# Lake Ngami/Chapter 38

CHAPTER XXXVIII.
As we journeyed up the Teoge, we frequently observed crocodiles basking in the sun in the more secluded parts of the river. One day, while trying to trace a wounded ​antelope, I nearly trod on one of these monsters who was fast asleep. My foot was already descending on his tail before I was aware of him. Without daring to move, I gently raised the rifle to my shoulder, and, with a well-directed ball behind the ear, killed him on the spot.
One does not often hear of crocodiles in these parts seizing on human beings when immersed in water, which would seem to prove that these animals are "man-eaters" from the compulsion of hunger rather than from habit. Indeed, I have been assured by several persons that there is little danger of being attacked, provided one makes a great noise previously to entering the water. Accidents, however, do occur. Only a few years ago an English gentleman, Mr. R——, was carried off by one of these horrid creatures. He and his companion, Mr. M——, who told me the sad story, had encamped on the banks of the Zouga, and, as a number of water-fowl were seen disporting themselves on the stream, Mr. R—— proceeded there in the hope of obtaining a shot. He soon succeeded in killing several, and among the rest a Muscovy duck; but he was unable to secure it for want of a boat.
While looking about for a canoe, he observed a fine antelope approaching; and, running quickly toward the wagon, which was hard by, he called out to his men to bring him a rifle. On his return to the river, he found that the antelope had escaped. He then proceeded toward the spot whence he had shot at the duck, which was still floating on the surface. His companion having by this time joined him, he expressed his determination to possess the bird at any cost, and that he would swim after it. He confessed, however, that he felt some doubt about the safety of such a proceeding, adding that he had once been witness to the death of a man who was seized and destroyed by a shark alongside his own boat. Notwithstanding this (his own) opinion of the risk he was about to incur, and the warning of his friend, he undressed and plunged into the stream. Having swum a little ​distance, he was observed to throw himself on his back, as if startled at some object beneath him; but in another moment he was pursuing his course. When, however, he was about to lay his hands on the bird, his body was violently convulsed, and, throwing his arms on high, he uttered a most piercing shriek, after which he was seen to be gradually drawn under the surface, never to reappear!
On the ninth day after we had entered the Teoge we left the principal channel and passed into the Omoroanga (little river) Vavarra. This rivulet is merely one of the small branches of the main stream (formed by its overflowing its banks) so frequently met with, and which usually rejoin it after a day or two. The Omoroanga Vavarra is only navigable with canoes when the Teoge is at its greatest height, and even then the navigation is of the most intricate description. The boatmen, many of whom were born and bred in the neighborhood, constantly lose their way. We passed two nights on the Omoroanga, during which time we were exposed to much inconvenience and hardship.
Lecholètébè had placed two canoes at my disposal, but the rascally boatmen had by this time so filled them with their own things that no place was left for me. The consequence was, as the country was one succession of swamps, lakes, rivulets, and quagmires, I found myself early and late immersed in water, sometimes swimming, at others wading up to my neck. Indeed, from the time that I left my camp on the Zouga to my return to it, a period of about a month, I scarcely knew what it was to have a dry thread about me. The only time I could partially dry my clothes was at night along the bivouac-fire; but then I had to lie down wet. It would have been ruinous to any constitution not previously inured to hardships of all kinds.
​At length, and after about twelve days' voyaging, we reached a large village where the great chief of the Bayeye resided. This was a charming spot, and one to which the most skillful artist would have had some difficulty in doing justice. Located on a small island about two hundred feet long by one hundred in breadth, the village consisted of somewhat more than a hundred houses, standing in the midst of a beautiful group of elegant fan-palms, and some gigantic wild fruit-trees. At the foot of the werft, in a semicircle, the clear, transparent Teoge wound its meandering course. On every side, as far as the eye could reach, lay stretched a sea of fresh water, in many places concealed from sight by a covering of reeds and rushes of every shade and hue, while numerous islands, spread over its surface, and adorned with rich vegetation, gave to the whole an indescribably beautiful appearance. This was particularly the case at sunrise and sunset, when the luxuriant vegetation received additional charms by the brilliant but softened rays of a tropical sun.
I had been given to understand by Lecholètébè that the chief at whose werft I had now arrived was to have provided me with other men and other boats. To save time, as also in accordance with the men's own wishes, I sent my principal guide and others to inform the chieftain of my coming, requesting him to get every thing ready; but, on reaching the place the following day, I found, to my utter astonishment, that he, with all his people, had set out that very morning to hunt the sea-cow; and no one could, or rather would, inform me when the great man was likely to return.
It now occurred to me that I was deceived, and my suspicions at once fell upon Lecholètébè. Still, hoping I might be mistaken, I waited patiently for several days, but to no purpose. In the mean time, the women of the village had secretly informed Timbo, who, as usual, was a great favorite with the sex, that their husbands would to a certainty not return for a month, and that even then I could not expect ​to receive any assistance from them. I felt excessively mortified at being thus basely duped, and at once called on the only man left in the place, who, I was informed, was the chief's brother, and ordered him to tell me, without prevarication, the real state of the case. As I had suspected, Lecholètébè was at the bottom of the affair. The man declared he had no orders to furnish me with men and boats, but that, if I insisted on proceeding, he was to give a guide to the next tribe, whence I was to find my way to Libèbé as well as I could, well knowing that such an arrangement was quite incompatible with my designs.
It is impossible to describe my feelings at being thus baffled, as, from the success that had hitherto attended me, I had sanguinely hoped it would have been in my power fully to carry out all my plans. Here I was, in the midst of an inundated country of unknown extent, without men, without conveyances, without provisions—in short, without any thing necessary for such an expedition. Indeed, I was so completely at the mercy of the natives that I could not stir a step without their assistance. Nevertheless, rather than be thus foiled, I determined to risk the utmost, and directed the promised guide to appear without delay, declaring my intention of proceeding to Libèbé on foot. But it was quite clear they had resolved not to let me pass beyond them, for, though I waited several days more, the man was not forthcoming.
Finding remonstrances unavailing, I had no alternative but to retrace my steps, and, accordingly, I requested the temporary chief to prepare the canoes to convey me back to the Lake. This highly delighted and gratified the wily savage.
Mortified and annoyed at the shameful manner in which I had been treated, I was nevertheless glad to have come thus far. I had learned much in this short time (a summary of which will be given in the following chapters), which I could not have done had I remained at the Lake, to say nothing of the beautiful, diversified, and novel scenery which ​almost daily presented itself to the view, which alone was a sufficient reward for my troubles and anxieties.
REED-FERRY.