A large buffalo was wounded, and ran into the thickest part of the forest, bleeding profusely.  The young men went on his trail; and, though the vegetation was so dense that no one could have run more than a few yards, most of them went along quite carelessly, picking and eating a fruit of the melon family called Mponko.  When the animal heard them approach he always fled, shifting his stand and doubling on his course in the most cunning manner.  In other cases I have known them to turn back to a point a few yards from their own trail, and then lie down in a hollow waiting for the hunter to come up.  Though a heavy, lumbering-looking animal, his charge is then rapid and terrific.  More accidents happen by the buffalo and the black rhinoceros than by the lion.  Though all are aware of the mischievous nature of the buffalo when wounded, our young men went after him quite carelessly.  They never lose their presence of mind, but, as a buffalo charges back in a forest, dart dexterously out of his way behind a tree, and, wheeling round, stab him as he passes.

A tree in flower brought the pleasant fragrance of hawthorn hedges back to memory; its leaves, flowers, perfumes, and fruit resembled those of the hawthorn, only the flowers were as large as dog-roses, and the “haws” like boys’ marbles.  Here the flowers smell sweetly, while few in the south emit any scent at all, or only a nauseous odor.  A botanist would find a rich harvest on the banks of the Leeba.  This would be his best season, for the flowers all run rapidly to seed, and then insects of every shape spring into existence to devour them.  The climbing plants display great vigor of growth, being not only thick in the trunk, but also at the very point, in the manner of quickly-growing asparagus.  The maroro or malolo now appears, and is abundant in many parts between this and Angola.  It is a small bush with a yellow fruit, and in its appearance a dwarf “anona”.  The taste is sweet, and the fruit is wholesome:  it is full of seeds, like the custard-apple.

On the 28th we slept at a spot on the right bank from which had just emerged two broods of alligators.  We had seen many young ones as we came up, so this seems to be their time of coming forth from the nests, for we saw them sunning themselves on sand-banks in company with the old ones.  We made our fire in one of the deserted nests, which were strewed all over with the broken shells.  At the Zouga we saw sixty eggs taken out of one such nest alone.  They are about the size of those of a goose, only the eggs of the alligator are of the same diameter at both ends, and the white shell is partially elastic, from having a strong internal membrane and but little lime in its composition.  The distance from the water was about ten feet, and there were evidences of the same place having been used for a similar purpose in former years.  A broad path led up from the water to the nest, and the dam, it was said by my companions, after depositing the eggs, covers them