The head man of this village, Majane, seemed a little wanting in ability, but had had wit enough to promote a younger member of the family to the office.

This person, the most like the ugly negro of the tobacconists' shops I ever saw, was called Moroa Majane, or son of Majane, and proved an active guide across the River Sonta, and to the banks of the Chobe, in the country of Sebituane.

We had come through another tsetse district by night, and at once passed our cattle over to the northern bank to preserve them from its ravages.
A few remarks on the Tsetse, or 'Glossina morsitans', may here be appropriate.

It is not much larger than the common house-fly, and is nearly of the same brown color as the common honey-bee; the after part of the body has three or four yellow bars across it; the wings project beyond this part considerably, and it is remarkably alert, avoiding most dexterously all attempts to capture it with the hand at common temperatures; in the cool of the mornings and evenings it is less agile.
Its peculiar buzz when once heard can never be forgotten by the traveler whose means of locomotion are domestic animals; for it is well known that the bite of this poisonous insect is certain death to the ox, horse, and dog.

In this journey, though we were not aware of any great number having at any time lighted on our cattle, we lost forty-three fine oxen by its bite.