Thebeesconveythepollenfromonetotheother。
　　ThehumaninhabitantsofthistractofcountryconsistofBushmenandBakalahariTheformerareprobablytheaboriginesofthesouthernportionofthecontinent，thelattertheremnantsofthefirstemigrationofBechuanasTheBushmenliveintheDesertfromchoice，theBakalaharifromcompulsion，andbothpossessanintenseloveoflibertyTheBushmenareexceptionsinlanguage，race，habits，andappearanceTheyaretheonlyrealnomadsinthecountry；
　　theynevercultivatethesoil，norrearanydomesticanimalsavewretcheddogsTheyaresointimatelyacquaintedwiththehabitsofthegamethattheyfollowthemintheirmigrations，andpreyuponthemfromplacetoplace，andthusproveascompleteacheckupontheirinordinateincreaseastheothercarnivora。
　　ThechiefsubsistenceoftheBushmenisthefleshofgame，butthatisekedoutbywhatthewomencollectofrootsandbeans，andfruitsoftheDesertThosewhoinhabitthehotsandyplainsoftheDesertpossessgenerallythin，wiryforms，capableofgreatexertionandofsevereprivationsManyareoflowstature，thoughnotdwarfish；thespecimensbroughttoEuropehavebeenselected，likecostermongers’dogs，onaccountoftheirextremeugliness；
　　consequently，EnglishideasofthewholetribeareformedinthesamewayasiftheugliestspecimensoftheEnglishwereexhibitedinAfricaascharacteristicoftheentireBritishnationThattheyarelikebaboonsisinsomedegreetrue，justastheseandothersimiaeareinsomepointsfrightfullyhuman。
　　TheBakalahariaretraditionallyreportedtobetheoldestoftheBechuanatribes，andtheyaresaidtohavepossessedenormousherdsofthelargehornedcattlementionedbyBruce，untiltheyweredespoiledofthemanddrivenintotheDesertbyafreshmigrationoftheirownnationLivingeversinceonthesameplainswiththeBushmen，subjectedtothesameinfluencesofclimate，enduringthesamethirst，andsubsistingonsimilarfoodforcenturies，theyseemtosupplyastandingproofthatlocalityisnotalwayssufficientofitselftoaccountfordifferenceinracesTheBakalahariretaininundyingvigortheBechuanaloveforagricultureanddomesticanimals。
　　Theyhoetheirgardensannually，thoughoftenalltheycanhopeforisasupplyofmelonsandpumpkinsAndtheycarefullyrearsmallherdsofgoats，thoughIhaveseenthemliftwaterforthemoutofsmallwellswithabitofostrichegg-shell，orbyspoonfuls。
　　TheygenerallyattachthemselvestoinfluentialmeninthedifferentBechuanatribeslivingadjacenttotheirdeserthome，inordertoobtainsuppliesofspears，knives，tobacco，anddogs，inexchangefortheskinsoftheanimalstheymaykillThesearesmallcarnivoraofthefelinespecies，includingtwospeciesofjackal，thedarkandthegolden；
　　theformer，“motlose“`Megalotiscapensis’or`Capefennec’，hasthewarmestfurthecountryyields；thelatter，“pukuye“`Canismesomelas’and`Caureus’，isveryhandsomewhenmadeintotheskinmantlecalledkarossNextinvaluefollowthe“tsipa“orsmallocelot`Felisnigripes’，the“tuane“orlynx，thewildcat，thespottedcat，andothersmallanimals。
　　Greatnumbersof`puti’`duiker’and`puruhuru’`steinbuck’skinsaregottoo，besidesthoseoflions，leopards，panthers，andhyaenasDuringthetimeIwasintheBechuanacountry，betweentwentyandthirtythousandskinsweremadeupintokarosses；
　　partofthemwerewornbytheinhabitants，andpartsoldtotraders：
　　many，Ibelieve，findtheirwaytoChinaTheBakwainsboughttobaccofromtheeasterntribes，thenpurchasedskinswithitfromtheBakalahari，tannedthem，andsewedthemintokarosses，thenwentsouthtopurchaseheifer-calveswiththem，cowsbeingthehighestformofrichesknown，asIhaveoftennoticedfromtheirasking“ifQueenVictoriahadmanycows。”
　　Thecompacttheyenterintoismutuallybeneficial，butinjusticeandwrongareoftenperpetratedbyonetribeofBechuanasgoingamongtheBakalahariofanothertribe，andcompellingthemtodeliveruptheskinswhichtheymaybekeepingfortheirfriendsTheyareatimidrace，andinbodilydevelopmentoftenresembletheaboriginesofAustralia。
