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Deposited by the
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TWENTY-FIVE YEAES IN A
WAGGON.

LONDOlf •
PBINTHD BT GILBEBT AND BIVIITGTOW, HMITED,
ST. JOEM's house, CLEBKENWELIi EOAD.

TWENTY-FIVE YEAES IN A
WAGGON

GOLD REGIONS OF AFRICA.

ANDEBW A. ANDBRSON-

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR.

IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.

LONDON— CHAPMAN aud HALL,
LIMITED. 1887.

Efn. 863

PEEFACE.

My object in writing this work is to add another page
to the physical geography of Africa. That region
selected for my explorations has hitherto been a terra
incognita in all maps relating to this dark continent.
The field of my labour has been South Central Africa,
north of the Cape Colony, up to the Congo- region,
comprising an area of 2,000,000 square miles : in
length, from north to south, 1100 miles, and from
east to west — that is, from the Indian to the South
Atlantic Ocean — 1800 miles, which includes the whole
of Africa from sea to sea, and from the 15° to the 30°
south latitude.
It has been my desire to make physical geography
a pleasant study to the young, and in gaining this
knowledge of a country, they ma;^at the same time
become acquainted with its resources and capabilities
for future enterprise in commercial pursuits to all who
may embark in such undertakings, and this cannot be
accomplished without having a full knowledge of the
people who inhabit the land ; also its geological

vi PREFACE.
features, natural history, botany, and other subjects
of interest in connection with it. Such information is
imperative to a commercial nation like Great Britain,
particularly when we look round and see such immense
competition in trade with our continental neighbours,
necessitates corresponding energy at home if we wish
to hold our own in the great markets of the world,
and this cannot be done unless the resources and
capabilities of every quarter of the globe are thoroughly
known. And for this purpose my endeavours have
been directed, so far as South Central Africa is con
cerned, and to fill up the blank in the physical
geography of that portion of the African Continent.
When I undertook this work in 1863 no information
could be obtained as to what was beyond our colonial
frontier, except that a great part was desert land,
uninhabited, except in parts by wild Bushmen, andthe
remaining region beyond by lawless tribes of natives.
I at once saw there was a great field open for explora
tions, and I undertook that duty in that year, being
strongly impressed with the importance, that even
tually it would become (connected as it is with our
South African possessions) of the highest value, if in
our bands, for the preservation of our African colonies,
the extension of our trade, and a great field for
civilizing and Christianizing the native races, as also
for emigration, which would lead to most important
results, in opening up the great high road to Central

PREFACE. Yii
Africa, thereby securing to the Cape Colony and Natal
a vast increase of trade and an immense opening for
the disposal of British merchandize that would other
wise fl.ow into other channels through foreign ports ;
and, at the same time, knowing how closely connected
native territories were to our border, which must affect
politically and socially the diflferent nationalities that
are so widely spread over all the southern portion of
Africa. Wi|h these advantages to be attained, it was
necessary that some step should be taken to explore
these regions, open up the country, and correctly
delineate its physical features, and, if time permitted,
its geological formation also, and such other informa
tion that could be collected from time to time as
I proceeded on my work.* Such a vast extent of
country, containing 2,000,000 square miles, cannot
be thoroughly explored single-handed under many
years' labour, neither can such an extensive area be
properly or intelligibly described as a whole. I have,.
therefore, in the first place, before entering upon
general subjects, deemed it advisable to describe the
several river systems and their basins in connection
with the watersheds, as it will greatly facilitate and
make more explicit the description given as to the
locality of native territories that occupy this interest
ing and valuable portion of the African continent, in
relation to our South African colonies. And, secondly,
to describe separately each native state, the latitude

vii PREFACE.
and longitude of places, distances, and altitudes above
sea-level, and including those subjects above referred
to. All this may be considered dry reading. I have
therefore introduced many incidents that occurred
during my travels through the country from time to
time. To have enlarged on personal events, such as
hunting expeditions, which were of daily occurrence,
would have extended this work to an unusual length,
therefore I have taken extracts from my. journals to
make the work, I trust, more interesting, as well as
giving the information I have been so many years in
obtaining, and at the same time make physical
geography a pleasant study to the young, who may
wish to make themselves acquainted with every part
of the globe. This is thf first and most important
study to all who are entering into commercial pursuits,
for without this knowledge little can be done in
extending our commerce to all parts of the world.

