NothingcouldbemoretryingWedugdowninthebedoftheriverdeeperanddeeperasthewaterreceded，strivingtogetalittletokeepthefruit-treesaliveforbettertimes，butinvain。
　　Needleslyingoutofdoorsformonthsdidnotrust；
　　andamixtureofsulphuricacidandwater，usedinagalvanicbattery，partedwithallitswatertotheair，insteadofimbibingmorefromit，asitwouldhavedoneinEnglandTheleavesofindigenoustreeswerealldrooping，soft，andshriveled，thoughnotdead；
　　andthoseofthemimosaewereclosedatmidday，thesameastheyareatnightInthemidstofthisdrearydrought，itwaswonderfultoseethosetinycreatures，theants，runningaboutwiththeiraccustomedvivacity。
　　Iputthebulbofathermometerthreeinchesunderthesoil，inthesun，atmidday，andfoundthemercurytostandat132Degto134Deg。；
　　andifcertainkindsofbeetleswereplacedonthesurface，theyranaboutafewsecondsandexpiredButthisbroilingheatonlyaugmentedtheactivityofthelong-leggedblackants：
　　theynevertire；theirorgansofmotionseemendowedwiththesamepowerasisascribedbyphysiologiststothemusclesofthehumanheart，bywhichthatpartoftheframeneverbecomesfatigued，andwhichmaybeimpartedtoallourbodilyorgansinthathigherspheretowhichwefondlyhopetoriseWheredotheseantsgettheirmoisture？
　　Ourhousewasbuiltonahardferruginousconglomerate，inordertobeoutofthewayofthewhiteant，buttheycameindespitetheprecaution；andnotonlywerethey，inthissultryweather，ableindividuallytomoistensoiltotheconsistencyofmortarfortheformationofgalleries，which，intheirwayofworking，isdonebynightsothattheyarescreenedfromtheobservationofbirdsbydayinpassingandrepassingtowardanyvegetablemattertheymaywishtodevour，but，whentheirinnerchamberswerelaidopen，thesewerealsosurprisinglyhumidYettherewasnodew，and，thehousebeingplacedonarock，theycouldhavenosubterraneanpassagetothebedoftheriver，whichranaboutthreehundredyardsbelowthehill。
　　Canitbethattheyhavethepowerofcombiningtheoxygenandhydrogenoftheirvegetablefoodbyvitalforcesoastoformwater？*
　　*WhenwecometoAngola，Ishalldescribeaninsecttherewhichdistillsseveralpintsofwatereverynight。
　　Rain，however，wouldnotfallTheBakwainsbelievedthatIhadboundSechelewithsomemagicspell，andIreceiveddeputations，intheevenings，oftheoldcounselors，entreatingmetoallowhimtomakeonlyafewshowers：
　　“Thecornwilldieifyourefuse，andweshallbecomescattered。
　　Onlylethimmakerainthisonce，andweshallall，men，women，andchildren，cometotheschool，andsingandprayaslongasyouplease。”
　　ItwasinvaintoprotestthatIwishedSecheletoactjustaccordingtohisownideasofwhatwasright，ashefoundthelawlaiddownintheBible，anditwasdistressingtoappearhard-heartedtothem。
　　Thecloudsoftencollectedpromisinglyoverus，androllingthunderseemedtoportendrefreshingshowers，butnextmorningthesunwouldriseinaclear，cloudlesssky；indeed，eventheseloweringappearanceswerelessfrequentbyfarthandaysofsunshineareinLondon。
　　Thenatives，findingitirksometositandwaithelplesslyuntilGodgivesthemrainfromheaven，entertainthemorecomfortableideathattheycanhelpthemselvesbyavarietyofpreparations，suchascharcoalmadeofburnedbats，inspissatedrenaldepositofthemountaincony
　　`Hyraxcapensis’which，bytheway，isused，intheformofpills，asagoodantispasmodic，underthenameof“stone-sweat“*，theinternalpartsofdifferentanimalsasjackals’livers，baboons’andlions’hearts，andhairycalculifromthebowelsofoldcows
　　serpents’skinsandvertebrae，andeverykindoftuber，bulb，root，andplanttobefoundinthecountryAlthoughyoudisbelievetheirefficacyincharmingthecloudstopourouttheirrefreshingtreasures，yet，consciousthatcivilityisusefuleverywhere，youkindlystatethatyouthinktheyaremistakenastotheirpowerTherain-doctorselectsaparticularbulbousroot，poundsit，andadministersacoldinfusiontoasheep，whichinfiveminutesafterwardexpiresinconvulsions。
　　Partofthesamebulbisconvertedintosmoke，andascendstowardthesky；
