oceeded along a branch instead of the main stream.
They believe that some of them possess a knowledge of the proper prayer
to lay the monster. It is strange to find fables similar to those of
the more northern nations even in the heart of Africa. Can they be the
vestiges of traditions of animals which no longer exist? The fossil
bones which lie in the calcareous tufa of this region will yet, we hope,
reveal the ancient fauna.

Having descended about ten miles, we came to the island of Nampene, at
the beginning of the rapids, where we were obliged to leave the canoes
and proceed along the banks on foot. The next evening we slept opposite
the island of Chondo, and, then crossing the Lekone or Lekwine, early
the following morning were at the island of Sekote, called Kalai. This
Sekote was the last of the Batoka chiefs whom Sebituane rooted out. The
island is surrounded by a rocky shore and deep channels, through which
the river rushes with great force. Sekote, feeling secure in his island
home, ventured to ferry over the Matebele enemies of Sebituane. When
they had retired, Sebituane made one of those rapid marches which he
always adopted in every enterprise. He came down the Leeambye from
Naliele, sailing by day along the banks, and during the night in the
middle of the stream, to avoid the hippopotami. When he reached Kalai,
Sekote took advantage of the larger canoes they employ in the rapids,
and fled during the night to the opposite bank. Most of his people were
slain or taken captive, and the island has ever since been under the
Makololo. It is large enough to contain a considerable town. On the
northern side I found the kotla of the elder Sekote, garnished with
numbers of human skulls mounted on poles: a large heap of the crania of
hippopotami, the tusks untouched except by time, stood on one side. At a
short distance, under some trees, we saw the grave of Sekote, ornamented
with seventy large elephants' tusks planted round it with the points
turned inward, and there were thirty more placed over the resting-places
of his relatives. These were all decaying from the effects of the sun
and weather; but a few, which had enjoyed the shade, were in a pretty
good condition. I felt inclined to take a specimen of the tusks of the
hippopotami, as they were the largest I had ever seen, but feared that
the people would look upon me as a "resurrectionist" if I did, and
regard any unfavorable event which might afterward occur as a