October, 1887.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. PAGE
Natal : In Natal — Pebpaeinq foe mt lonq-peomised Ex-
ploeations into the fae Interior .... 1

CHAPTER II,
Mi fiest Staet aceoss the Deakensbeeg Mountains — Visit
Haretsmith, Wakkeesteoom, UtricHj Newcastle, Home 26
CHAPTER III.
Final Depaetuee foe the unknown Land — The happy
Huntinq-Gbound  52
CHAPTER IV.
The Native Countet hoeth of the Vaal River ... 61
CHAPTER V.
On Geiqualand West, the Geiquas, Koeannas, Bushmen, and
Diamond Fields  78
CHAPTER VI.
The Bechuana Family — Theie division into Teibes — Their
past and present Condition ...... 101

TWENTY-FIYE YEAES IN A WAGGON.

CHAPTER I.
NATAL.
In Natal — -Preparing for my long-promised explorations into the far
interior.
As a colonial, previous to 1860, I had long contem
plated making an expedition into the regions north of
the Cape Colony, and Natal, but not until that year
was I able to devote my time, or see my way clear, to
accomplish it. At that time, 1860, the Cape Colony
was not so well known as it is now, and Natal much
less ; more particularly beyond its northern boundary,
over the Drakeusberg mountains, for few besides the
Boers had ever penetrated beyond the Free State and
Transvaal; and when on their return journey to
Maritzburg, to sell their skins and other native
produce, I had frequent conversations with them,
the result was that nothing was known of the country
beyond their limited journeys. This naturally gave
VOL. I. B

2 T WENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
me a greater desire to visit the native territories, and,
being young and full of energy, wishing for a more
active life than farming, although that is active
during some part of the year, I arranged my plans
and made up my mind to visit these unknown regions,
and avail myself of such opportunities as I could
spare from time to time to go and explore the
interior, and collect such information as might come
within my reach, not only for self-gratification, but
to obtain a general knowledge of the country that
might eventually be of use to others, and so combine
pleasure with profit, to pay the necessary expenses
of each journey. Such were my thoughts at the time,
and if I could make what little knowledge I possessed
available in pursuing this course, my journeys would
not be wasted. My plans at first were very vague,
but, eventually, as I proceeded they became raore
matured, and, having a thorough knowledge of
colonial life and what was necessary to be done to
carry out my wishes, I had little diflficulty in getting
my things in order. Geology was one of my weak
nesses, also natural history, which were not forgotten
in my preparations. The diflficulty was, there were no
maps to guide me in the course to take over this wide
and unknown region ; I therefore determined to add
that work also to ray duties, and make this a book of
reference on the Geography of South Central Africa,
and so complete as I went on such parts visited, as

START. 3
time and opportunities permitted, as also a general
description of the country, the inhabitants, botany,
and other subjects, and incidents that took place on
my travels through this interesting and important
part of the African continent, and, at the same time,
cool down a little of the superabundant Scotch blood
that would not let me settle down to a quiet life when
there was anything to be done that required action ;
for we know perfectly well before we enter upon
these Explorations, that we shall not be living in the
lap of luxury, or escape from all the perils that beset
a traveller when first entering upon unknown ground
— ^if any of these troubles should enter his mind, he
had better stay at home. But, at the same time, it
will be necessary to give some idea what an explorep
has to undergo in penetrating these regions, and also
the pleasures to be derived therefrom.
" There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture by the lonely shore,
There is society where none intrudes
By the deep sea, and music in its roar.'' Bijron.
It is a pleasure to be able to ranable unfettered by
worldly ambition over a wild and new country, far from
civilization, where the postman's knock is never heard,
or shrieking railway whistles, startling the seven
senses out of your poor bewildered brain, and other
so-caUed civilizing influences, keeping up a perpetual
E 2