　　rainfollowsinadayortwoTheinferenceisobviousWereweasmuchharassedbydroughts，thelogicwouldbeirresistibleinEnglandin1857。
　　*Thenamearisesfromitsbeingalwaysvoidedononespot，inthemannerpracticedbyothersoftherhinocerontinefamily；
　　and，bytheactionofthesun，itbecomesablack，pitchysubstance。
　　AstheBakwainsbelievedthattheremustbesomeconnectionbetweenthepresenceof“God’sWord“intheirtownandthesesuccessiveanddistressingdroughts，theylookedwithnogoodwillatthechurchbell，butstilltheyinvariablytreateduswithkindnessandrespectIamnotawareofeverhavinghadanenemyinthetribeTheonlyavowedcauseofdislikewasexpressedbyaveryinfluentialandsensibleman，theuncleofSechele。
　　“Welikeyouaswellasifyouhadbeenbornamongus；
　　youaretheonlywhitemanwecanbecomefamiliarwiththoaela；
　　butwewishyoutogiveupthateverlastingpreachingandpraying；
　　wecannotbecomefamiliarwiththatatallYouseewenevergetrain，whilethosetribeswhoneverprayaswedoobtainabundance。”
　　Thiswasafact；andweoftensawitrainingonthehillstenmilesoff，whileitwouldnotlookatus“evenwithoneeye“IfthePrinceofthepoweroftheairhadnohandinscorchingusup，IfearIoftengavehimthecreditofdoingso。
　　Asfortherain-makers，theycarriedthesympathiesofthepeoplealongwiththem，andnotwithoutreasonWiththefollowingargumentstheywereallacquainted，andinordertounderstandtheirforce，wemustplaceourselvesintheirposition，andbelieve，astheydo，thatallmedicinesactbyamysteriouscharmThetermforcuremaybetranslated“charm“`alaha’。
　　MEDICALDOCTORHail，friend！Howverymanymedicinesyouhaveaboutyouthismorning！Why，youhaveeverymedicineinthecountryhere。
　　RAINDOCTORVerytrue，myfriend；andIought；forthewholecountryneedstherainwhichIammaking。
　　MDSoyoureallybelievethatyoucancommandtheclouds？
　　IthinkthatcanbedonebyGodalone。
　　RDWebothbelievetheverysamethingItisGodthatmakestherain，butIpraytohimbymeansofthesemedicines，and，theraincoming，ofcourseitisthenmineItwasIwhomadeitfortheBakwainsformanyyears，whentheywereatShokuane；throughmywisdom，too，theirwomenbecamefatandshiningAskthem；theywilltellyouthesameasIdo。
　　MDButwearedistinctlytoldinthepartingwordsofourSaviorthatwecanpraytoGodacceptablyinhisnamealone，andnotbymeansofmedicines。
　　RDTruly！butGodtoldusdifferentlyHemadeblackmenfirst，anddidnotloveusashedidthewhitemenHemadeyoubeautiful，andgaveyouclothing，andguns，andgunpowder，andhorses，andwagons，andmanyotherthingsaboutwhichweknownothingButtowardushehadnoheartHegaveusnothingexcepttheassegai，andcattle，andrain-making；andhedidnotgiveusheartslikeyours。
　　WeneverloveeachotherOthertribesplacemedicinesaboutourcountrytopreventtherain，sothatwemaybedispersedbyhunger，andgotothem，andaugmenttheirpowerWemustdissolvetheircharmsbyourmedicines。
　　Godhasgivenusonelittlething，whichyouknownothingof。
　　HehasgivenustheknowledgeofcertainmedicinesbywhichwecanmakerainWEdonotdespisethosethingswhichyoupossess，thoughweareignorantofthemWedon’tunderstandyourbook，yetwedon’tdespiseitYOUoughtnottodespiseourlittleknowledge，thoughyouareignorantofit。
　　MDIdon’tdespisewhatIamignorantof；Ionlythinkyouaremistakeninsayingthatyouhavemedicineswhichcaninfluencetherainatall。
　　RDThat’sjustthewaypeoplespeakwhentheytalkonasubjectofwhichtheyhavenoknowledgeWhenwefirstopenedoureyes，wefoundourforefathersmakingrain，andwefollowintheirfootsteps。
　　You，whosendtoKurumanforcorn，andirrigateyourgarden，maydowithoutrain；WEcannotmanageinthatwayIfwehadnorain，thecattlewouldhavenopasture，thecowsgivenomilk，ourchildrenbecomeleananddie，ourwivesrunawaytoothertribeswhodomakerainandhavecorn，andthewholetribebecomedispersedandlost；
　　ourfirewouldgoout。
　　MDIquiteagreewithyouastothevalueoftherain；butyoucannotcharmthecloudsbymedicinesYouwaittillyouseethecloudscome，thenyouuseyourmedicines，andtakethecreditwhichbelongstoGodonly。
