TheeggispossessedofverygreatvitalpowerOnekeptinaroomduringmorethanthreemonths，inatemperatureabout60Deg。，whenbrokenwasfoundtohaveapartially-developedlivechickinit。
　　TheBushmencarefullyavoidtouchingtheeggs，orleavingmarksofhumanfeetnearthem，whentheyfindanestTheygoupthewindtothespot，andwithalongstickremovesomeofthemoccasionally，and，bypreventinganysuspicion，keepthehenlayingonformonths，aswedowithfowlsTheeggshaveastrong，disagreeableflavor，whichonlythekeenappetiteoftheDesertcanreconcileoneto。
　　TheHottentotsusetheirtrowserstocarryhomethetwentyortwenty-fiveeggsusuallyfoundinanest；andithashappenedthatanEnglishman，intendingtoimitatethisknowingdodge，comestothewagonswithblisteredlegs，and，aftergreattoil，findsalltheeggsuneatable，fromhavingbeensometimesatuponOurcountrymeninvariablydobestwhentheycontinuetothink，speak，andactintheirownpropercharacter。
　　Thefoodoftheostrichconsistsofpodsandseedsofdifferentkindsofleguminousplants，withleavesofvariousplants；
　　and，astheseareoftenhardanddry，hepicksupagreatquantityofpebbles，manyofwhichareaslargeasmarblesHepicksupalsosomesmallbulbs，andoccasionallyawildmelontoaffordmoisture，foronewasfoundwithamelonwhichhadchokedhimbystickinginhisthroatItrequirestheutmostaddressoftheBushmen，crawlingformilesontheirstomachs，tostalkthemsuccessfully；yetthequantityoffeatherscollectedannuallyshowsthatthenumbersslainmustbeconsiderable，aseachbirdhasonlyafewinthewingsandtailThemalebirdisofajetblackglossycolor，withthesingleexceptionofthewhitefeathers，whichareobjectsoftrade。
　　NothingcanbefinerthantheadaptationofthoseflossyfeathersfortheclimateoftheKalahari，wherethesebirdsabound；
　　fortheyaffordaperfectshadetothebody，withfreeventilationbeneaththemThehenostrichisofadarkbrownish-graycolor，andsoarethehalf-growncocks。
　　Theorgansofvisioninthisbirdareplacedsohighthathecandetectanenemyatagreatdistance，butthelionsometimeskillshim。
　　Thefleshiswhiteandcoarse，though，wheningoodcondition，itresemblesinsomedegreethatofatoughturkeyItseekssafetyinflight；
　　butwhenpursuedbydogsitmaybeseentoturnuponthemandinflictakick，whichisvigorouslyapplied，andsometimesbreaksthedog’sback。
　　Chapter8。
　　EffectsofMissionaryEffortsBeliefintheDeity
　　IdeasoftheBakwainsonReligionDeparturefromtheirCountry
　　Salt-pansSourCurdNchokotsaBitterWaters
　　ThirstsufferedbythewildAnimalsWantonCrueltyinHunting
　　NtwetweMowana-treesTheirextraordinaryVitality
　　TheMopane-treeTheMoralaTheBushmenTheirSuperstitions
　　Elephant-huntingSuperiorityofcivilizedoverbarbarousSportsmen
　　TheChiefKaisaHisFearofResponsibilityBeautyoftheCountryatUnkuTheMohononoBushSevereLaborincuttingourWay
　　PartyseizedwithFeverEscapeofourCattle
　　BakwainModeofrecapturingthemVagariesofsickServants
　　Discoveryofgrape-bearingVinesAnAnt-eater
　　DifficultyofpassingthroughtheForestSicknessofmyCompanion
　　TheBushmenTheirModeofdestroyingLionsPoisons
　　ThesolitaryHillApicturesqueValleyBeautyoftheCountry
　　ArriveattheSanshurehRiverThefloodedPrairies
　　ApontooningExpeditionAnightBivouacTheChobe
　　ArriveattheVillageofMoremiSurpriseoftheMakololoatoursuddenAppearanceCrosstheChobeonourwaytoLinyanti。
　　TheBakalahari，wholiveatMotlatsawells，havealwaysbeenveryfriendlytous，andlistenattentivelytoinstructionconveyedtothemintheirowntongueItis，however，difficulttogiveanideatoaEuropeanofthelittleeffectteachingproduces，becausenoonecanrealizethedegradationtowhichtheirmindshavebeensunkbycenturiesofbarbarismandhardstrugglingforthenecessariesoflife：
　　likemostothers，theylistenwithrespectandattention，but，whenwekneeldownandaddressanunseenBeing，thepositionandtheactoftenappeartothemsoridiculousthattheycannotrefrainfromburstingintouncontrollablelaughterAfterafewservicestheygetoverthistendencyIwasoncepresentwhenamissionaryattemptedtosingamongawildheathentribeofBechuanas，whohadnomusicintheircomposition；theeffectontherisiblefacultiesoftheaudiencewassuchthatthetearsactuallyrandowntheircheeks。
