nk on which a large flock of ducks were seated. Leo and I
fired at the same time, and on landing we picked up a dozen ducks and
three geese which we had knocked over. Among them was a large black
goose, which we saw in great numbers walking slowly about and picking up
their food. The specimen we killed had a small black spur on its
shoulder--as has the armed plover--and as strong as that on the heel of
a cock; but the birds, it is said, never use them except in defence of
their young. They are said always to choose ant-hills for their nests.
The ants cannot hurt the eggs, and the material of which the hills are
composed assists probably in hatching the eggs, as the sand does those
of the ostrich.

I had hitherto held very little conversation with Mango. He had,
however, picked up enough English to make himself understood, and during
this trip I was able to ascertain some of his peculiar notions.

We kept for some time along the north shore of the lake. We were
nearing a point when we saw a beautiful water-antelope, known under the
name of _mochose_. Before I could stop him, Leo had lifted his rifle
and fired. The poor animal was hit, and, as is always the case, instead
of flying along the shore, leaped into the water and began to swim
across the lake. We immediately made chase, for though we had ducks
enough for food, venison was not to be despised. I saw Mango waving his
hands and muttering in a peculiar manner. The mochose swam well, but we
soon gained upon it; and I was anxious to put it out of its sufferings,
for a red mark which appeared in its wake showed that it must have been
badly wounded. Just as we neared it, a long snout projected above the
water. It was that of a crocodile. The next instant the poor mochose
and the hideous monster sank together. Mango uttered an expression of
disappointment; and when I questioned him, he said that he had been
praying to his fetish, who was himself a crocodile, that we might obtain
the venison, but that the fetish would not hear him.

"That is a curious sort of religion," observed Leo; "for to my certain
knowledge he and his father and brother supped off the crocodile Igubo
killed the other day, and still he worships the beast."

I have not before mentioned it, but we had tasted the flesh Leo spoke
of. It had a strong musky odour, which did not tempt us to try it
again; though I do not know what we should have done had we been pressed
by hunger. In a shor