TwelvedaysafterourdeparturefromthewagonsatNgabisanewecametothenortheastendofLakeNgami；andonthe1stofAugust，1849，wewentdowntogethertothebroadpart，and，forthefirsttime，thisfine-lookingsheetofwaterwasbeheldbyEuropeans。
　　ThedirectionofthelakeseemedtobeN。N。EandS。S。Wbycompass。
　　Thesouthernportionissaidtobendroundtothewest，andtoreceivetheTeoughefromthenorthatitsnorthwestextremity。
　　WecoulddetectnohorizonwherewestoodlookingS。S。W。，norcouldweformanyideaoftheextentofthelake，exceptfromthereportsoftheinhabitantsofthedistrict；and，astheyprofessedtogorounditinthreedays，allowingtwenty-fivemilesadaywouldmakeitseventy-five，orlessthanseventygeographicalmilesincircumferenceOtherguesseshavebeenmadesinceastoitscircumference，rangingbetweenseventyandonehundredmilesItisshallow，forIsubsequentlysawanativepuntinghiscanoeoversevenoreightmilesofthenortheastend；itcannever，therefore，beofmuchvalueasacommercialhighwayInfact，duringthemonthsprecedingtheannualsupplyofwaterfromthenorth，thelakeissoshallowthatitiswithdifficultycattlecanapproachthewaterthroughtheboggy，reedybanksThesearelowonallsides，butonthewestthereisaspacedevoidoftrees，showingthatthewatershaveretiredthenceatnoveryancientdateThisisanotheroftheproofsofdesiccationmetwithsoabundantlythroughoutthewholecountryAnumberofdeadtreeslieonthisspace，someofthemimbeddedinthemud，rightinthewater。
　　WewereinformedbytheBayeiye，wholiveonthelake，thatwhentheannualinundationbegins，notonlytreesofgreatsize，butantelopes，asthespringbuckandtsessebe`Acronotuslunata’，aresweptdownbyitsrushingwaters；thetreesaregraduallydrivenbythewindstotheoppositeside，andbecomeimbeddedinmud。
　　Thewaterofthelakeisperfectlyfreshwhenfull，butbrackishwhenlow；
　　andthatcomingdowntheTamunak’lewefoundtobesoclear，cold，andsoft，thehigherweascended，thattheideaofmeltingsnowwassuggestedtoourmindsWefoundthisregion，withregardtothatfromwhichwehadcome，tobeclearlyahollow，thelowestpointbeingLakeKumadau；thepointoftheebullitionofwater，asshownbyoneofNewman’sbarometricthermometers，wasonlybetween207-1/2Degand206Deg。，givinganelevationofnotmuchmorethantwothousandfeetabovetheleveloftheseaWehaddescendedabovetwothousandfeetincomingtoitfromKolobeng。
　　Itisthesouthernandlowestpartofthegreatriversystembeyond，inwhichlargetractsofcountryareinundatedannuallybytropicalrains，hereaftertobedescribedAlittleofthatwater，whichinthecountriesfarthernorthproducesinundation，comesasfarsouthas20d20’，thelatitudeoftheupperendofthelake，andinsteadoffloodingthecountry，fallsintothelakeasintoareservoir。
　　ItbeginstoflowdowntheEmbarrah，whichdividesintotheriversTzoandTeougheTheTzodividesintotheTamunak’leandMababe；
　　theTamunak’ledischargesitselfintotheZouga，andtheTeougheintothelakeTheflowbeginseitherinMarchorApril，andthedescendingwatersfindthechannelsofalltheseriversdriedout，exceptincertainpoolsintheirbeds，whichhavelongdryspacesbetweenthemThelakeitselfisverylowTheZougaisbutaprolongationoftheTamunak’le，andanarmofthelakereachesuptothepointwheretheoneendsandtheotherbegins。