4 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS JN A WAGGON.
nervous excitement not conducive to health. A life
in the desert is certainly most charming with all its
drawbacks, where the mind can have unlimited action.
To travel when you please, eat and drink when so
inclined, hunt, fish, sketch, explore, read or sleep, as
the case may be, without interruption ; no laws to
curb your actions, or conventional habits to be
studied. This is freedom, liberty, independence, in
the full sense of the word. With these dreamy
thoughts constantly before me, I determined to give
such a life a trial ; consequently, without more ado,
I set to work to provide myself with the necessary
means. Having heard, when travelling through Natal,
that the country a few miles beyond the Drakensberg
mountains was a terra incognita, where game could be
counted by the million, and the native tribes beyond
lived in primitive innocence, I was charmed with the
thought of being the first in the field to enjoy Nature
in all its forms, and bring before me, face to face, a
people whose habits, customs, and daily life were the
same to-day they were five thousand years ago.
What a lesson for man. With what greed I looked
upon my probable isolation from the outer world ;
craving for this visit to the happy hunting-ground. ¦
The first thing to be done was to apply to an old
friend, living a short distance from Maritzburg on a
farm, who had been on several hunting expeditions,
and returned a few weeks before, with his waggon-

START.

5

load of skins of various animals he had shot with his
and his sons' guns, which he spread out before me —
one hundred and five — six lions, four leopards, seven
otters, eight wolves, fourteen tiger cats ; the remainder
made up of gnu, spring- and blesbok, and a variety
of other antelopes, all shot within one hundred miles
from the northern and western border of Natal, over
the Drakensberg mountains, besides a heap of ostrich
feathers of various kinds — a goodly bag of a seven
months' trip. The result of my cogitations with him
was the procuring of a waggou and fourteen trek
oxen, with the usual gear — a horse, saddle and bridle,
with all sorts of odds and ends for cooking, water-
casks, food of all kinds, flour, biscuits, bread, mealies
for the Kaflfirs, tea, coffee, sugar, preserves, and
other necessaries needed for the road. A safe driver
and forelooper, and an extra boy to cook and look
after the horse, besides three rifles (not breechloaders,
they were not known in Natal in 1860) and a double-
barrel Westley Richards, and any quantity of ammu
nition. These three boys were all Zulus, with good
characters, therefore could be depended on, which is a
great thing.
Being a " Colonial " I was well up to African life
and the Zulu language — a great advantage in that
country. All tjiings provided, I took several trips
round the country in my waggon, up to August 1 863,
when I started north.

6 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
Twenty- Jive years ago ! — a quarter of a centurij !
What changes have come over South Africa in that
time ! Natal was little known and scarcely heard of
in England. The white population did not exceed one
half its present number of 30,000, and the greater
part was overrun by Kaflfirs, who were Zulus, similar
to those of Zululand. Game of various kinds in
plenty, lions were common, elephants, buffaloes, elands,
wildebeests, quagga, and other antelopes, were
numerous on the plains and long flats ; leopards — here
called tigers — wolves, jackals, and other beasts of
prey, were heard nightly in the bush; and in the open
rolling plains, under the Drakensberg range of
mountains, that flank the western and northern
boundary of the colony, spring- and blesbok, quagga
and the gnu could be counted in thousands. Where
are they now ? Cleared from the face of the earth by
the rifle, so that scarcely one is left, and those
preserved that they should not be entirely exter
minated. Beyond that magnificent and grand
mountain -range that rises in parts ten thousand feet
above the sea-level, and extending several hundred
miles in length, rearing its noble head far up in
the clouds, and looking down as if guarding the
beautiful and peaceful Natal at its feet. The
scenery, especially on the western side, taking in the
Giant and Champagne Castle and the lofty peaks to
the north, few landscapes on earth can compare with

BUSHMEN. 7
it. Here the wild Bushmen lived in all their pristine
glory ; their home — the caves and kloofs in the gorges
of mountains — far away from any other tribe,
living by their poisoned arrows on game that comes
within bow-shot, and upon fruits and roots, which will
be more particularly described in another chapter.
Where are they now ? Much like the game, exter
minated by the rifle. They were then a great pest to
the colonial people who kept stock near the foot of
the mountain, for they would come down, after
watching for days, mounted or on foot, and steal the
cattle, killing all they could not carry off.
Bushmen.
These Bushmen are a degraded race of Hottentots
dwindled iu size to dwarfs by semi- starvation in the
hills, and by breeding in and in. They much re
semble the little Bushmen in the hills of India, both
in appearance and habits, but they are more intelli
gent, using deadly poisoned arrows and living in
caves ; which the Indians do not, — merely putting up
a screen or break-wind where th€^ stop. In these
caves in Natal there are extremely interesting coloured
pictures of animals, hunts, &c., which have been
copied and sent home to the British Museum, I think
by Captain Allison, border agent, in Natal.
Some have supposed that these were the fore-