　　RDIusemymedicines，andyouemployyours；wearebothdoctors，anddoctorsarenotdeceiversYougiveapatientmedicineSometimesGodispleasedtohealhimbymeansofyourmedicine；sometimesnothedies。
　　Whenheiscured，youtakethecreditofwhatGoddoesIdothesame。
　　SometimesGodgrantsusrain，sometimesnotWhenhedoes，wetakethecreditofthecharmWhenapatientdies，youdon’tgiveuptrustinyourmedicine，neitherdoIwhenrainfails。
　　Ifyouwishmetoleaveoffmymedicines，whycontinueyourown？
　　MDIgivemedicinetolivingcreatureswithinmyreach，andcanseetheeffects，thoughnocurefollows；youpretendtocharmtheclouds，whicharesofaraboveusthatyourmedicinesneverreachthem。
　　Thecloudsusuallylieinonedirection，andyoursmokegoesinanother。
　　GodalonecancommandthecloudsOnlytryandwaitpatiently；
　　Godwillgiveusrainwithoutyourmedicines。
　　RDMahala-ma-kapa-a-a！！Well，IalwaysthoughtwhitemenwerewisetillthismorningWhoeverthoughtofmakingtrialofstarvation？
　　Isdeathpleasant，then？
　　MDCouldyoumakeitrainononespotandnotonanother？
　　RDIwouldn’tthinkoftryingIliketoseethewholecountrygreen，andallthepeopleglad；thewomenclappingtheirhands，andgivingmetheirornamentsforthankfulness，andlullilooingforjoy。
　　MDIthinkyoudeceiveboththemandyourself。
　　RDWell，then，thereisapairofusmeaningbotharerogues。
　　Theaboveisonlyaspecimenoftheirwayofreasoning，inwhich，whenthelanguageiswellunderstood，theyareperceivedtoberemarkablyacuteTheseargumentsaregenerallyknown，andIneversucceededinconvincingasingleindividualoftheirfallacy，thoughItriedtodosoineverywayIcouldthinkofTheirfaithinmedicinesascharmsisunboundedThegeneraleffectofargumentistoproducetheimpressionthatyouarenotanxiousforrainatall；
　　anditisveryundesirabletoallowtheideatospreadthatyoudonottakeagenerousinterestintheirwelfare。
　　Anangryopponentofrain-makinginatribewouldbelookeduponasweresomeGreekmerchantsinEnglandduringtheRussianwar。
　　Theconductofthepeopleduringthislong-continueddroughtwasremarkablygoodThewomenpartedwithmostoftheirornamentstopurchasecornfrommorefortunatetribesThechildrenscouredthecountryinsearchofthenumerousbulbsandrootswhichcansustainlife，andthemenengagedinhuntingVerygreatnumbersofthelargegame，buffaloes，zebras，giraffes，tsessebes，kamasorhartebeests，kokongsorgnus，pallahs，rhinoceroses，etc。，congregatedatsomefountainsnearKolobeng，andthetrapcalled“hopo“wasconstructed，inthelandsadjacent，fortheirdestructionThehopoconsistsoftwohedgesintheformoftheletterV，whichareveryhighandthickneartheangle。
　　Insteadofthehedgesbeingjoinedthere，theyaremadetoformalaneofaboutfiftyyardsinlength，attheextremityofwhichapitisformed，sixoreightfeetdeep，andabouttwelveorfifteeninbreadthandlength。
　　Trunksoftreesarelaidacrossthemarginsofthepit，andmoreespeciallyoverthatnearestthelanewheretheanimalsareexpectedtoleapin，andoverthatfarthestfromthelanewhereitissupposedtheywillattempttoescapeaftertheyareinThetreesformanoverlappingborder，andrenderescapealmostimpossible。
　　Thewholeiscarefullydeckedwithshortgreenrushes，makingthepitlikeaconcealedpitfallAsthehedgesarefrequentlyaboutamilelong，andaboutasmuchapartattheirextremities，atribemakingacirclethreeorfourmilesroundthecountryadjacenttotheopening，andgraduallyclosingup，arealmostsuretoinclosealargebodyofgame。
　　Drivingitupwithshoutstothenarrowpartofthehopo，mensecretedtherethrowtheirjavelinsintotheaffrightedherds，andontheanimalsrushtotheopeningpresentedattheconverginghedges，andintothepit，tillthatisfullofalivingmassSomeescapebyrunningovertheothers，asaSmithfieldmarket-dogdoesoverthesheep’sbacks。
　　ItisafrightfulsceneThemen，wildwithexcitement，spearthelovelyanimalswithmaddelight；othersofthepoorcreatures，bornedownbytheweightoftheirdeadanddyingcompanions，everynowandthenmakethewholemassheaveintheirsmotheringagonies。