　　Nearlyalltheirthoughtsaredirectedtothesupplyoftheirbodilywants，andthishasbeenthecasewiththeraceforagesIfasked，then，whateffectthepreachingoftheGospelhasatthecommencementonsuchindividuals，Iamunabletotell，exceptthatsomehaveconfessedlongafterwardthattheythenfirstbegantoprayinsecret。
　　Oftheeffectsofalong-continuedcourseofinstructiontherecanbenoreasonabledoubt，asmerenominalbeliefhasneverbeenconsideredsufficientproofofconversionbyanybodyofmissionaries；
　　and，afterthechangewhichhasbeenbroughtaboutbythisagency，wehavegoodreasontohopewellforthefuturethoseIhavemyselfwitnessedbehavinginthemannerdescribed，whenkindlytreatedinsicknessoftenutterimploringwordstoJesus，andIbelievesometimesreallydopraytohimintheirafflictionsAsthatgreatRedeemeroftheguiltyseekstosaveallhecan，wemayhopethattheyfindmercythroughHisblood，thoughlittleabletoappreciatethesacrificeHemade。
　　TheindirectandscarcelyappreciableblessingsofChristianmissionariesgoingaboutdoinggoodarethusprobablynotsodespicableassomemightimagine；thereisnonecessityforbeginningtotelleventhemostdegradedofthesepeopleoftheexistenceofaGodorofafuturestate，thefactsbeinguniversallyadmitted。
　　EverythingthatcannotbeaccountedforbycommoncausesisascribedtotheDeity，ascreation，suddendeath，etc。
　　“HowcuriouslyGodmadethesethings！”isacommonexpression；
　　asisalso，“Hewasnotkilledbydisease，hewaskilledbyGod。”
　　And，whenspeakingofthedepartedthoughthereisnaughtinthephysicalappearanceofthedeadtojustifytheexpression
　　theysay，“Hehasgonetothegods。”thephrasebeingidenticalwith“abiitadplures“。
　　OnquestioningintelligentmenamongtheBakwainsastotheirformerknowledgeofgoodandevil，ofGodandthefuturestate，theyhavescoutedtheideaofanyofthemeverhavingbeenwithoutatolerablyclearconceptiononallthesesubjects。
　　Respectingtheirsenseofrightandwrong，theyprofessthatnothingweindicateassineverappearedtothemasotherwise，exceptthestatementthatitwaswrongtohavemorewivesthanone；
　　andtheydeclarethattheyspokeinthesamewayofthedirectinfluenceexercisedbyGodingivingraininanswertoprayersoftherain-makers，andingrantingdeliverancesintimesofdanger，astheydonow，beforetheyeverheardofwhitemenThewant，however，ofanyformofpublicworship，orofidols，orofformalprayersorsacrifice，makebothCaffresandBechuanasappearasamongthemostgodlessracesofmortalsknownanywhereBut，thoughtheyallpossessadistinctknowledgeofadeityandofafuturestate，theyshowsolittlereverence，andfeelsolittleconnectionwitheither，thatitisnotsurprisingthatsomehavesupposedthementirelyignorantonthesubjectAtLotlakaniwemetanoldBushmanwhoatfirstseemedtohavenoconceptionofmoralitywhatever；
　　whenhisheartwaswarmedbyourpresentsofmeat，hesatbythefirerelatinghisearlyadventures：amongthesewaskillingfiveotherBushmen。
　　“Two。”saidhe，countingonhisfingers，“werefemales，oneamale，andtheothertwocalves。”“Whatavillainyouare，toboastofkillingwomenandchildrenofyourownnation！whatwillGodsaywhenyouappearbeforehim？”“Hewillsay。”repliedhe，“thatIwasaverycleverfellow。”
　　Thismannowappearedtomeaswithoutanyconscience，and，ofcourse，responsibility；but，ontryingtoenlightenhimbyfurtherconversation，Idiscoveredthat，thoughhewasemployingthewordthatisusedamongtheBakwainswhenspeakingoftheDeity，hehadonlytheideaofachief，andwasallthewhilereferringtoSekomi，whilehisvictimswereapartyofrebelBushmenagainstwhomhehadbeensent。
　　IfIhadknownthenameofGodintheBushmantonguethemistakecouldscarcelyhaveoccurredItmust，however，berecollected，whilereflectingonthedegradationofthenativesofSouthAfrica，thatthefarthernorth，themoredistinctdothenativeideasonreligioussubjectsbecome，andIhavenothadanyintercoursewitheitherCaffresorBushmenintheirowntongues。
