My chief object in coming to the lake was to visit Sebituane, the great chief of the Makololo, who was reported to live some two hundred miles beyond.  We had now come to a half-tribe of the Bamangwato, called Batauana.  Their chief was a young man named Lechulatebe.  Sebituane had conquered his father Moremi, and Lechulatebe received part of his education while a captive among the Bayeiye.  His uncle, a sensible man, ransomed him; and, having collected a number of families together, abdicated the chieftainship in favor of his nephew.  As Lechulatebe had just come into power, he imagined that the proper way of showing his abilities was to act directly contrary to every thing that his uncle advised.  When we came, the uncle recommended him to treat us handsomely, therefore the hopeful youth presented us with a goat only.  It ought to have been an ox.  So I proposed to my companions to loose the animal and let him go, as a hint to his master.  They, however, did not wish to insult him.  I, being more of a native, and familiar with their customs, knew that this shabby present was an insult to us.  We wished to purchase some goats or oxen; Lechulatebe offered us elephants’ tusks.  “No, we can not eat these; we want something to fill our stomachs.”  “Neither can I; but I hear you white men are all very fond of these bones, so I offer them; I want to put the goats into my own stomach.”  A trader, who accompanied us, was then purchasing ivory at the rate of ten good large tusks for a musket worth thirteen shillings.  They were called “bones”; and I myself saw eight instances in which the tusks had been left to rot with the other bones where the elephant fell.  The Batauana never had a chance of a market before; but, in less than two years after our discovery, not a man of them could be found who was not keenly alive to the great value of the article.

On the day after our arrival at the lake, I applied to Lechulatebe for guides to Sebituane.  As he was much afraid of that chief, he objected, fearing lest other white men should go thither also, and give Sebituane guns; whereas, if the traders came to him alone, the possession of fire-arms would give him such a superiority that Sebituane would be afraid of him.  It was in vain to explain that I would inculcate peace between them—­that Sebituane had been a father to him and Sechele, and was as anxious to see me as he, Lechulatebe, had been.  He offered to give me as much ivory as I needed without going to that chief; but when I refused to take any, he unwillingly consented to give me guides.  Next day, however, when Oswell and I were prepared to start, with the horses only, we received a senseless refusal; and like Sekomi, who had thrown obstacles in our way, he sent men to the Bayeiye with orders to refuse us a passage across the river.  Trying hard to form a raft at a narrow part, I worked many hours in the water; but the dry wood was so worm-eaten it would not bear the weight of a single person.  I was not then aware of the number of alligators which exist in the Zouga, and never think of my labor in the water without feeling thankful that I escaped their jaws.  The season was now far advanced; and as Mr. Oswell, with his wonted generous feelings, volunteered, on the spot, to go down to the Cape and bring up a boat, we resolved to make our way south again.