The Rapids Are Caused By Rocks Of Dark Brown Trap, Or Of Hardened Sandstone,
Stretching Across The Stream.
In some places they form
miles of flat rocky bottom, with islets covered with trees.
At the cataracts noted
In the map, the fall is from four to six feet,
and, in guiding up the canoe, the stem goes under the water,
and takes in a quantity before it can attain the higher level.
We lost many of our biscuits in the ascent through this.
These rocks are covered with a small, hard aquatic plant, which,
when the surface is exposed, becomes dry and crisp, crackling under the foot
as if it contained much stony matter in its tissue. It probably assists
in disintegrating the rocks; for, in parts so high as not to be much exposed
to the action of the water or the influence of the plant,
the rocks are covered with a thin black glaze.
In passing along under the overhanging trees of the banks,
we often saw the pretty turtle-doves sitting peacefully on their nests
above the roaring torrent. An ibis* had perched her home
on the end of a stump. Her loud, harsh scream of "Wa-wa-wa",
and the piping of the fish-hawk, are sounds which can never be forgotten
by any one who has sailed on the rivers north of 20 Deg. south.
If we step on shore, the `Charadrius caruncula', a species of plover,
a most plaguy sort of "public-spirited individual", follows you,
flying overhead, and is most persevering in its attempts to give fair warning
to all the animals within hearing to flee from the approaching danger.
The alarm-note, "tinc-tinc-tinc", of another variety of the same family
(`Pluvianus armatus' of Burchell) has so much of a metallic ring,
that this bird is called "setula-tsipi", or hammering-iron.
It is furnished with a sharp spur on its shoulder, much like that
on the heel of a cock, but scarcely half an inch in length.
Conscious of power, it may be seen chasing the white-necked raven
with great fury, and making even that comparatively large bird
call out from fear. It is this bird which is famed for its friendship
with the crocodile of the Nile by the name `siksak', and which Mr. St. John
actually saw performing the part of toothpicker to the ugly reptile.
They are frequently seen on the sand-banks with the alligator,
and, to one passing by, often appear as if on that reptile's back;
but I never had the good fortune to witness the operation described
not only by St. John and Geoffrey St. Hilaire, but also by Herodotus.
However, that which none of these authors knew my head boatman, Mashauana,
stopped the canoe to tell us, namely, that a water-turtle which,
in trying to ascend a steep bank to lay her eggs, had toppled on her back,
thus enabling us to capture her, was an infallible omen of good luck
for our journey.
-
* The `Hagidash', Latham; or `Tantalus capensis' of Lich.
-
Among the forest-trees which line the banks of the rocky parts of the Leeambye
several new birds were observed. Some are musical, and the songs
are pleasant in contrast with the harsh voice of the little green,
yellow-shouldered parrots of the country. There are also great numbers
of jet-black weavers, with yellowish-brown band on the shoulders.
Here we saw, for the first time, a pretty little bird, colored dark blue,
except the wings and tail, which were of a chocolate hue.
From the tail two feathers are prolonged beyond the rest six inches.
Also, little birds colored white and black, of great vivacity,
and always in companies of six or eight together, and various others.
From want of books of reference, I could not decide whether they were
actually new to science.
Francolins and Guinea-fowl abound along the banks; and on every dead tree
and piece of rock may be seen one or two species of the web-footed `Plotus',
darter, or snake-bird. They sit most of the day sunning themselves
over the stream, sometimes standing erect with their wings outstretched;
occasionally they may be seen engaged in fishing by diving,
and, as they swim about, their bodies are so much submerged
that hardly any thing appears above the water but their necks.
The chief time of feeding is by night, and, as the sun declines,
they may be seen in flocks flying from their roosting-places
to the fishing-grounds. This is a most difficult bird to catch when disabled.
It is thoroughly expert in diving - goes down so adroitly and comes up again
in the most unlikely places, that the people, though most skillful
in the management of the canoes, can rarely secure them.
The rump of the darter is remarkably prolonged, and capable of being bent,
so as to act both as a rudder in swimming, and as a lever to lift the bird
high enough out of the water to give free scope to its wings.
It can rise at will from the water by means of this appendage.
The fine fish-hawk, with white head and neck, and reddish-chocolate
colored body, may also frequently be seen perched on the trees,
and fish are often found dead which have fallen victims to its talons.
One most frequently seen in this condition is itself a destroyer of fish.
It is a stout-bodied fish, about fifteen or eighteen inches long,
of a light yellow color, and gayly ornamented with stripes and spots.
It has a most imposing array of sharp, conical teeth outside the lips -
objects of dread to the fisherman, for it can use them effectually.
One which we picked up dead had killed itself by swallowing another fish,
which, though too large for its stomach and throat, could not be disgorged.
This fish-hawk generally kills more prey than it can devour.
It eats a portion of the back of the fish, and leaves the rest
for the Barotse, who often had a race across the river
when they saw an abandoned morsel lying on the opposite sand-banks.
The hawk is, however, not always so generous, for, as I myself was a witness
on the Zouga, it sometimes plunders the purse of the pelican.
Soaring over head, and seeing this large, stupid bird fishing beneath,
it watches till a fine fish is safe in the pelican's pouch;
then descending, not very quickly, but with considerable noise of wing,
the pelican looks up to see what is the matter, and, as the hawk comes near,
he supposes that he is about to be killed, and roars out "Murder!"
The opening of his mouth enables the hawk to whisk the fish out of the pouch,
upon which the pelican does not fly away, but commences fishing again,
the fright having probably made him forget he had any thing in his purse.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 103 of 295
Words from 106053 to 107216
of 306638
