ThebookwasavolumeofmyJournal；and，asIwasdetainedlongerthanIexpectedatLoanda，thisbook，withaletter，wasdeliveredbySekeletutoatrader，andIhavebeenunabletotraceitIregretthisnow，asitcontainedvaluablenotesonthehabitsofwildanimals，andtherequestwasmadeinthelettertoconveythevolumetomyfamily。
Theprospectofpassingawayfromthisfairandbeautifulworldthuscamebeforemeinaprettyplain，matter-of-factform，anditdidseemaseriousthingtoleavewifeandchildrentobreakupallconnectionwithearth，andenteronanuntriedstateofexistence；
andIfindmyselfinmyjournalponderingoverthatfearfulmigrationwhichlandsusineternity，wonderingwhetheranangelwillsoothetheflutteringsoul，sadlyflurriedasitmustbeonenteringthespiritworld，andhopingthatJesusmightspeakbutonewordofpeace，forthatwouldestablishinthebosomaneverlastingcalm。
ButasIhadalwaysbelievedthat，ifweserveGodatall，itoughttobedoneinamanlyway，Iwrotetomybrother，commendingourlittlegirltohiscare，asIwasdeterminedto“succeedorperish“intheattempttoopenupthispartofAfricaTheBoers，bytakingpossessionofallmygoods，hadsavedmethetroubleofmakingawill；and，consideringthelightheartnowleftinmybosom，andsomefainteffortstoperformthedutyofChristianforgiveness，Ifeltthatitwasbettertobetheplunderedpartythanoneoftheplunderers。
WhenIcommittedthewagonandremaininggoodstothecareoftheMakololo，theytookallthearticlesexceptoneboxintotheirhuts；
andtwowarriors，PonuaneandMahale，broughtforwardeachafineheifercalf。
Afterperforminganumberofwarlikeevolutions，theyaskedthechieftowitnesstheagreementmadebetweenthem，thatwhoeverofthetwoshouldkillaMatebelewarriorfirst，indefenseofthewagon，shouldpossessboththecalves。
Ihadthreemusketsformypeople，arifleanddouble-barreledsmooth-boreformyself；and，havingseensuchgreatabundanceofgameinmyvisittotheLeeba，IimaginedthatIcouldeasilysupplythewantsofmypartyWishingalsotoavoidthediscouragementwhichwouldnaturallybefeltonmeetinganyobstaclesifmycompanionswereobligedtocarryheavyloads，Itookonlyafewbiscuits，afewpoundsofteaandsugar，andabouttwentyofcoffee，which，astheArabsfind，thoughusedwithouteithermilkorsugar，isamostrefreshingbeverageafterfatigueorexposuretothesun。
Wecarriedonesmalltincanister，aboutfifteeninchessquare，filledwithspareshirting，trowsers，andshoes，tobeusedwhenwereachedcivilizedlife，andothersinabag，whichwereexpectedtowearoutontheway；anotherofthesamesizeformedicines；andathirdforbooks，mystockbeingaNauticalAlmanac，Thomson’sLogarithmTables，andaBible；
afourthboxcontainedamagiclantern，whichwefoundofmuchuse。
Thesextantandartificialhorizon，thermometer，andcompasseswerecarriedapartMyammunitionwasdistributedinportionsthroughthewholeluggage，sothat，ifanaccidentshouldbefallonepart，wecouldstillhaveotherstofallbackuponOurchiefhopesforfoodwereuponthat；butincaseoffailure，Itookabout20lbsofbeads，worth40s。，whichstillremainedofthestockIbroughtfromCapeTown，asmallgipsytent，justsufficienttosleepin，asheep-skinmantleasablanket，andahorse-rugasabedAsIhadalwaysfoundthattheartofsuccessfultravelconsistedintakingasfew“impedimenta“
aspossible，andnotforgettingtocarrymywitsaboutme，theoutfitwasratherspare，andintendedtobestillmoresowhenweshouldcometoleavethecanoesSomewouldconsideritinjudicioustoadoptthisplan，butIhadasecretconvictionthatifIdidnotsucceed，itwouldnotbeforwantofthe“knick-knacks“advertisedasindispensablefortravelers，butfromwantof“pluck“，orbecausealargearrayofbaggageexcitedthecupidityofthetribesthroughwhosecountrywewishedtopass。
TheinstrumentsIcarried，thoughfew，werethebestoftheirkind。
Asextant，bythefamedmakersTroughtonandSims，ofFleetStreet；
achronometerwatch，withastoptothesecondshand
anadmirablecontrivanceforenablingapersontotaketheexacttimeofobservations：itwasconstructedbyDent，oftheStrand61，fortheRoyalGeographicalSociety，andselectedfortheservicebythePresident，AdmiralSmythe，towhosejudgmentandkindnessIaminthisandothermattersdeeplyindebted。