　　Thelastisnarrowandshallow，whiletheZougaisbroadanddeep。
　　Thenarrowarmofthelake，whichonthemaplookslikeacontinuationoftheZouga，hasneverbeenobservedtofloweitherway。
　　Itisasstagnantasthelakeitself。
　　TheTeougheandTamunak’le，beingessentiallythesameriver，andreceivingtheirsuppliesfromthesamesourcetheEmbarrahorVarra，canneveroutruneachotherIfeithercould，oriftheTeoughecouldfillthelakeathingwhichhasneverhappenedinmoderntimes
　　thenthislittlearmwouldproveaconvenientescapementtopreventinundationIfthelakeeverbecomeslowerthanthebedoftheZouga，alittleofthewateroftheTamunak’lemightflowintoitinsteadofdowntheZouga；weshouldthenhavethephenomenonofariverflowingtwoways；butthishasneverbeenobservedtotakeplacehere，anditisdoubtfulifitevercanoccurinthislocality。
　　TheZougaisbroadanddeepwhenitleavestheTamunak’le，butbecomesgraduallynarrowerasyoudescendabouttwohundredmiles；
　　thereitflowsintoKumadau，asmalllakeaboutthreeorfourmilesbroadandtwelvelongThewater，whichhigherupbeginstoflowinApril，doesnotmakemuchprogressinfillingthislaketilltheendofJune。
　　InSeptembertheriversceasetoflowWhenthesupplyhasbeenmorethanusuallyabundant，alittlewaterflowsbeyondKumadau，inthebedfirstseenbyusonthe4thofJuly；ifthequantitywerelarger，itmightgofurtherinthedryrockybedoftheZouga，sinceseenstillfurthertotheeastThewatersupplyofthispartoftheriversystem，aswillbemorefullyexplainedfurtheron，takesplaceinchannelspreparedforamuchmorecopiousflowItresemblesadesertedEasterngarden，wherealltheembankmentsandcanalsforirrigationcanbetraced，butwhere，themaindamandsluiceshavingbeenallowedtogetoutofrepair，onlyasmallportioncanbelaidunderwaterInthecaseoftheZougathechannelisperfect，butwaterenoughtofillthewholechannelnevercomesdown；andbeforeitfindsitswaymuchbeyondKumadau，theuppersupplyceasestorunandtherestbecomesevaporated。
　　ThehigherpartsofitsbedevenaremuchbroaderandmorecapaciousthanthelowertowardKumadauThewaterisnotabsorbedsomuchaslostinfillingupanemptychannel，fromwhichitistoberemovedbytheairandsunThereis，Iamconvinced，nosuchthinginthecountryasariverrunningintosandandbecominglostThephenomenon，soconvenientforgeographers，hauntedmyfancyforyears；butIhavefailedindiscoveringanythingexceptamostinsignificantapproachtoit。
　　MychiefobjectincomingtothelakewastovisitSebituane，thegreatchiefoftheMakololo，whowasreportedtolivesometwohundredmilesbeyondWehadnowcometoahalf-tribeoftheBamangwato，calledBatauanaTheirchiefwasayoungmannamedLechulatebe。
　　SebituanehadconqueredhisfatherMoremi，andLechulatebereceivedpartofhiseducationwhileacaptiveamongtheBayeiye。
　　Hisuncle，asensibleman，ransomedhim；and，havingcollectedanumberoffamiliestogether，abdicatedthechieftainshipinfavorofhisnephewAsLechulatebehadjustcomeintopower，heimaginedthattheproperwayofshowinghisabilitieswastoactdirectlycontrarytoeverythingthathisuncleadvised。
　　Whenwecame，theunclerecommendedhimtotreatushandsomely，thereforethehopefulyouthpresenteduswithagoatonly。
　　ItoughttohavebeenanoxSoIproposedtomycompanionstoloosetheanimalandlethimgo，asahinttohismaster。