8 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
fathers of the Hottentot race, but it is quite clear
that they were merely Hottentots driven into the
hills. A curious confirmation of this view occurs in
the case of some horses in Tasmania which retreated
into the mountains, became wild and dwindled down
to very small ponies. Major Erskine rode down, and
after a terrible ride caught one, which used to carry
children, but bucked off all grown people.
These Bushmen became such a pest that it was
necesarry to hunt them down. Two forces of a dozen
men or more each were sent out under Captains Allison
and Giles, and they got on their spoor after they had
stolen a number of fine English-bred cattle and
horses, many of which when they first escaped to
the hills were found killed, when unable to keep
up. They tracked these Bushmen about on the hills in
snow for some days, and at last the two parties met,
and just before dark saw the Bushmen's fires in caves.
The parties slept on the ground and in the morning
saw a Bushman come out with a bridle to catch a
horse. Suddenly, like Robinson Crusoe, he stood
aghast seeing their spoor, threw down his bridle, and
bolted to give the alarm. The Bushmen fought with
their poisohed arrows, and not being able to distinguish
the sexes in the bush as they dress alike, all were
killed, except one old woman, shot through the knee,
who rode in as if nothing was wrong with her. She

STARTING. 9
was cured, carried near to another tribe and turned
out. No Bushmen were ever seen after that in Natal ;
tbey were sixteen in number. Previously one lad
was shot through the shoulder and caught. He was
never of any service, not even as an after rider,
though a splendid horseman, being quite unteachable.
He never attempted to escape to his tribe, though he
might easily have done so; and when taken out to
track them, and coming on their caves, he broke their
pots, a sign of displeasure among Kaflfirs; and he said
all he wanted was, to catch and kill his mother.
Starting.
Before starting on my memorable expedition, I pro
cured some sail-cloth, to make a side-tent to my
waggon, which formed a very comfortable retreat for
my boys on wet nights. My driver, a fine young Zulu,
could handle an ox-whip and give the professional
crack to perfection. If not able to accomplish this
feat, they are not considered efificient drivers. His
name was Panda, after the great Zulu chief, and he
was from all accounts a descendant of that renowned
warrior, his father having fled into Natal some time
before. He was now working to collect a suflficient
number of heifers together to buy his first wife, a
young Zulu maid living in a large kraal half a mile
from his master's farm. The foreloper, one who

10 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
leads the two front oxen in dangerous places, and
looks after the span when in the Veldt feeding and
assists in inspanning, another fine young Zulu about
eighteen, a handsome lad, was named Shilling. The
other and third boy, younger, also a Zulu, I named
Jim, as his other name was too long to use or recollect.
After seeing some of my friends and saying good
bye, we make the first afternoon trek over the Town
hill towards Howick, a very steep and stony road,
full of ruts made by the heavy rains, and out on the
rising ground beyond ; where a magnificent view is
obtained of the surrounding countiy and distant hills,
of which Table Mountain, some twenty miles on the
east of the city, stands out boldly in the landscape.
There are several table mountains in Natal, so called
from their flat heads. My object when I commenced
this journey, was to push on with all speed to the
foot of the Drakensberg Mountains, a distance of over
100 miles, across the Berg at Van Reenen's Pass, and
make for Harrysmith in the Orange Free State,
then determine where I should commence my journey
of exploration. But I did not reach the foot of the
mountain until the 12th of September, 1863, having
deviated from the main trausport-road to visit some
farmer friends, and take up one of the sons of an old
" Colonial," who had lived many years in the country
as a stock farmer, and who offered me his son as a
guide, he being well acquainted with the country and

