standing in the midst of a beautiful group of elegant fan-palms, and some gigantic

wild fruit trees. At the foot of the werft, in a semicircle, the clear transparent Teoge wound its meandering course. On every side, as far as the eye could reach, lay stretched a sea of fresh water, in many places concealed from sight by a covering of reeds and rushes of every shade and hue; whilst numerous islands, spread over its surface, and adorned with rich vegetation, gave to the whole an indescribably beautiful appearance. This was particularly the case at sunrise and sunset, when the luxuriant vegetation received additional charms by the brilliant, but softened, rays of a tropical

sun.

I had been given to understand by Lecholètébè that the chief at whose werft I had now arrived, was to have provided me with other men and other boats. To save time, as also in accordance with the men's own wishes, I sent my principal guide and others to inform the chieftain of my coming, requesting him to get everything ready; but on reaching the place, the following day, I found, to my utter astonishment, that he, with all his people, had set out that very morning to hunt the sea-cow; and no one could, or rather would, inform me when the great man was likely to return.

It now occurred to me that I was deceived; and my suspicions at once fell upon Lecholètébè. Still hoping I might be mistaken, I waited patiently for several days, but to no purpose. In the meantime, the women of the village had secretly informed Timbo, who, as usual, was a great favourite with the sex, that their husbands would to a certainty not return for a month; and that, even then, I could not expect to receive any assistance from them. I felt excessively mortified at being thus basely duped, and at once called on the only man left in the place, who, I was informed, was the chief's brother, and ordered him to tell me, without pre