Ourguide，Ramotobi，whohadspenthisyouthintheDesert，declaredthat，thoughappearanceswereagainstus，therewasplentyofwaterathand。
　　Wehadourmisgivings，forthespadesweresoonproduced；
　　butourguides，despisingsuchnew-fangledaid，beganingoodearnesttoscrapeoutthesandwiththeirhandsTheonlywaterwehadanypromiseofforthenextseventymilesthatis，forajourneyofthreedayswiththewagonswastobegothereBytheaidofbothspadesandfingerstwooftheholeswereclearedout，soastoformpitssixfeetdeepandaboutasmanybroadOurguideswereespeciallyearnestintheirinjunctionstousnottobreakthroughthehardstratumofsandatthebottom，becausetheyknew，ifitwerebrokenthrough，“thewaterwouldgoaway。”Theyarequitecorrect，forthewaterseemstolieonthisflooringofincipientsandstoneThevalueoftheadvicewasprovedinthecaseofanEnglishmanwhosewitswerenoneofthebrightest，who，disregardingit，dugthroughthesandystratuminthewellsatMohotluani：
　　thewaterimmediatelyflowedawaydownward，andthewellbecameuseless。
　　Whenwecametothestratum，wefoundthatthewaterflowedinonallsidesclosetothelinewherethesoftsandcameincontactwithit。
　　Allowingittocollect，wehadenoughforthehorsesthatevening；
　　butastherewasnotsufficientfortheoxen，wesentthembacktoLobotani，where，afterthirstingfourfulldaysninety-sixhours，theygotagoodsupplyThehorseswerekeptbyusasnecessarytoprocuregameforthesustenanceofournumerousparty。
　　Nextmorningwefoundthewaterhadflowedinfasterthanatfirst，asitinvariablydoesinthesereservoirs，owingtothepassageswideningbytheflowLargequantitiesofthesandcomeintothewellwiththewater，andinthecourseofafewdaysthesupply，whichmaybeequaltothewantsofafewmenonly，becomessufficientforoxenaswell。
　　Inthesesucking-placestheBakalaharigettheirsupplies；
　　andastheyaregenerallyinthehollowsofancientriver-beds，theyareprobablythedepositsfromrainsgravitatingthither；
　　insomecasestheymaybetheactualfountains，which，thoughformerlysupplyingtheriver’sflow，nownolongerrisetothesurface。
　　Here，thoughthewaterwasperfectlyinaccessibletoelands，largenumbersofthesefineanimalsfedaroundus；and，whenkilled，theywerenotonlyingoodcondition，buttheirstomachsactuallycontainedconsiderablequantitiesofwater。
　　Iexaminedcarefullythewholealimentarycanal，inordertoseeiftherewereanypeculiaritywhichmightaccountforthefactthatthisanimalcansubsistformonthstogetherwithoutdrinking，butfoundnothingOtheranimals，suchastheduiker`Cephalopusmergens’
　　orputioftheBechuanas，thesteinbuck`Tragulusrupestris’
　　orpuruhuru，thegemsbuck`Oryxcapensis’orkukama，andtheporcupine`Hystrixcristata’，areallabletosubsistwithoutwaterformanymonthsatatimebylivingonbulbsandtuberscontainingmoisture。
　　Theyhavesharp-pointedhoofswelladaptedfordigging，andthereislittledifficultyincomprehendingtheirmodeofsubsistence。
　　Someanimals，ontheotherhand，areneverseenbutinthevicinityofwater。
　　Thepresenceoftherhinoceros，ofthebuffaloandgnu`Catoblepasgnu’，ofthegiraffe，thezebra，andpallah`Antilopemelampus’，isalwaysacertainindicationofwaterbeingwithinadistanceofsevenoreightmiles；
　　butonemayseehundredsofelands`Boselaphusoreas’，gemsbuck，thetoloorkoodoo`Strepsiceroscapensis’，alsospringbucks`Gazellaeuchore’andostriches，withoutbeingwarrantedtherebyininferringthepresenceofwaterwithinthirtyorfortymilesIndeed，thesleek，fatconditionoftheelandinsuchcircumstanceswouldnotremovetheapprehensionofperishingbythirstfromthemindofevenanativeIbelieve，however，thattheseanimalscansubsistonlywherethereissomemoistureinthevegetationonwhichtheyfeed；forinoneyearofunusualdroughtwesawherdsofelandsandflocksofostrichescrowdingtotheZougafromtheDesert，andverymanyofthelatterwerekilledinpitfallsonthebanks。
　　Aslongasthereisanysapinthepasturagetheyseldomneedwater。
　　Butshouldatravelerseethe“spoor“ofarhinoceros，orbuffalo，orzebra，hewouldatoncefollowitup，wellassuredthatbeforehehadgonemanymileshewouldcertainlyreachwater。
　　IntheeveningofourseconddayatSerotli，ahyaena，appearingsuddenlyamongthegrass，succeededinraisingapanicamongourcattle。