　　Theyhavethinlegsandarms，andlarge，protrudingabdomens，causedbythecoarse，indigestiblefoodtheyeatTheirchildren’seyeslacklustreIneversawthematplayAfewBechuanasmaygointoavillageofBakalahari，anddomineeroverthewholewithimpunity；
　　butwhenthesesameadventurersmeettheBushmen，theyarefaintochangetheirmannerstofawningsycophancy；theyknowthat，iftherequestfortobaccoisrefused，thesefreesonsoftheDesertmaysettlethepointastoitspossessionbyapoisonedarrow。
　　ThedreadofvisitsfromBechuanasofstrangetribescausestheBakalaharitochoosetheirresidencesfarfromwater；andtheynotunfrequentlyhidetheirsuppliesbyfillingthepitswithsandandmakingafireoverthespotWhentheywishtodrawwaterforuse，thewomencomewithtwentyorthirtyoftheirwater-vesselsinabagornetontheirbacks。
　　Thesewater-vesselsconsistofostrichegg-shells，withaholeintheendofeach，suchaswouldadmitone’sfinger。
　　Thewomentieabunchofgrasstooneendofareedabouttwofeetlong，andinsertitinaholedugasdeepasthearmwillreach；
　　thenramdownthewetsandfirmlyrounditApplyingthemouthtothefreeendofthereed，theyformavacuuminthegrassbeneath，inwhichthewatercollects，andinashorttimerisesintothemouth。
　　Anegg-shellisplacedonthegroundalongsidethereed，someinchesbelowthemouthofthesuckerAstrawguidesthewaterintotheholeofthevessel，asshedrawsmouthfulaftermouthfulfrombelow。
　　Thewaterismadetopassalongtheoutside，notthroughthestraw。
　　Ifanyonewillattempttosquirtwaterintoabottleplacedsomedistancebelowhismouth，hewillsoonperceivethewisdomoftheBushwoman’scontrivanceforgivingthestreamdirectionbymeansofastrawThewholestockofwateristhuspassedthroughthewoman’smouthasapump，and，whentakenhome，iscarefullyburiedIhavecomeintovillageswhere，hadweactedadomineeringpart，andrummagedeveryhut，weshouldhavefoundnothing；
　　butbysittingdownquietly，andwaitingwithpatienceuntilthevillagerswereledtoformafavorableopinionofus，awomanwouldbringoutashellfulofthepreciousfluidfromIknownotwhere。
　　Theso-calledDesert，itmaybeobserved，isbynomeansauselesstractofcountryBesidessupportingmultitudesofbothsmallandlargeanimals，itsendssomethingtothemarketoftheworld，andhasprovedarefugetomanyafugitivetribetotheBakalaharifirst，andtotheotherBechuanasinturnastheirlandswereoverrunbythetribeoftrueCaffres，calledMatebeleTheBakwains，theBangwaketze，andtheBamangwatoallfledthither；andtheMatebelemarauders，whocamefromthewell-wateredeast，perishedbyhundredsintheirattemptstofollowthemOneoftheBangwaketzechiefs，morewilythantherest，sentfalseguidestoleadthemonatrackwhere，forhundredsofmiles，notadropofwatercouldbefound，andtheyperishedinconsequenceManyBakwainsperishedtoo。
　　Theiroldmen，whocouldhavetoldusancientstories，perishedintheseflightsAnintelligentMokwainrelatedtomehowtheBushmeneffectuallybalkedapartyofhistribewhichlightedontheirvillageinastateofburningthirst。
　　Believing，ashesaid，thatnothinghumancouldsubsistwithoutwater，theydemandedsome，butwerecoollytoldbytheseBushmenthattheyhadnone，andneverdrankanyExpectingtofindthemout，theyresolvedtowatchthemnightanddayTheyperseveredforsomedays，thinkingthatatlastthewatermustcomeforth；but，notwithstandingtheirwatchfulness，keptalivebymosttormentingthirst，theBakwainswerecompelledtoexclaim，“Yak！yak！thesearenotmen；letusgo。”ProbablytheBushmenhadbeensubsistingonastorehiddenunderground，whichhadeludedthevigilanceoftheirvisitors。
　　Chapter3。
　　DeparturefromKolobeng，1stJune，1849CompanionsOurRoute
　　AbundanceofGrassSerotli，aFountainintheDesert
　　ModeofdiggingWellsTheElandAnimalsoftheDesert
　　TheHyaenaTheChiefSekomiDangersThewanderingGuide
　　CrossPurposesSlowProgressWantofWaterCaptureofaBushwomanTheSalt-panatNchokotsaTheMirageReachtheRiverZouga
