Chapter 7.

Departure from the Country of the Bakwains—­Large black Ant—­Land Tortoises—­Diseases of wild Animals—­Habits of old Lions—­Cowardice of the Lion—­Its Dread of a Snare—­Major Vardon’s Note—­The Roar of the Lion resembles the Cry of the Ostrich—­Seldom attacks full-grown Animals—­Buffaloes and Lions—­Mice—­Serpents—­Treading on one—­Venomous and harmless Varieties—­Fascination—­Sekomi’s Ideas of Honesty—­Ceremony of the Sechu for Boys—­The Boyale for young Women—­Bamangwato Hills—­The Unicorn’s Pass—­The Country beyond—­Grain—­Scarcity of Water—­Honorable Conduct of English Gentlemen—­Gordon Cumming’s hunting Adventures—­A Word of Advice for young Sportsmen—­Bushwomen drawing Water—­Ostrich—­Silly Habit—­Paces—­Eggs—­Food.

Having remained five days with the wretched Bakwains, seeing the effects of war, of which only a very inadequate idea can ever be formed by those who have not been eye-witnesses of its miseries, we prepared to depart on the 15th of January, 1853.  Several dogs, in better condition by far than any of the people, had taken up their residence at the water.  No one would own them; there they had remained, and, coming on the trail of the people, long after their departure from the scene of conflict, it was plain they had

“Held o’er the dead their carnival.”

Hence the disgust with which they were viewed.

On our way from Khopong, along the ancient river-bed which forms the pathway to Boatlanama, I found a species of cactus, being the third I have seen in the country, namely, one in the colony with a bright red flower, one at Lake Ngami, the flower of which was liver-colored, and the present one, flower unknown.  That the plant is uncommon may be inferred from the fact that the Bakwains find so much difficulty in recognizing the plant again after having once seen it, that they believe it has the power of changing its locality.

On the 21st of January we reached the wells of Boatlanama, and found them for the first time empty.  Lopepe, which I had formerly seen a stream running from a large reedy pool, was also dry.  The hot salt spring of Serinane, east of Lopepe, being undrinkable, we pushed on to Mashue for its delicious waters.  In traveling through this country, the olfactory nerves are frequently excited by a strong disagreeable odor.  This is caused by a large jet-black ant named “Leshonya”.  It is nearly an inch in length, and emits a pungent smell when alarmed, in the same manner as the skunk.  The scent must be as volatile as ether, for, on irritating the insect with a stick six feet long, the odor is instantly perceptible.