Deepfissuresaremade，probablybytheelevationoftheland，proofsofwhichareseeninmodernshellsimbeddedinmarlytufaallroundthecoast-lineWhetherthisprocessofdesiccationisasrapidthroughoutthecontinentas，inalettertothelateDeanBuckland，in1843，IshowedtohavebeenthecaseintheBechuanacountry，itisnotformetosay；but，thoughthereisaslighttraditionofthewatershavingburstthroughthelowhillssouthoftheBarotse，thereisnoneofasuddenupheavalaccompaniedbyanearthquake。
TheformationofthecrackofMosioatunyaisperhapstooancientforthat；
yet，althoughinformationofanyremarkableeventisoftentransmittedinthenativenames，andtheyevenretainatraditionwhichlookslikethestoryofSolomonandtheharlots，thereisnotanamelikeTomEarthquakeorSamShake-the-groundinthewholecountry。
TheyhaveatraditionwhichmayrefertothebuildingoftheTowerofBabel，butitendsintheboldbuildersgettingtheircrownscrackedbythefallofthescaffolding；andthattheycameoutofacavecalled“Loey“Noe？incompanywiththebeasts，andallpointtoitinonedirection，viz。，theN。N。ELoey，too，isanexceptioninthelanguage，astheyusemasculineinsteadofneuterpronounstoit。
Ifwetakeaglancebackatthegreatvalley，theformtherivershavetakenimpartstheideaofalakeslowlydrainedout，fortheyhavecutoutforthemselvesbedsexactlylikewhatwemayseeinthesoftmudofashallowpoolofrain-water，whenthatisletoffbyafurrow。
Thisideawouldprobablynotstrikeapersononcomingfirstintothecountry，butmoreextensiveacquaintancewiththeriversystemcertainlywouldconveytheimpressionNoneoftheriversinthevalleyoftheLeeambyehaveslopesdowntotheirbedsIndeed，manypartsaremuchliketheThamesattheIsleofDogs，onlytheLeeambyehastorisetwentyorthirtyfeetbeforeitcanoverflowsomeofitsmeadowsTherivershaveeachabedoflowwaterasimplefurrowcutsharplyoutofthecalcareoustufawhichlinedthechanneloftheancientlakeandanotherofinundation。
Whenthebedsofinundationarefilled，theyassumetheappearanceofchainsoflakesWhentheClydefillstheholms“haughs“
aboveBothwellBridgeandretiresagainintoitschannel，itresemblestheriverwearespeakingof，onlyheretherearenohighlandsslopingdowntowardthebedofinundation，forthegreaterpartoftheregionisnotelevatedfiftyfeetabovethemEventherockybanksoftheLeeambyebelowGonye，andtheridgesboundingtheBarotsevalley，arenotmorethantwoorthreehundredfeetinaltitudeoverthegeneraldeadlevelManyoftheriversareverytortuousintheircourse，theChobeandSimahparticularlyso；and，ifwemayreceivethetestimonyofthenatives，theyformwhatanatomistscall`anastamosis’，oranetworkofriversThus，forinstance，theyassuredmethatiftheygouptheSimahinacanoe，theycanentertheChobe，anddescendthatrivertotheLeeambye；ortheymaygouptheKamaandcomedowntheSimah；andsointhecaseoftheKafue。
ItisreputedtobeconnectedinthiswaywiththeLeeambyeinthenorth，andtopartwiththeLoangwa；andtheMakololowentfromtheoneintotheotherincanoesAndeventhoughtheinterlacingmaynotbequitetotheextentbelievedbythenatives，thecountryissolevelandtheriverssotortuousthatIseenoimprobabilityintheconclusionthathereisanetworkofwatersofaverypeculiarnature。
ThereasonwhyIamdisposedtoplaceacertainamountofconfidenceinthenativereportsisthis：whenMrOswellandIdiscoveredtheZambesiinthecentreofthecontinentin1851，beingunabletoascenditatthetimeourselves，weemployedthenativestodrawamapembodyingtheirideasofthatriverWethensentthenativemaphomewiththesameviewthatInowmentiontheirideasoftheriversystem，namely，inordertobeanaidtoothersinfartherinvestigations。
WhenIwasabletoascendtheLeeambyeto14Degsouth，andsubsequentlydescendit，Ifound，afterallthecareIcouldbestow，thatthealterationsIwasabletomakeintheoriginalnativeplanwereverytriflingThegeneralideatheirmapgavewaswonderfullyaccurate；
andnowIgive，inthelargermapappended，theirviewsoftheotherrivers，inthehopethattheymayprovehelpfultoanytravelerwhomaypursuetheinvestigationfarther。