　　TheQuakersofAfricaDiscoveryofLakeNgami，1stAugust，1849
　　ItsExtentSmallDepthofWaterPositionastheReservoirofagreatRiverSystemTheBamangwatoandtheirChief
　　DesiretovisitSebituane，theChiefoftheMakololo
　　RefusalofLechulatebetofurnishuswithGuides
　　ResolvetoreturntotheCapeTheBanksoftheZougaPitfalls
　　TreesoftheDistrictElephantsNewSpeciesofAntelope
　　FishintheZouga。
　　Suchwasthedesertwhichwewerenowpreparingtocross
　　aregionformerlyofterrortotheBechuanasfromthenumbersofserpentswhichinfesteditandfedonthedifferentkindsofmice，andfromtheintensethirstwhichthesepeopleoftenenduredwhentheirwater-vesselswereinsufficientforthedistancestobetraveledoverbeforereachingthewells。
　　Justbeforethearrivalofmycompanions，apartyofthepeopleofthelakecametoKolobeng，statingthattheyweresentbyLechulatebe，thechief，toaskmetovisitthatcountryTheybroughtsuchflamingaccountsofthequantitiesofivorytobefoundtherecattle-pensmadeofelephants’tusksofenormoussize，&c。，thattheguidesoftheBakwainswerequiteaseagertosucceedinreachingthelakeasanyoneofuscoulddesireThiswasfortunate，asweknewthewaythestrangershadcomewasimpassableforwagons。
　　MessrsOswellandMurraycameattheendofMay，andweallmadeafairstartfortheunknownregiononthe1stofJune，1849Proceedingnorthward，andpassingthrougharangeoftree-coveredhillstoShokuane，formerlytheresidenceoftheBakwains，wesoonafterenteredonthehighroadtotheBamangwato，whichliesgenerallyinthebedofanancientriverorwadythatmustformerlyhaveflowedNtoS。
　　Theadjacentcountryisperfectlyflat，butcoveredwithopenforestandbush，withabundanceofgrass；thetreesgenerallyareakindofacaciacalled“Monato“，whichappearsalittletothesouthofthisregion，andiscommonasfarasAngolaAlargecaterpillar，called“Nato“，feedsbynightontheleavesofthesetrees，andcomesdownbydaytoburyitselfattherootinthesand，inordertoescapethepiercingraysofthesunThepeopledigforitthere，andarefondofitwhenroasted，onaccountofitspleasantvegetabletaste。
　　Whenabouttopassintothechrysalisstate，itburiesitselfinthesoil，andissometimessoughtforasfoodeventhenIfleftundisturbed，itcomesforthasabeautifulbutterfly：thetransmutationwassometimesemployedbymewithgoodeffectwhenspeakingwiththenatives，asanillustrationofourowngreatchangeandresurrection。
　　Thesoilissandy，andtherearehereandthereindicationsthatatspotswhichnowaffordnowaterwhatevertherewereformerlywellsandcattlestations。
　　Boatlanama，ournextstation，isalovelyspotintheotherwisedryregion。
　　Thewellsfromwhichwehadtoliftoutthewaterforourcattlearedeep，buttheywerewellfilledAfewvillagesofBakalahariwerefoundnearthem，andgreatnumbersofpallahs，springbucks，Guinea-fowl，andsmallmonkeys。
　　LopepecamenextThisplaceaffordedanotherproofofthedesiccationofthecountryThefirsttimeIpassedit，Lopepewasalargepoolwithastreamflowingoutofittothesouth；
　　nowitwaswithdifficultywecouldgetourcattlewateredbydiggingdowninthebottomofawell。
　　AtMashuewherewefoundanever-failingsupplyofpurewaterinasandstonerockyhollowwelefttheroadtotheBamangwatohills，andstruckawaytothenorthintotheDesertHavingwateredthecattleatawellcalledLobotani，aboutN。WofBamangwato，wenextproceededtoarealKalaharifountain，calledSerotliThecountryaroundiscoveredwithbushesandtreesofakindofleguminosae，withlilacflowers。
　　Thesoilissoftwhitesand，verytryingtothestrengthoftheoxen，asthewheelssinkintoitoverthefelloesanddragheavilyAtSerotliwefoundonlyafewhollowslikethosemadebythebuffaloandrhinoceroswhentheyrollthemselvesinthemudInacornerofoneofthesethereappearedwater，whichwouldhavebeenquicklylappedupbyourdogs，hadwenotdriventhemawayAndyetthiswasalltheapparentsupplyforsomeeightyoxen，twentyhorses，andaboutascoreofmen。