The Fruit Is Larger
Than Of That Species; It Is About Four Inches Long, And Has A Soft Yellow Pulp
Round The Kernel Or Seed; When Ripe, It Is Fluid And Stringy,
Like The Wild Mango, And Not Very Pleasant To Eat.
Before we came to the junction of the Leeba and Leeambye
we found the banks twenty feet high, and
Composed of marly sandstone.
They are covered with trees, and the left bank has the tsetse and elephants.
I suspect the fly has some connection with this animal,
and the Portuguese in the district of Tete must think so too,
for they call it the `Musca da elephant' (the elephant fly).
The water of inundation covers even these lofty banks, but does not stand long
upon them; hence the crop of trees. Where it remains for any length of time,
trees can not live. On the right bank, or that in which the Loeti flows,
there is an extensive flat country called Manga, which,
though covered with grass, is destitute in a great measure of trees.
Flocks of green pigeons rose from the trees as we passed along the banks,
and the notes of many birds told that we were now among
strangers of the feathered tribe. The beautiful trogon,
with bright scarlet breast and black back, uttered a most peculiar note,
similar to that we read of as having once been emitted by Memnon,
and likened to the tuning of a lyre. The boatmen answered it
by calling "Nama, nama!" - meat, meat - as if they thought
that a repetition of the note would be a good omen for our success in hunting.
Many more interesting birds were met; but I could make no collection,
as I was proceeding on the plan of having as little luggage as possible,
so as not to excite the cupidity of those through whose country
we intended to pass.
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