24THWeremainedadayatthevillageofMoyaraHerethevalleyinwhichtheLekoneflowstrendsawaytotheeastward，whileourcourseismoretothenortheastThecountryisrockyandrough，thesoilbeingredsand，whichiscoveredwithbeautifulgreentrees，yieldingabundanceofwildfruitsThefatherofMoyarawasapowerfulchief，butthesonnowsitsamongtheruinsofthetown，withfourorfivewivesandveryfewpeopleAthishamletanumberofstakesareplantedintheground，andIcountedfifty-fourhumanskullshungontheirpointsThesewereMatebele，who，unabletoapproachSebituaneontheislandofLoyela，hadreturnedsickandfamishingMoyara’sfathertookadvantageoftheirreducedcondition，andafterputtingthemtodeath，mountedtheirheadsintheBatokafashionTheoldmanwhoperpetratedthisdeednowliesinthemiddleofhisson’shuts，withalotofrottenivoryoverhisgraveOnecannothelpfeelingthankfulthatthereignofsuchwretchesisoverTheyinhabitedthewholeofthissideofthecountry，andwereprobablythebarriertotheextensionofthePortuguesecommerceinthisdirectionWhenlookingattheseskulls，IremarkedtoMoyarathatmanyofthemwerethoseofmereboysHeassentedreadily，andpointedthemoutassuchIaskedwhyhisfatherhadkilledboys“Toshowhisfierceness。”wastheanswer。
“Isitfiercenesstokillboys？”“Yes；theyhadnobusinesshere。”
WhenItoldhimthatthisprobablywouldinsurehisowndeathiftheMatebelecameagain，hereplied，“WhenIhearoftheircomingIshallhidethebones。”
Hewasevidentlyproudofthesetrophiesofhisfather’sferocity，andIwasassuredbyotherBatokathatfewstrangerseverreturnedfromavisittothisquarterIfamanwishedtocurryfavorwithaBatokachief，heascertainedwhenastrangerwasabouttoleave，andwaylaidhimatadistancefromthetown，andwhenhebroughthisheadbacktothechief，itwasmountedasatrophy，thedifferentchiefsvieingwitheachotherastowhichshouldmountthegreatestnumberofskullsinhisvillage。
If，ashasbeenasserted，thePortugueseeverhadachainoftradingstationsacrossthecountryfromCacondatoTete，itmusthavepassedthroughthesepeople；butthetotalignoranceoftheZambesiflowingfromnorthtosouthinthecentreofthecountry，andthewantofknowledgeoftheastonishingfallsofVictoria，whichexcitethewonderofeventhenatives，togetherwiththeabsenceofanytraditionofsuchachainofstations，compelmetobelievethattheyexistedonlyonpaperThisconvictionisstrengthenedbythefactthatwhenalateattemptwasmadetoclaimthehonorofcrossingthecontinentforthePortuguese，theonlyproofadvancedwasthejourneyoftwoblacktradersformerlymentioned，adornedwiththenameof“Portuguese“。
Ifachainofstationshadexisted，afewhundrednamesofthesamesortmighteasilyhavebeenbroughtforward；andsuchistheloveofbarteramongallthecentralAfricans，that，hadthereexistedamarketforivory，itsvaluewouldhavebecomeknown，andeventhatonthegravesofthechiefswouldnothavebeensafe。
WhenabouttoleaveMoyaraonthe25th，hebroughtarootwhich，whenpoundedandsprinkledovertheoxen，isbelievedtodisgustthetsetse，sothatitfliesoffwithoutsuckingthebloodHepromisedtoshowmetheplantortreeifIwouldgivehimanox；but，asweweretraveling，andcouldnotaffordthetimerequiredfortheexperiment，soasnottobecheatedasIhadtoooftenbeenbymymedicalfriends，IdeferredtheinvestigationtillIreturnedItisprobablybutanevanescentremedy，andcapableofrenderingthecattlesafeduringonenightonlyMoyaraisnowquiteadependentoftheMakololo，andmynewparty，notbeingthoroughlydrilled，forcedhimtocarryatuskforthemWhenIrelievedhim，hepouredforthashowerofthanksatbeingallowedtogobacktosleepbeneathhisskulls。
NextdaywecametoNamilanga，or“TheWellofJoy“Itisasmallwelldugbeneathaverylargefig-tree，theshadeofwhichrendersthewaterdelightfullycoolThetemperaturethroughthedaywas104Degintheshadeand94Degaftersunset，buttheairwasnotatalloppressive。
Thiswellreceiveditsnamefromthefactthat，informertimes，maraudingparties，inreturningwithcattle，satdownhereandwereregaledwithboyaloa，music，andthelullilooingofthewomenfromtheadjacenttowns。
Allthesurroundingcountrywasformerlydenselypeopled，thoughnowdesolateandstillTheoldheadmanoftheplacetoldusthathisfatheroncewenttoBambala，wherewhitetraderslived，whenourinformantwasachild，andreturnedwhenhehadbecomeaboyofabouttenyearsHewentagain，andreturnedwhenitwastimetoknockouthisson’steethAsthattakesplaceattheageofpuberty，hemusthavespentatleastfiveyearsineachjourneyHeaddedthatmanywhowentthereneverreturned，becausetheylikedthatcountrybetterthanthisTheyhadevenforsakentheirwivesandchildren；
