Itisthreeorfourhundredfeethigh，andcoveredwithtrees。
　　ItsgeographicalpositionisprettyaccuratelylaiddownfromoccultationandotherobservationsImaymentionthatthevalleyonitsnorthernside，namedKandehyorKandehai，isaspicturesqueaspotasistobeseeninthispartofAfricaTheopenglade，surroundedbyforesttreesofvarioushues，hadalittlestreammeanderinginthecentre。
　　Aherdofreddish-coloredantelopespallahsstoodononeside，nearalargebaobab，lookingatus，andreadytorunupthehill；
　　whilegnus，tsessebes，andzebrasgazedinastonishmentattheintruders。
　　Somefedcarelessly，andothersputonthepeculiarairofdispleasurewhichtheseanimalssometimesassumebeforetheyresolveonflight。
　　Alargewhiterhinoceroscamealongthebottomofthevalleywithhisslowsaunteringgaitwithoutnoticingus；helookedasifhemeanttoindulgeinamudbathSeveralbuffaloes，withtheirdarkvisages，stoodunderthetreesonthesideoppositetothepallahsItbeingSunday，allwaspeace，and，fromthecircumstancesinwhichourpartywasplaced，wecouldnotbutreflectonthatsecondstageofourexistencewhichwehopewillleadusintoscenesofperfectbeauty。
　　IfpardonedinthatfreewaytheBiblepromises，deathwillbeagloriousthing；buttobeconsignedtowaitfortheJudgment-day，withnothingelsetoponderonbutsinswewouldratherforget，isacheerlessprospect。
　　OurBushmenwishedtoleaveus，and，astherewasnouseintryingtothwarttheseindependentgentlemen，Ipaidthem，andallowedthemtogo。
　　Thepayment，however，actedasacharmonsomestrangerswhohappenedtobepresent，andinducedthemtovolunteertheiraid。
　　ThegamehereaboutsisverytameKoodoosandgiraffesstoodgazingatmeasastrangeapparitionwhenIwentoutwiththeBushmen。
　　Ononeoccasionalioncameatdaybreak，andwentroundandroundtheoxen。
　　Icouldonlygetaglimpseofhimoccasionallyfromthewagon-box；
　　but，thoughbarelythirtyyardsoff，IcouldnotgetashotHethenbegantoroaratthetopofhisvoice；buttheoxencontinuingtostandstill，hewassodisgustedthathewentoff，andcontinuedtousehisvoiceforalongtimeinthedistanceIcouldnotseethathehadamane；
　　ifhehadnot，theneventhemanelessvarietycanusetheirtongues。
　　Weheardothersalsoroar；and，whentheyfoundtheycouldnotfrightentheoxen，theybecameequallyangryThiswecouldobserveintheirtones。
　　Aswewentnorththecountrybecameverylovely；manynewtreesappeared；
　　thegrasswasgreen，andoftenhigherthanthewagons；thevinesfestoonedthetrees，amongwhichappearedtherealbanian`FicusIndica’，withitsdrop-shoots，andthewilddateandpalmyra，andseveralothertreeswhichwerenewtome；thehollowscontainedlargepatchesofwater。
　　Nextcamewater-courses，nowresemblingsmallrivers，twentyyardsbroadandfourfeetdeepThefurtherwewent，thebroaderanddeeperthesebecame；theirbottomscontainedgreatnumbersofdeepholes，madebyelephantswadinginthem；
　　inthesetheoxenfloundereddesperately，sothatourwagon-polebroke，compellingustoworkuptothebreastinwaterforthreehoursandahalf；
　　yetIsufferednoharm。
　　WeatlastcametotheSanshureh，whichpresentedanimpassablebarrier，sowedrewupunderamagnificentbaobab-tree，lat18d4’27“S。，long24d6’20“E。，andresolvedtoexploretheriverforaford。
　　ThegreatquantityofwaterwehadpassedthroughwaspartoftheannualinundationoftheChobe；andthis，whichappearedalarge，deepriver，filledinmanypartswithreeds，andhavinghippopotamiinit，isonlyoneofthebranchesbywhichitsendsitssuperabundantwatertothesoutheastFromthehillN’gwaaridgeofhigherlandrunstothenortheast，andboundsitscourseinthatdirection。
