FlocksofgreenpigeonscomeinApriltofeedontheyoungfruitofthewildfig-trees，whichisalsoeatenbyalargespeciesofbatintheevenings。Theprettylittleblackweaver，withyellowshoulders，appearstoenjoylifeintenselyafterassuminghiswooingdress。A
heartybreakfastiseateninthemorningsandthencomethehoursformakingmerry。Aselectpartyofthreeorfourperchonthebusheswhichskirtasmallgrassyplain，andcheerthemselveswiththemusicoftheirownquietandself-complacentsong。Aplayfulperformanceonthewindsucceeds。Expandinghissoftvelvet-likeplumage，oneglideswithquiveringpinionstothecentreoftheopenspace，singingasheflies，thenturnswitharapidwhirringsoundfromhiswings——somewhatlikeachild\'srattle——andreturnstohisplaceagain。Onebyonetheothersperformthesamefeat，andcontinuethesportforhours，strivingwhichcanproducetheloudestbrattlewhileturning。Thesegamesareonlyplayedduringtheseasonofcourtingandofthegayfeathers；themerrimentseemsnevertobethoughtofwhilethebirdwearshiswintersuitofsoberbrown。
WereceivedtwomulesfromtheCapetoaidusintransportingthepiecesofthe\"LadyNyassa\"pastthecataractsandlandedthematShupanga，buttheysoonperished。APortuguesegentlemankindlyinformedus，AFTERboththemulesweredead，thatheknewtheywoulddie；forthelandtherehadbeenoftentried，andnothingwouldliveonit——notevenapig。Hesaidhehadnottoldussobefore，becausehedidnotliketoappearofficious!
Bythetimeeverythinghadbeenplacedonboardthe\"LadyNyassa，\"
thewatersoftheZambesiandtheShirehadfallensolowthatitwasuselesstoattempttakingheruptothecataractsbeforetherainsinDecember。Draughtoxenandprovisionsalsowererequired，andcouldnotbeobtainednearerthantheIslandofJohanna。ThePortuguese，withoutrefusingpositivelytolettradeentertheZambesi，threwimpedimentsintheway；theyonlywantedasmallduty!Theywereabouttoestablishariverpolice，andrearrangetheCrownlands，whichhavelongsincebecomeZululands；meanwhiletheyweremakingtheZambesi，byslaving，ofnovaluetoanyone。