CHAPTER 14.
Increasing Beauty of the Country--Mode of spending the Day--The People and the Falls of Gonye--A Makololo Foray--A second prevented, and Captives delivered up--Politeness and Liberality of the People-- The Rains--Present of Oxen--The fugitive Barotse--Sekobinyane's Misgovernment--Bee-eaters and other Birds--Fresh-water Sponges--Current--Death from a Lion's Bite at Libonta--Continued Kindness--Arrangements for spending the Night during the Journey--Cooking and Washing--Abundance of animal Life--Different Species of Birds--Water-fowl--Egyptian Geese--Alligators--Narrow Escape of one of my Men--Superstitious Feelings respecting the Alligator--Large Game--The most vulnerable Spot--Gun Medicine--A Sunday--Birds of Song--Depravity; its Treatment--Wild Fruits--Green Pigeons--Shoals of Fish--Hippopotami.
30TH OF NOVEMBER, 1853.

At Gonye Falls.

No rain has fallen here, so it is excessively hot.

The trees have put on their gayest dress, and many flowers adorn the landscape, yet the heat makes all the leaves droop at midday and look languid for want of rain.

If the country increases as much in beauty in front as it has done within the last four degrees of latitude, it will be indeed a lovely land.
We all felt great lassitude in traveling.