　　ThisfalsemodeofattackistheplanwhichthiscowardlyanimalalwaysadoptsHiscourageresemblescloselythatofaturkey-cock。
　　Hewillbite，ifananimalisrunningaway；butiftheanimalstandstill，sodoesheSeventeenofourdraughtoxenranaway，andintheirflightwentrightintothehandsofSekomi，whom，fromhisbeingunfriendlytooursuccess，wehadnoparticularwishtoseeCattle-stealing，suchasinthecircumstancesmighthaveoccurredinCaffraria，ishereunknown；soSekomisentbackouroxen，andamessagestronglydissuadingusagainstattemptingtheDesert。
　　“Whereareyougoing？Youwillbekilledbythesunandthirst，andthenallthewhitemenwillblamemefornotsavingyou。”
　　Thiswasbackedbyaprivatemessagefromhismother“Whydoyoupassme？
　　Ialwaysmadethepeoplecollecttohearthewordthatyouhavegot。
　　WhatguilthaveI，thatyoupasswithoutlookingatme？”Werepliedbyassuringthemessengersthatthewhitemenwouldattributeourdeathstoourownstupidityand“hard-headedness“tlogo，ethata，“aswedidnotintendtoallowourcompanionsandguidestoreturntilltheyhadputusintoourgraves。”WesentahandsomepresenttoSekomi，andapromisethat，ifheallowedtheBakalaharitokeepthewellsopenforus，wewouldrepeatthegiftonourreturn。
　　Afterexhaustingallhiseloquenceinfruitlessattemptstopersuadeustoreturn，theunder-chief，whoheadedthepartyofSekomi’smessengers，inquired，“Whoistakingthem？”Lookinground，heexclaimed，withafaceexpressiveofthemostunfeigneddisgust，“ItisRamotobi！”
　　OurguidebelongedtoSekomi’stribe，buthadfledtoSechele；
　　asfugitivesinthiscountryarealwayswellreceived，andmayevenafterwardvisitthetribefromwhichtheyhadescaped，Ramotobiwasinnodanger，thoughdoingthatwhichheknewtobedirectlyopposedtotheinterestsofhisownchiefandtribe。
　　AllaroundSerotlithecountryisperfectlyflat，andcomposedofsoftwhitesandThereisapeculiarglareofbrightsunlightfromacloudlessskyoverthewholescene；andoneclumpoftreesandbushes，withopenspacesbetween，lookssoexactlylikeanother，thatifyouleavethewells，andwalkaquarterofamileinanydirection，itisdifficulttoreturnOswellandMurraywentoutononeoccasiontogetaneland，andwereaccompaniedbyoneoftheBakalahari。
　　TheperfectsamenessofthecountrycausedeventhissonoftheDeserttolosehisway；amostpuzzlingconversationforthwithensuedbetweenthemandtheirguideOneofthemostcommonphrasesofthepeopleis“Kiaitumela“，Ithankyou，orIampleased；andthegentlemenwerebothquitefamiliarwithit，andwiththeword“metse“，water。
　　Butthereisawordverysimilarinsound，“Kiatimela“，Iamwandering；
　　itsperfectis“Kitimetse“，IhavewanderedThepartyhadbeenroamingabout，perfectlylost，tillthesunwentdown；and，throughtheirmistakingtheverb“wander“for“tobepleased“，and“water“，thecolloquywentonatintervalsduringthewholebitterlycoldnightinsomewhatthefollowingstyle：
　　“Wherearethewagons？”
　　REALANSWER“Idon’tknowIhavewanderedIneverwanderedbefore。
　　Iamquitelost。”
　　SUPPOSEDANSWER“Idon’tknowIwantwaterIamglad，IamquitepleasedIamthankfultoyou。”
　　“Takeustothewagons，andyouwillgetplentyofwater。”
　　REALANSWERlookingvacantlyaround“HowdidIwander？
　　Perhapsthewellisthere，perhapsnotIdon’tknowIhavewandered。”
　　SUPPOSEDANSWER“Somethingaboutthanks；hesaysheispleased，andmentionswateragain。”Theguide’svacantstarewhiletryingtorememberisthoughttoindicatementalimbecility，andtherepeatedthanksweresupposedtoindicateawishtodeprecatetheirwrath。
　　“Well，LivingstoneHASplayedusaprettytrick，givingusinchargeofanidiotCatchustrustinghimagainWhatcanthisfellowmeanbyhisthanksandtalkaboutwater？Oh，youbornfool！takeustothewagons，andyouwillgetbothmeatandwaterWouldn’tathrashingbringhimtohissensesagain？”“No，no，forthenhewillrunaway，andweshallbeworseoffthanwearenow。”
　　Thehuntersregainedthewagonsnextdaybytheirownsagacity，whichbecomeswonderfullyquickenedbyasojournintheDesert；
　　andweenjoyedaheartylaughontheexplanationoftheirmidnightcolloquies。
　　FrequentmistakesofthiskindoccurAmanmaytellhisinterpretertosaythatheisamemberofthefamilyofthechiefofthewhitemen；
　　“YES，YOUSPEAKLIKEACHIEF。”isthereply，meaning，astheyexplainit，thatachiefmaytalknonsensewithoutanyonedaringtocontradicthim。