ItwaspronouncedbyMrMacleartoequalmostchronometersinperformance。
FortheseexcellentinstrumentsIhavemuchpleasureinrecordingmyobligationstomygoodfriendColonelSteele，andatthesametimetoMrMaclearformuchofmyabilitytousethemBesidesthese，IhadathermometerbyDollond；acompassfromtheCapeObservatory，andasmallpocketoneinaddition；agoodsmalltelescopewithastandcapableofbeingscrewedintoatree。
11THOFNOVEMBER，1853LeftthetownofLinyanti，accompaniedbySekeletuandhisprincipalmen，toembarkontheChobe。
Thechiefcametotheriverinordertoseethatallwasrightatparting。
WecrossedfivebranchesoftheChobebeforereachingthemainstream：
thisramificationmustbethereasonwhyitappearedsosmalltoMrOswellandmyselfin1851Whenallthedepartingbranchesre-enter，itisalarge，deepriverThespotofembarkationwastheidenticalislandwherewemetSebituane，firstknownastheislandofMaunku，oneofhiswives。
Thechieflentmehisowncanoe，and，asitwasbroaderthanusual，Icouldturnaboutinitwithease。
TheChobeismuchinfestedbyhippopotami，and，ascertainelderlymalesareexpelledtheherd，theybecomesouredintheirtemper，andsomisanthropicastoattackeverycanoethatpassesnearthem。
Theherdisneverdangerous，exceptwhenacanoepassesintothemidstofitwhenallareasleep，andsomeofthemmaystrikethecanoeinterror。
Toavoidthis，itisgenerallyrecommendedtotravelbydaynearthebank，andbynightinthemiddleofthestreamAsarule，theseanimalsfleetheapproachofmanThe“solitaires“，however，frequentcertainlocalitieswellknowntotheinhabitantsonthebanks，and，liketherogueelephants，areextremelydangerousWecame，atthistime，toacanoewhichhadbeensmashedtopiecesbyablowfromthehindfootofoneofthem。
Iwasinformedbymymenthat，intheeventofasimilarassaultbeingmadeuponours，theproperwaywastodivetothebottomoftheriver，andholdonthereforafewseconds，becausethehippopotamus，afterbreakingacanoe，alwayslooksforthepeopleonthesurface，and，ifheseesnone，hesoonmovesoffIhaveseensomefrightfulgashesmadeonthelegsofthepeoplewhohavehadthemisfortunetobeattacked，andwereunabletodiveThisanimaluseshisteethasanoffensiveweapon，thoughheisquiteaherbivorousfeederOneofthese“bachelors“，livingneartheconfluence，actuallycameoutofhislair，and，puttinghisheaddown，ranaftersomeofourmenwhowerepassingwithveryconsiderablespeed。
ThepartoftherivercalledZabesa，orZabenza，isspreadoutlikealittlelake，surroundedonallsidesbydensemassesoftallreeds。
Theriverbelowthatisalwaysonehundredoronehundredandtwentyyardsbroad，deep，andneverdriesupsomuchastobecomefordable。
Atcertainparts，wherethepartialabsenceofreedsaffordsaviewoftheoppositebanks，theMakololohaveplacedvillagesofobservationagainsttheirenemiestheMatebeleWevisitedalltheseinsuccession，andfoundhere，aseverywhereintheMakololocountry，ordershadprecededus，“thatNakenyakemeansdoctormustnotbeallowedtobecomehungry。”
ThebanksoftheChobe，likethoseoftheZouga，areofsoftcalcareoustufa，andtheriverhascutoutforitselfadeep，perpendicular-sidedbed。
Wherethebanksarehigh，asatthespotwherethewagonsstoodin1851，theyarecoveredwithmagnificenttrees，thehabitatoftsetse，andtheretreatofvariousantelopes，wildhogs，zebras，buffaloes，andelephants。
Amongthetreesmaybeobservedsomespeciesofthe`FicusIndica’，light-greencoloredacacias，thesplendidmotsintsela，andevergreencypress-shapedmotsouriThefruitofthelast-namedwasripe，andthevillagerspresentedmanydishesofitsbeautifulpink-coloredplums；
theyareusedchieflytoformapleasantaciddrinkThemotsintselaisaveryloftytree，yieldingawoodofwhichgoodcanoesaremade；
thefruitisnutritiousandgood，but，likemanywildfruitsofthiscountry，thefleshypartsrequiretobeenlargedbycultivation：
itisnearlyallstone。
Thecourseoftheriverwefoundtobeextremelytortuous；somuchso，indeed，astocarryustoallpointsofthecompasseverydozenmiles。