andchildrenhadbeensoenticedandflatteredbythefinerybestoweduponthemthere，thattheyhaddisownedtheirparentsandadoptedothers。
Theplacetowhichtheyhadgone，whichtheynamedBambala，wasprobablyDambarari，whichwassituatedclosetoZumbo。
Thiswasthefirstintimationwehadofintercoursewiththewhites。
TheBarotse，andalltheothertribesinthecentralvalley，havenosuchtraditionasthis，norhaveeithertheoneortheotheranyaccountofatrader’svisittotheminancienttimes。
AlltheBatokatribesfollowthecuriouscustomofknockingouttheupperfrontteethattheageofpubertyThisisdonebybothsexes；
andthoughtheunderteeth，beingrelievedfromtheattritionoftheupper，growlongandsomewhatbentout，andtherebycausetheunderliptoprotrudeinamostunsightlyway，noyoungwomanthinksherselfaccomplisheduntilshehasgotridoftheupperincisorsThiscustomgivesalltheBatokaanuncouth，old-man-likeappearanceTheirlaughishideous，yettheyaresoattachedtoitthatevenSebituanewasunabletoeradicatethepracticeHeissuedordersthatnoneofthechildrenlivingunderhimshouldbesubjectedtothecustombytheirparents，anddisobediencetohismandateswasusuallypunishedwithseverity；
but，notwithstandingthis，thechildrenwouldappearinthestreetswithouttheirincisors，andnoonewouldconfesstothedeed。
Whenquestionedrespectingtheoriginofthispractice，theBatokareplythattheirobjectistobelikeoxen，andthosewhoretaintheirteeththeyconsidertoresemblezebrasWhetherthisisthetruereasonornot，itisdifficulttosay；butitisnoticeablethatthevenerationforoxenwhichprevailsinmanytribesshouldherebeassociatedwithhatredtothezebra，asamongtheBakwains；thatthisoperationisperformedatthesameagethatcircumcisionisinothertribes；
andthatherethatceremonyisunknownThecustomissouniversalthatapersonwhohashisteethisconsideredugly，andoccasionally，whentheBatokaborrowedmylooking-glass，thedisparagingremarkwouldbemaderespectingboysorgirlswhostillretainedtheirteeth，“Lookatthegreatteeth！”SomeoftheMakolologiveamorefacetiousexplanationofthecustom：theysaythatthewifeofachiefhavinginaquarrelbittenherhusband’shand，he，inrevenge，orderedherfrontteethtobeknockedout，andallthemeninthetribefollowedhisexample；butthisdoesnotexplainwhytheyafterwardknockedouttheirown。
TheBatokaoftheZambesiaregenerallyverydarkincolor，andverydegradedandnegro-likeinappearance，whilethosewholiveonthehighlandswearenowascendingarefrequentlyofthecolorofcoffeeandmilk。
WehadalargenumberoftheBatokaofMokwineinourparty，sentbySekeletutocarryhistusksTheirgreaterdegradationwasprobablycausedbythetreatmentoftheirchiefsthebarbariansoftheislands。
Ifoundthemmoredifficulttomanagethananyoftherestofmycompanions，beingmuchlessreasonableandimpressiblethantheothers。
Mypartyconsistedoftheheadmenaforementioned，Sekwebu，andKanyata。
WewerejoinedatthefallsbyanotherheadmanoftheMakololo，namedMonahin，incommandoftheBatokaWehadalsosomeoftheBanajoaunderMosisinyane，and，lastofall，asmallpartyofBashubiaandBarotseunderTubaMokoro，whichhadbeenfurnishedbySekeletubecauseoftheirabilitytoswimTheycarriedtheirpaddleswiththem，and，astheMakololosuggested，wereabletoswimovertheriversbynightandstealcanoes，iftheinhabitantsshouldbesounreasonableastorefusetolendthemThesedifferentpartiesassortedtogetherintomesses；
anyordersweregiventhroughtheirheadman，andwhenfoodwasobtainedhedistributedittothemessEachpartyknewitsownspotintheencampment；andasthiswasalwaysplacedsothatourbacksshouldbetotheeast，thedirectionfromwhencetheprevailingwindscame，notimewaslostinfixingtheshedsofourencampmentTheyeachtookitinturntopullgrasstomakemybed，soIlayluxuriously。
NOVEMBER26THAstheoxencouldonlymoveatnight，inconsequenceofafearthatthebuffaloesinthisquartermighthaveintroducedthetsetse，Iusuallyperformedthemarchbydayonfoot，whilesomeofthemenbroughtontheoxenbynight。