　　Theyprobablyhaveascertained，fromthatsameinterpreter，thatthisrelativeofthewhitechiefisverypoor，havingscarcelyanythinginhiswagon。
　　Isometimesfeltannoyedatthelowestimationinwhichsomeofmyhuntingfriendswereheld；for，believingthatthechaseiseminentlyconducivetotheformationofabraveandnoblecharacter，andthatthecontestwithwildbeastsiswelladaptedforfosteringthatcoolnessinemergencies，andactivepresenceofmind，whichwealladmire，Iwasnaturallyanxiousthatahigherestimateofmycountrymenshouldbeformedinthenativemind“Havethesehunters，whocomesofarandworksohard，nomeatathome？”“Why，thesemenarerich，andcouldslaughteroxeneverydayoftheirlives。”“Andyettheycomehere，andenduresomuchthirstforthesakeofthisdrymeat，noneofwhichisequaltobeef？”“Yes，itisforthesakeofplaybesides“
　　theideaofsportnotbeinginthelanguageThisproducesalaugh，asmuchastosay，“Ah！youknowbetter；“or，“Yourfriendsarefools。”
　　Whentheycangetamantokilllargequantitiesofgameforthem，whateverHEmaythinkofhimselforofhisachievements，THEYpridethemselvesinhavingadroitlyturnedtogoodaccountthefollyofanitinerantbutcher。
　　Thewaterhavingatlastflowedintothewellswehadduginsufficientquantitytoallowagooddrinktoallourcattle，wedepartedfromSerotliintheafternoon；butasthesun，eveninwinter，whichitnowwas，isalwaysverypowerfulbyday，thewagonsweredraggedbutslowlythroughthedeep，heavysand，andweadvancedonlysixmilesbeforesunsetWecouldonlytravelinthemorningsandevenings，asasingledayinthehotsunandheavysandwouldhaveknockeduptheoxen。
　　NextdaywepassedPepacheuwhitetufa，ahollowlinedwithtufa，inwhichwatersometimesstands，butitwasnowdry；andatnightourtrocheamer*showedthatwehadmadebuttwenty-fivemilesfromSerotli。
　　*Thisisaninstrumentwhich，whenfastenedonthewagon-wheel，recordsthenumberofrevolutionsmadeBymultiplyingthisnumberbythecircumferenceofthewheel，theactualdistancetraveledoverisatonceascertained。
　　Ramotobiwasangryattheslownessofourprogress，andtoldusthat，asthenextwaterwasthreedaysinfront，ifwetraveledsoslowlyweshouldnevergetthereatallTheutmostendeavorsoftheservants，crackingtheirwhips，screamingandbeating，gotonlynineteenmilesoutofthepoorbeastsWehadthusproceededforty-fourmilesfromSerotli；
　　andtheoxenweremoreexhaustedbythesoftnatureofthecountry，andthethirst，thaniftheyhadtraveleddoublethedistanceoverahardroadcontainingsuppliesofwater：wehad，asfaraswecouldjudge，stillthirtymilesmoreofthesamedryworkbeforeusAtthisseasonthegrassbecomessodryastocrumbletopowderinthehands；
　　sothepoorbeastsstoodwearilychewing，withouttakingasinglefreshmouthful，andlowingpainfullyatthesmellofwaterinourvesselsinthewagonsWewerealldeterminedtosucceed；
　　soweendeavoredtosavethehorsesbysendingthemforwardwiththeguide，asameansofmakingadesperateeffortincasetheoxenshouldfail。
　　Murraywentforwardwiththem，whileOswellandIremainedtobringthewagonsontheirtrailasfarasthecattlecoulddragthem，intendingthentosendtheoxenforwardtoo。
　　Thehorseswalkedquicklyawayfromus；but，onthemorningofthethirdday，whenweimaginedthesteedsmustbenearthewater，wediscoveredthemjustalongsidethewagonsTheguide，havingcomeacrossthefreshfootprintsofsomeBushmenwhohadgoneinanoppositedirectiontothatwhichwewishedtogo，turnedasidetofollowthem。
　　AnantelopehadbeenensnaredinoneoftheBushmen’spitfalls。
　　MurrayfollowedRamotobimosttrustinglyalongtheBushmen’sspoor，thoughthatledthemawayfromthewaterwewereinsearchof；
　　witnessedtheoperationofslaughtering，skinning，andcuttinguptheantelope；andthen，afterahardday’stoil，foundhimselfcloseuponthewagons！TheknowledgestillretainedbyRamotobiofthetracklesswasteofscrub，throughwhichwewerenowpassing，seemedadmirableForsixtyorseventymilesbeyondSerotli，oneclumpofbushesandtreesseemedexactlylikeanother；
　　but，aswewalkedtogetherthismorning，heremarked，“WhenwecometothathollowweshalllightuponthehighwayofSekomi；
　　andbeyondthatagainliestheRiverMokoko；“which，thoughwepassedalongit，Icouldnotperceivetobeariver-bedatall。