START. II
people I proposed visiting. As he was a good driver
and a good shot, as all colonials are, I was pleased
to have his company, and being young, only seven
teen, just the age to enjoy a rough and ready kind of
life, it suited me exactly, so John Talbot was added
to my little family. This detained me six days; as his
mother wished to bake some biscuits for the road, also
bread, and get some butter and other good things,
I was quite agreeable to stay and go out with the old
man to look up some game also, to supply my larder.
So whilst the mother and her pretty daughter of true
English blood, a year older than her brother John,
were busy in the house, we men were also busy out
side with our guns ; besides large game, such as elands,
koodoo, bles- and springbok, we had excellent sport
with the shot-guns, there being plenty of hares, part
ridges, pheasants, snipes, and ducks. The farm being
situated on the Tugela . river, and some two miles
from the foot of some of the spurs of the mountain,
was out of the way of all traflfic, and as pretty a
locality as any one could desire to hve in, any quantity
of fish, consequently there was no lack of fish, flesh,
or fowl, in this beautiful and quiet retreat.
The second morning of my arrival there, Mr. Talbot
and I, after taking coffee, for be it known, no one
thinks of going out before taking a cup or two,
saddled up, as the sun was just peeping over the
distant mountain-tops in a blaze of gold and crimson

12 TWENTY- FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
light, with an atmosphere pure and clear, casting a
brilliant reflection on all around, — a glorious sight
to behold. This part of the world is famed for the
lovely and varied tints which the sun produces in the
sky in rising and setting, more particularly in the
summer, forming celestial landscapes, marvellous to
look upon, and grand in the extreme. On leaving
the farm-house for our ride into the open plains to
see if we could discover some elands, we met a Dutch
man on horseback, with the usual companion rifle.
After the morning greeting and shaking hands, he
inquired if we had seen any stray calves about ; finding
we had not, he suspected the Bushmen had been down
again from the mountains and had carried off two.
He informed us a neighbour of his, another Dutch
farmer, a week or so before had lost some sheep, and
he had traced them up into a deep kloof of the
rtiountain, and came upon a family of Bushmen in tbe
act of driving three of his sheep towards the hiUs,
where he shot the two men and took a woman and
two children, and brought them to his farm, making
them drive the sheep back with them, and they were
at his farm now.
Wishing to see them, we rode over, a distance of
some seven miles, where we found them confined in
an outhouse, squatting on the floor, looking anything
but amiable; they were poor specimens of humanity.
We had them brought out for a closer inspection.

BUSHMEN. 13
The woman was not old or young, of a yellowish
white colour, a few little tufts of wool on the head ;
eyes she had, but the lids were so closed they
were not to be seen, although she could see between
them perfectly; no nose, only two orifices, through
which she breathed, with thin projecting lips, and
sharp chin, with broad cheek-bones, her spine curved
in a most extraordinary manner, consequently the
stomach protruded in the same proportion, with thin
calfless legs, and with that wonderful formation
peculiar to these Bushmen tribes, and slightly de
veloped in the Hottentot and Korannas, from which
they have partly sprung. The two little girls, the
eldest did not seem more than ten or twelve, were of
the same type, the woman measured four feet one inch
in height. The old Boer wanted to shoot them, but
his vraw wished to keep them and make servants
of them. Their language was a succession of clicks
with no guttural sound in the throat, like the two
other tribes named, but both languages assimilated
so closely that it is clear the Hottentot and Koranna
have partly descended from this pure breed, for a
pure breed they are, and may be the remnants of
almost a distinct race that lived on the face of this
earth in prehistoric ages.
The. quarter of the globe in which they are found,
at the extreme end of a large continent, in a rugged
and mountainous country, a locality well adapted to

14 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
preserve them from utter extinction, may be the cause
of their preservation ; at any rate, there are no other
people in the world like them, except those Indians
before mentioned, and their having a language almost
without words except clicks, is a most peculiar feature
in connection with this entirely distinct race, and for
anthropological science, these people should be pre
served, that is the pure breed, unmixed by Hottentot
or Koranna blood. Leaving the Boer farm, after the
usual cup of coffee, we skirted the hills which ran
out in grand and lofty spurs, broken here and there
by perpendicular cliffs, many hundred feet deep,
clothed with subtropical plants and shrubs, with
beautiful creepers climbing among the projecting
rocks, and hanging in festoons, with crimson and
yellow pods, contrasting so beautifully with the rich
green around.
We reached the head of one of the Tugela branches,
one of the most picturesque and lovely landscapes
I have ever seen in Africa. The lofty mountain range,
10,000 feet in altitude, forming the background, with
tlieir peaked and rugged summits, fading away in the
distance to a pale bluish pink tint, with the nearer
mountains, and a glimpse of a pretty waterfall, with
the richly- wooded foreground and placid stream at
our feet completed a picture seldom to be seen. My
friend and host, Mr. Talbot, proposed a halt at this
spot, selecting a fine clump of trees to be in the