SomeofuswalkedfromabendatthevillageofMoremitoanothernearlydueeastofthatpoint，insixhours，whilethecanoes，goingatmorethandoubleourspeed，tooktwelvetoaccomplishthevoyagebetweenthesametwoplacesAndthoughtheriverisfromthirteentofifteenfeetindepthatitslowestebb，andbroadenoughtoallowasteamertoplyuponit，thesuddennessofthebendingswouldpreventnavigation；but，shouldthecountryeverbecomecivilized，theChobewouldbeaconvenientnaturalcanalWespentforty-twoandahalfhours，paddlingattherateoffivemilesanhour，incomingfromLinyantitotheconfluence；therewefoundadikeofamygdaloidlyingacrosstheLeeambye。
Thisamygdaloidwithanalamiandmesotypecontainscrystals，whichthewatergraduallydissolves，leavingtherockwithaworm-eatenappearance。
Itiscurioustoobservethatthewaterflowingovercertainrocks，asinthisinstance，imbibesanappreciable，thoughnecessarilymostminute，portionofthemineralstheycontainThewateroftheChobeuptothispointisofadarkmossyhue，buthereitsuddenlyassumesalightertint；
andwhereverthislightcolorshowsagreateramountofmineral，therearenotmosquitoesenoughtocauseseriousannoyancetoanyexceptpersonsofveryirritabletemperaments。
ThelargeislandcalledMpariastandsattheconfluence。
Thisiscomposedoftrapzeolite，probablymesotypeofayoungeragethanthedeepstratumoftufainwhichtheChobehasformeditsbed，for，atthepointwheretheycometogether，thetufahasbeentransformedintosaccharoidlimestone。
Theactualpointofconfluenceofthesetworivers，theChobeandtheLeeambye，isilldefined，onaccountofeachdividingintoseveralbranchesastheyinosculate；butwhenthewholebodyofwatercollectsintoonebed，itisagoodlysightforonewhohasspentmanyyearsinthethirstysouthStandingononebank，eventhekeeneyeofthenativescannotdetectwhethertwolargeislands，afewmileseastofthejunction，aremainlandornotDuringaflightinformeryears，whenthepresentchiefSekomiwasachildinhismother’sarms，theBamangwatomenwereseparatedfromtheirwomen，andinveigledontooneoftheseislandsbytheMakalakachiefofMparia，onpretenseofferryingthemacrosstheLeeambyeTheywerelefttoperishafterseeingtheirwivestakenprisonersbythesecruellordsoftheLeeambye，andSekomiowedhislifetothecompassionofoneoftheBayeiye，who，pityingtheyoungchieftain，enabledhismothertomakeherescapebynight。
AfterspendingonenightattheMakololovillageonMparia，welefttheChobe，and，turninground，begantoascendtheLeeambye；onthe19thofNovemberweagainreachedthetownofSeshekeItstandsonthenorthbankoftheriver，andcontainsalargepopulationofMakalaka，underMoriantsane，brother-in-lawofSebituaneTherearepartiesofvarioustribeshere，assembledundertheirrespectiveheadmen，butafewMakololoruleoverall。
Theirsway，thoughessentiallydespotic，isconsiderablymodifiedbycertaincustomsandlawsOneoftheMakalakahadspearedanoxbelongingtooneoftheMakololo，and，beingunabletoextractthespear，wastherebydiscoveredtobetheperpetratorofthedeedHisobjecthadbeentogetashareofthemeat，asMoriantsaneisknowntobeliberalwithanyfoodthatcomesintohishandsTheculpritwasboundhandandfoot，andplacedinthesuntoforcehimtopayafine，buthecontinuedtodenyhisguiltHismother，believingintheinnocenceofherson，nowcameforward，withherhoeinhand，and，threateningtocutdownanyonewhoshoulddaretointerfere，untiedthecordswithwhichhehadbeenboundandtookhimhomeThisopendefianceofauthoritywasnotresentedbyMoriantsane，butreferredtoSekeletuatLinyanti。
Thefollowingcircumstance，whichhappenedherewhenIwaspresentwithSekeletu，showsthatthesimplemodeofpunishment，byforcingacriminaltoworkoutafine，didnotstriketheMakololominduntilnow。
AstrangerhavingvisitedSeshekeforthepurposeofbarter，wasrobbedbyoneoftheMakalakaofmostofhisgoodsThethief，whencaught，confessedthetheft，andthathehadgiventhearticlestoapersonwhohadremovedtoadistanceTheMakololoweremuchenragedattheideaoftheirgoodnamebeingcompromisedbythistreatmentofastranger。