　　We，beingignorantofthis，wereinthevalley，andtheonlygapinthewholecountrydestituteoftsetseIncompanywiththeBushmenIexploredallthebanksoftheSanshurehtothewesttillwecameintotsetseonthatsideWewadedalongwayamongthereedsinwaterbreastdeep，butalwaysfoundabroad，deepspacefreefromvegetationandunfordable。
　　Apeculiarkindoflichen，whichgrowsonthesurfaceofthesoil，becomesdetachedandfloatsonthewater，givingoutaverydisagreeableodor，likesulphuretedhydrogen，insomeofthesestagnantwaters。
　　WemadesomanyattemptstogetovertheSanshureh，bothtothewestandeastofthewagon，inthehopeofreachingsomeoftheMakololoontheChobe，thatmyBushmenfriendsbecamequitetiredoftheworkBymeansofpresentsIgotthemtoremainsomedays；butatlasttheyslippedawaybynight，andIwasfaintotakeoneofthestrongestofmystillweakcompanionsandcrosstheriverinapontoon，thegiftofCaptainsCodringtonandWebb。
　　Weeachcarriedsomeprovisionsandablanket，andpenetratedabouttwentymilestothewestward，inthehopeofstrikingtheChobe。
　　Itwasmuchnearertousinanortherlydirection，butthiswedidnotthenknowTheplain，overwhichwesplashedthewholeofthefirstday，wascoveredwithwaterankledeep，andthickgrasswhichreachedabovethekneesIntheeveningwecametoanimmensewallofreeds，sixoreightfeethigh，withoutanyopeningadmittingofapassageWhenwetriedtoenter，thewateralwaysbecamesodeepthatwewerefaintodesist。
　　Weconcludedthatwehadcometothebanksoftheriverwewereinsearchof，sowedirectedourcoursetosometreeswhichappearedinthesouth，inordertogetabedandaviewoftheadjacentlocality。
　　Havingshotaleche，andmadeagloriousfire，wegotagoodcupofteaandhadacomfortablenightWhilecollectingwoodthatevening，Ifoundabird’snestconsistingofliveleavessewntogetherwiththreadsofthespider’swebNothingcouldexceedtheairinessofthisprettycontrivance；thethreadshadbeenpushedthroughsmallpuncturesandthickenedtoresembleaknot。
　　IunfortunatelylostitThiswasthesecondnestIhadseenresemblingthatofthetailor-birdofIndia。
　　Nextmorning，byclimbingthehighesttrees，wecouldseeafinelargesheetofwater，butsurroundedonallsidesbythesameimpenetrablebeltofreedsThisisthebroadpartoftheRiverChobe，andiscalledZabesaTwotree-coveredislandsseemedtobemuchnearertothewaterthantheshoreonwhichwewere，sowemadeanattempttogettothemfirstItwasnotthereedsalonewehadtopassthrough；apeculiarserratedgrass，whichatcertainanglescutthehandslikearazor，wasmingledwiththereed，andtheclimbingconvolvulus，withstalkswhichfeltasstrongaswhipcord，boundthemasstogetherWefeltlikepigmiesinit，andoftentheonlywaywecouldgetonwasbybothofusleaningagainstapartandbendingitdowntillwecouldstanduponitTheperspirationstreamedoffourbodies，andasthesunrosehigh，therebeingnoventilationamongthereeds，theheatwasstifling，andthewater，whichwasuptotheknees，feltagreeablyrefreshingAftersomehours’toilwereachedoneoftheislandsHerewemetanoldfriend，thebramble-bush。
　　Mystrongmoleskinswerequitewornthroughattheknees，andtheleathertrowsersofmycompanionweretornandhislegsbleeding。
　　Tearingmyhandkerchiefintwo，Itiedthepiecesroundmyknees，andthenencounteredanotherdifficultyWewerestillfortyorfiftyyardsfromtheclearwater，butnowwewereopposedbygreatmassesofpapyrus，whicharelikepalmsinminiature，eightortenfeethigh，andaninchandahalfindiameterThesewerelacedtogetherbytwiningconvolvulus，sostronglythattheweightofbothofuscouldnotmakewayintotheclearwaterAtlastwefortunatelyfoundapassagepreparedbyahippopotamusEagerassoonaswereachedtheislandtolookalongthevistatoclearwater，Isteppedinandfoundittookmeatonceuptotheneck。