THE DRAKENSBERG. 15
shade, for although early in the spring, the sun
shining down upon us from a cloudless sky, was un
usually warm; we were therefore glad to seek the
shelter of the trees, off-saddle and knee-halter the
horses to feed, whilst we stretched ourselves on the
soft young grass to view the scene around and take
our lunch.
As it was early in the day, we gave the horses
a good rest, and then saddled-up for our re
turn journey. There were many small herds of
various kinds of antelopes, but too far away to
follow. Springboks we could shoot, but being so
many miles from the farm, we waited until we got
within a reasonable distance to carry them on the
horses, which as we approached home we had plenty
of opportunities of doing, and secured three, two of
which I made into biltong for the road. On arriving at
the farm, my boy Panda showed me a large snake, one
of those cobra de capello whose bite is very dangerous,
sometimes causing death; it measured five feet in
length, and was killed in the house, which was built
with poles and reeds, called in the country a harte-
brest house, with several outbuildings on the same
plan. They are made very comfortable and snug
within, but insecure to keep out snakes ; most of the
cooking is done out of doors, where a fire is con
stantly burning : early coffee about six, breakfast at
eight, dinner at one, and supper at sundown. This is

i6 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
the general custom on the farms. After an outing of
nearly twenty miles, we enjoyed our dinner of baked
venison of eland, with stewed peaches to follow, and
good home-baked bread. As lions were very plentiful,
as also wolves and leopards, the farmers had to make
secure kraals for their cattle, sheep, and goats; the
horses were kept in sheds; and with these precautions
it not unfrequently occurred that a leopard, which out
here is called a tiger, leaped the enclosure and carried
oflf a goat or sheep. A few weeks before my arrival
here, some wolves and hyenas broke into the sheep-
kraal, killing seven, carrying three half a mile away,
where their remains were found next morning. They
make these attacks mostly on dark and stormy nights,
when it is difficult to hear any noise when shut in
the house.
The next day my host, his son John, and myself,
after breakfast saddled-up, and with our rifles,
started for the native location, which is an extensive
tract of country under the foot of the Berg, occupied
by the Zulus, who have large kraals and plenty of
cattle, in order to buy some young bullocks to break in
for trek oxen. Visiting some on our way, at one of
which we off-saddled to rest, the Kaflfirs coming out
to stare as usual, the young intombes (Kaffre maids),
like their white sisters, curious to see the strangers,
came out. John and his father being well-known to
them, we were asked in to have some kaffir beer. Some

ZULU GIRLS. I,
of the girls were very pretty, and we told them so,
which they took as a matter of course, and came
forward that we might have a better look at them,
and seemed pleased to be admired.
Beautifully formed, with expressive countenances,
tall, and carrying themselves as well as if they had
been drilled under a professional ; their constant
habit of carrying heavy Kaffre pots of water, which
can only be done by walking erect, has produced
this effect. One young Kaffir was very busy making
a hut for himself, as he was going to be married.
The care and attention he displayed on its erection,
and the ingenuity with which he intertwined each
green stick, which was tied with thin slips of skin,
was most interesting, and he seemed quite proud
when praised for his good workmanship. One of the
girls was pointed out to us as his wife that was to be,
a fine good-looking girl about seventeen, ornamented
with plenty of brass bracelets and beads, the present
of her fiance. They are not encumbered with much
clothing, being in a state of nature with the ex
ception of an apology for an apron, or frequently only
a string of beads, two or three inckes long. Their
huts and enclosures are kept clean and neat, and in
every respect as far as order and quietness are con
cerned, the Zulus may set an example to many
white towns. After purchasing a few Kaffre sheep,
we returned to the farm.
VOL. I. c

