No great rise of the river is required to submerge the whole valley; a rise of ten feet above the present low-water mark would reach the highest point it ever attains, as seen in the markings of the bank on which stood Santuru's ancient capital, and two or three feet more would deluge all the villages.

This never happens, though the water sometimes comes so near the foundations of the huts that the people can not move outside the walls of reeds which encircle their villages.

When the river is compressed among the high rocky banks near Gonye, it rises sixty feet.
The influence of the partial obstruction it meets with there is seen in the more winding course of the river north of 16 Deg.; and when the swell gets past Katima-molelo, it spreads out on the lands on both banks toward Sesheke.
Santuru, at whose ancient granary we are staying, was a great hunter, and very fond of taming wild animals.

His people, aware of his taste, brought to him every young antelope they could catch, and, among other things, two young hippopotami.

These animals gamboled in the river by day, but never failed to remember to come up to Naliele for their suppers of milk and meal.