　　LeavingMotlatsaonthe8thofFebruary，1853，wepasseddowntheMokoko，which，inthememoryofpersonsnowliving，wasaflowingstream。
　　Weourselvesoncesawaheavythunder-showermakeitassumeitsancientappearanceofrunningtothenorthBetweenLotlakaniandNchokotsawepassedthesmallwellnamedOrapa；andanothercalledThutsalayalittletoourrightitswaterissaltandpurgative；
　　thesalt-panChuantsa，havingacakeofsaltoneinchandahalfinthickness，isabouttenmilestothenortheastofOrapaThisdepositcontainsabittersaltinaddition，probablythenitrateoflime；
　　thenatives，inordertorenderitpalatableandwholesome，mixthesaltwiththejuiceofagummyplant，thenplaceitinthesandandbakeitbymakingafireoverit；thelimethenbecomesinsolubleandtasteless。
　　TheBamangwatokeeplargeflocksofsheepandgoatsatvariousspotsonthissideoftheDesertTheythrivewonderfullywellwhereversaltandbushesaretobefoundThemilkofgoatsdoesnotcoagulatewithfacility，likethatofcows，onaccountofitsrichness；butthenativeshavediscoveredthattheinfusionofthefruitofasolanaceousplant，Toluane，quicklyproducestheeffectTheBechuanasputtheirmilkintosacksmadeofuntannedhide，withthehairtakenoffHunginthesun，itsooncoagulates；thewheyisthendrawnoffbyaplugatthebottom，andfreshmilkadded，untilthesackisfullofathick，sourcurd，which，whenonebecomesusedtoit，isdeliciousTherichmixthisintheporridgeintowhichtheyconverttheirmeal，and，asitisthusrenderednutritiousandstrength-giving，anexpressionofscornissometimesheardrespectingthepoororweak，totheeffectthat“theyarewater-porridgemen。”
　　Itoccupiestheplaceofourroastbeef。
　　AtNchokotsa，therainyseasonhavingthisyearbeendelayedbeyondtheusualtime，wefoundduringthedaythethermometerstandat96DeginthecoolestpossibleshadeThisheightatKolobengalwaysportendedrainathandAtKuruman，whenitrisesabove84Deg。，thesamephenomenonmaybeconsiderednear；whilefarthernorthitrisesabove100DegbeforethecoolinginfluenceoftheevaporationfromrainmaybeexpectedHerethebulbofthethermometer，placedtwoinchesbeneaththesoil，stoodat128DegAllaroundNchokotsathecountrylookedparched，andtheglarefromthewhiteefflorescencewhichcoverstheextensivepansonallsideswasmostdistressingtotheeyes。
　　ThewaterofNchokotsawasbitter，andpresentedindicationsnottobemistakenofhavingpassedthroughanimalsystemsbefore。
　　Allthesewaterscontainnitrates，whichstimulatethekidneysandincreasethethirstThefreshadditionsofwaterrequiredincookingmeat，eachimpartingitsownportionofsalt，makeonegrumbleatthecookforputtingtoomuchseasoningin，whileinfacthehasputinnoneatall，exceptthatcontainedinthewaterOfbitter，bad，disgustingwatersIhavedrunknotafewnauseousdraughts；youmaytryalum，vitriol，boiling，etc。，etc。，toconvinceyourselfthatyouarenotmorestupidthantravelersyouwillmeetathome，buttheammoniaandothersaltsaretherestill；
　　andtheonlyremedyistogetawayasquicklyaspossibletothenorth。
　　Wedugoutseveralwells；andaswehadoneachoccasiontowaittillthewaterflowedinagain，andthenallowourcattletofeedadayortwoandslaketheirthirstthoroughly，asfarasthatcouldbedone，beforestarting，ourprogresswasbutslow。
　　AtKoobetherewassuchamassofmudinthepond，workedupbythewallowingrhinocerostotheconsistencyofmortar，thatonlybygreatlaborcouldwegetaspaceclearedatonesideforthewatertooozethroughandcollectinfortheoxen。
　　Shouldtherhinoceroscomeback，asinglerollinthegreatmasswehadthrownononesidewouldhaverenderedallourlaborvain。
　　Itwasthereforenecessaryforustoguardthespotatnight。
　　Onthesegreatflatsallaroundwesawinthewhitesultryglareherdsofzebras，gnus，andoccasionallybuffaloes，standingfordays，lookingwistfullytowardthewellsforashareofthenastywater。
　　Itismerewantoncrueltytotakeadvantageofthenecessitiesofthesepooranimals，andshootthemdownoneafteranother，withoutintendingtomakethesmallestuseofeithertheflesh，skins，orhorns。