　　Returningnearlywornout，weproceededupthebankoftheChobetillwecametothepointofdepartureofthebranchSanshureh；wethenwentintheoppositedirection，ordowntheChobe，thoughfromthehighesttreeswecouldseenothingbutonevastexpanseofreed，withhereandthereatreeontheislandsThiswasahardday’swork；andwhenwecametoadesertedBayeiyehutonanant-hill，notabitofwoodoranythingelsecouldbegotforafireexceptthegrassandsticksofthedwellingitself。
　　Idreadedthe“Tampans“，socommoninalloldhuts；butoutsideofitwehadthousandsofmosquitoes，andcolddewbegantobedeposited，sowewerefaintocrawlbeneathitsshelter。
　　Wewereclosetothereeds，andcouldlistentothestrangesoundswhichareoftenheardthereBydayIhadseenwater-snakesputtinguptheirheadsandswimmingaboutThereweregreatnumbersofotters`Lutrainunguis’，FCuvier，whichhavemadelittlespoorsallovertheplainsinsearchofthefishes，amongthetallgrassofthesefloodedprairies；curiousbirds，too，jerkedandwriggledamongthesereedymasses，andweheardhuman-likevoicesandunearthlysounds，withsplash，guggle，jupp，asifrarefunweregoingonintheiruncouthhauntsAtonetimesomethingcamenearus，makingasplashinglikethatofacanoeorhippopotamus；
　　thinkingittobetheMakololo，wegotup，listened，andshouted；
　　thendischargedagunseveraltimes；butthenoisecontinuedwithoutintermissionforanhourAfteradamp，coldnightwesetto，earlyinthemorning，atourworkofexploringagain，butleftthepontooninordertolightenourlaborTheant-hillsarehereveryhigh，somethirtyfeet，andofabasesobroadthattreesgrowonthem；
　　whilethelands，annuallyflooded，bearnothingbutgrass。
　　Fromoneoftheseant-hillswediscoveredaninlettotheChobe；
　　and，havinggonebackforthepontoon，welaunchedourselvesonadeepriver，herefromeightytoonehundredyardswideIgavemycompanionstrictinjunctionstostickbythepontoonincaseahippopotamusshouldlookatus；norwasthiscautionunnecessary，foronecameupatoursideandmadeadesperateplungeoff。
　　WehadpassedoverhimThewavehemadecausedthepontoontoglidequicklyawayfromhim。
　　WepaddledonfrommiddaytillsunsetTherewasnothingbutawallofreedoneachbank，andwesaweveryprospectofspendingasupperlessnightinourfloat；butjustastheshorttwilightofthesepartswascommencing，weperceivedonthenorthbankthevillageofMoremi，oneoftheMakololo，whoseacquaintanceIhadmadeonourformervisit，andwhowasnowlocatedontheislandMahontalat17d58’S。，long24d6’E。。
　　Thevillagerslookedaswemaysupposepeopledowhoseeaghost，andintheirfigurativewayofspeakingsaid，“Hehasdroppedamongusfromtheclouds，yetcameridingonthebackofahippopotamus！
　　WeMakololothoughtnoonecouldcrosstheChobewithoutourknowledge，butherehedropsamonguslikeabird。”
　　Nextdaywereturnedincanoesacrossthefloodedlands，andfoundthat，inourabsence，themenhadallowedthecattletowanderintoaverysmallpatchofwoodtothewestcontainingthetsetse；
　　thiscarelessnesscostmetenfinelargeoxenAfterremainingafewdays，someoftheheadmenoftheMakololocamedownfromLinyanti，withalargepartyofBarotse，totakeusacrosstheriver。
　　Thistheydidinfinestyle，swimminganddivingamongtheoxenmorelikealligatorsthanmen，andtakingthewagonstopiecesandcarryingthemacrossonanumberofcanoeslashedtogether。
　　Wewerenowamongfriends；sogoingaboutthirtymilestothenorth，inordertoavoidthestillfloodedlandsonthenorthoftheChobe，weturnedwestwardtowardLinyantilat18d17’20“S。，long23d50’9“E。，wherewearrivedonthe23dofMay，1853ThisisthecapitaltownoftheMakololo，andonlyashortdistancefromourwagon-standof1851
　　lat18d20’S。，long23d50’E。。