　　They，however，didnotwishtoinsulthimI，beingmoreofanative，andfamiliarwiththeircustoms，knewthatthisshabbypresentwasaninsulttousWewishedtopurchasesomegoatsoroxen；
　　Lechulatebeoffereduselephants’tusks“No，wecannoteatthese；
　　wewantsomethingtofillourstomachs。”“NeithercanI；
　　butIhearyouwhitemenareallveryfondofthesebones，soIofferthem；
　　Iwanttoputthegoatsintomyownstomach。”Atrader，whoaccompaniedus，wasthenpurchasingivoryattherateoftengoodlargetusksforamusketworththirteenshillingsTheywerecalled“bones“；
　　andImyselfsaweightinstancesinwhichthetuskshadbeenlefttorotwiththeotherboneswheretheelephantfellTheBatauananeverhadachanceofamarketbefore；but，inlessthantwoyearsafterourdiscovery，notamanofthemcouldbefoundwhowasnotkeenlyalivetothegreatvalueofthearticle。
　　Onthedayafterourarrivalatthelake，IappliedtoLechulatebeforguidestoSebituaneAshewasmuchafraidofthatchief，heobjected，fearinglestotherwhitemenshouldgothitheralso，andgiveSebituaneguns；
　　whereas，ifthetraderscametohimalone，thepossessionoffire-armswouldgivehimsuchasuperioritythatSebituanewouldbeafraidofhim。
　　ItwasinvaintoexplainthatIwouldinculcatepeacebetweenthem
　　thatSebituanehadbeenafathertohimandSechele，andwasasanxioustoseemeashe，Lechulatebe，hadbeenHeofferedtogivemeasmuchivoryasIneededwithoutgoingtothatchief；
　　butwhenIrefusedtotakeany，heunwillinglyconsentedtogivemeguides。
　　Nextday，however，whenOswellandIwerepreparedtostart，withthehorsesonly，wereceivedasenselessrefusal；andlikeSekomi，whohadthrownobstaclesinourway，hesentmentotheBayeiyewithorderstorefuseusapassageacrosstheriverTryinghardtoformaraftatanarrowpart，Iworkedmanyhoursinthewater；butthedrywoodwassoworm-eatenitwouldnotbeartheweightofasingleperson。
　　IwasnotthenawareofthenumberofalligatorswhichexistintheZouga，andneverthinkofmylaborinthewaterwithoutfeelingthankfulthatIescapedtheirjawsTheseasonwasnowfaradvanced；
　　andasMrOswell，withhiswontedgenerousfeelings，volunteered，onthespot，togodowntotheCapeandbringupaboat，weresolvedtomakeourwaysouthagain。
　　ComingdowntheZouga，wehadnowtimetolookatitsbanks。
　　Theseareverybeautiful，resemblingcloselymanypartsoftheRiverClydeaboveGlasgowTheformationissoftcalcareoustufa，suchasformsthebottomofallthisbasinThebanksareperpendicularonthesidetowhichthewaterswings，andslopingandgrassyontheother。
　　TheslopesareselectedforthepitfallsdesignedbytheBayeiyetoentraptheanimalsastheycometodrinkTheseareaboutsevenoreightfeetdeep，threeorfourfeetwideatthemouth，andgraduallydecreasetilltheyareonlyaboutafootwideatthebottom。
　　ThemouthisanoblongsquaretheonlysquarethingmadebytheBechuanas，foreverythingelseisround，andthelongdiameteratthesurfaceisaboutequaltothedepthThedecreasingwidthtowardthebottomisintendedtomaketheanimalwedgehimselfmorefirmlyinbyhisweightandstrugglesThepitfallsareusuallyinpairs，withawallafootthickleftuncutbetweentheendsofeach，sothatifthebeast，whenitfeelsitsforelegsdescending，shouldtrytosaveitselffromgoinginaltogetherbystridingthehindlegs，hewouldspringforwardandleapintothesecondwithaforcewhichinsuresthefallofhiswholebodyintothetrap。
