At last we fortunately found a passage prepared by a hippopotamus.

Eager as soon as we reached the island to look along the vista to clear water, I stepped in and found it took me at once up to the neck.
Returning nearly worn out, we proceeded up the bank of the Chobe till we came to the point of departure of the branch Sanshureh; we then went in the opposite direction, or down the Chobe, though from the highest trees we could see nothing but one vast expanse of reed, with here and there a tree on the islands.

This was a hard day's work; and when we came to a deserted Bayeiye hut on an ant-hill, not a bit of wood or any thing else could be got for a fire except the grass and sticks of the dwelling itself.

I dreaded the "Tampans", so common in all old huts; but outside of it we had thousands of mosquitoes, and cold dew began to be deposited, so we were fain to crawl beneath its shelter.
We were close to the reeds, and could listen to the strange sounds which are often heard there.

By day I had seen water-snakes putting up their heads and swimming about.