　　TheyarecoveredwithgreatcareAlltheexcavatedearthisremovedtoadistance，soasnottoexcitesuspicioninthemindsoftheanimals。
　　Reedsandgrassarelaidacrossthetop；abovethisthesandisthrown，andwateredsoastoappearexactlyliketherestofthespot。
　　Someofourpartyplumpedintothesepitfallsmorethanonce，evenwheninsearchofthem，inordertoopenthemtopreventthelossofourcattleIfanoxseesahole，hecarefullyavoidsit；
　　andoldelephantshavebeenknowntoprecedetheherdandwhiskoffthecoveringsofthepitfallsoneachsideallthewaydowntothewater。
　　Wehaveknowninstancesinwhichtheoldamongthesesagaciousanimalshaveactuallyliftedtheyoungoutofthetrap。
　　ThetreeswhichadornthebanksaremagnificentTwoenormousbaobabs`Adansoniadigitata’，ormowanas，grownearitsconfluencewiththelakewherewetooktheobservationsforthelatitude20d20’S。。
　　Wewereunabletoascertainthelongitudeofthelake，asourwatcheswereuseless；itmaybebetween22Degand23DegE。
　　Thelargestofthetwobaobabswas76feetingirth。
　　Thepalmyraappearshereandthereamongtreesnotmetwithinthesouth。
　　Themokuchong，ormoshoma，bearsanediblefruitofindifferentquality，butthetreeitselfwouldbeafinespecimenofarborealbeautyinanypartoftheworldThetrunkisoftenconvertedintocanoes。
　　Themotsouri，whichbearsapinkplumcontainingapleasantacidjuice，resemblesanorange-treeinitsdarkevergreenfoliage，andacypressinitsformItwasnowwinter-time，andwesawnothingoftheflora。
　　Theplantsandbushesweredry；butwildindigoabounded，asindeeditdoesoverlargetractsofAfricaItiscalledmohetolo，orthe“changer“，bytheboys，whodyetheirornamentsofstrawwiththejuice。
　　Therearetwokindsofcottoninthecountry，andtheMashona，whoconvertitintocloth，dyeitbluewiththisplant。
　　Wefoundtheelephantsinprodigiousnumbersonthesouthernbank。
　　Theycometodrinkbynight，andafterhavingslakedtheirthirst
　　indoingwhichtheythrowlargequantitiesofwateroverthemselves，andareheard，whileenjoyingtherefreshment，screamingwithdelight
　　theyevincetheirhorrorofpitfallsbysettingoffinastraightlinetothedesert，andneverdivergetilltheyareeightortenmilesoff。
　　Theyaresmallerherethaninthecountriesfarthersouth。
　　AttheLimpopo，forinstance，theyareupwardoftwelvefeethigh；
　　here，onlyeleven：farthernorthweshallfindthemninefeetonly。
　　Thekoodoo，ortolo，seemedsmaller，too，thanthosewehadbeenaccustomedtoseeWesawspecimensofthekuabaoba，orstraight-hornedrhinoceros`ROswellii’，whichisavarietyofthewhite`Rsimus’；andwefoundthat，fromthehornbeingprojecteddownward，itdidnotobstructthelineofvision，sothatthisspeciesisabletobemuchmorewarythanitsneighbors。
　　Wediscoveredanentirelynewspeciesofantelope，calledlecheorlechwi。
　　Itisabeautifulwater-antelopeofalightbrownish-yellowcolor。
　　Itshornsexactlylikethoseofthe`Aigocerosellipsiprimnus’，thewaterbuck，ortumogo，oftheBechuanasrisefromtheheadwithaslightbendbackward，thencurveforwardatthepointsThechest，belly，andorbitsarenearlywhite，thefrontofthelegsandanklesdeepbrown。
　　Fromthehorns，alongthenapetothewithers，themalehasasmallmaneofthesameyellowishcolorwiththerestoftheskin，andthetailhasatuftofblackhairItisneverfoundamilefromwater；