i8 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
The 3rd of September, a lovely bright morning, two
beautiful secretary-birds came walking close past
the farm, — they are preserved for the good they do
in killing snakes, therefore a heavy fine is set upon
any one shooting them ; they are similar in shape to
the crane, but much larger, with long and powerful
legs. It is strange to see them kill a snake, one
would think that with their strong horny legs and
beaks, they need only tread on him and kill him with
their beaks, but they are evidently afraid to do this.
They dart into the air and pound down violently upon
him with their feet until he is dead.
Shortly after breakfast, a Zulu girl came for work;
she had run away from her father's kraal, to escape
being married to an old Zulu Induna, living on the
Bushman river, and had walked nearly forty miles
across the country to Mrs. Talbot's to escape the
match. She told, when pressed, that her father
wanted to sell her for twenty heifers to the old man,
and she did not like it, as she liked a young Zulu,
therefore she fled from the kraal the previous day,
and had walked that distance without food, avoiding
other kraals, fearing the people, if they saw her, would
send her back, and she begged the " misses " would
let her stop and work for her. She is a very fine
young girl, apparently about seventeen, tall, and well
made, and very good-looking, without ornaments or
anything on her in the way of clothes. The " misses "

ZULU GIRLS. 19
soon found an old garment to cover her nakedness ;
poor girl, she is not devoid of affection as this action
of hers shows. I fear there are many similarly situ
ated, both white and black. So Mrs. Talbot had com
passion and employed her, and she turned out a very
good and useful help. The Zulu war was caused
by a similar occurrence, two girls having taken refuge
in Natal, whence they were fetched out and killed
by the Zulus, who refused to give up the murderers.
Some few days after, we were all sitting under the
shade of the trees close to the house, taking coffee,
when four young Zulu girls came, each carrying a
bowl on her head, full of maize, to exchange for beads
and brass wire to make bracelets, as all outlying
farmers keep such things for payment. Their ages
might be about fifteen. One of them had her woolly
hair in long ringlets all over her head, and seemed to
be a born flirt, her manner was so coquettish ; all of
them were very good-looking, as most of them are when
young. I told them if they would give us a dance, I would
present each with a kerchief. This gave much satisfac
tion, and they commenced their Zulu dances, singing,
laughing, and playing tricks, in their native way.
When it was over the kerchiefs were given, which they
fastened turban fashion round their heads, then
marched up and down, much pleased with their
appearance, showing they are not devoid of vanity.
0 2

20 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
Savage or civilized, woman is woman all over the
world. Most of the Kaflfirs living in Natal belong to
the Amalimga Zulus, those in Zululand to the Ama-
zulu family. Sixty years ago there were cannibals
in Natal, in the mountains. I was shown the spot
and tree, by an old Zulu, where the last man was
cooked and eaten. This is very rare, however ; almost
unknown. At that time the country was infested
with hordes of wild Bushmen, of the type before
described, who had their stronghold in those grand
old mountains that skirt the northern and western
boundary of this fair and beautiful little colony — the
cannibals were not Bushmen ; and also with wandering
tribes of the Amagalekas, Amabaces, Amapondas,
many of them travelling west, and who settled on the
Unzimvobo river, and along the coast in Tambookie
and other districts, and remained in a wild and savage
state up to within thirty years of the present time ;
then it was a howling wilderness, swarming with lions,
leopards, wolves, and other beasts of prey ; only a few
years ago lions were very numerous. The landlord of
the Royal Hotel at Durban told me a lion came into
his yard in the daytime, leaped into an open window
and seized upon a fine hot sirloin of beef that was on
the table with other good things prepared for a dinner
party, and quietly walked off with it. At the present
time (1860) up in these parts they are to be seen daily,
and great care is required to preserve the oxen an

A LION IN A BOG-CART. 21
other animals from falling a prey to their nightly
visits. Only three weeks back a farmer on the
Tugela had one of his horses killed and partly eaten
before morning. He was made fast in a shed, a short
distance from the house ; it appears there were several
lions from the number of footprints to be seen in the
morning. The Kaffirs forgot to fasten the door at
night. Almost every evening we hear them.
A Lion in a Dog-caet.
As an instance of their boldness at times, for,
generally speaking, they are cowardly, the following
was related to the editor by Mr. Botha, a respectable,
educated Boer farmer, and is quite true. It happened
to his uncle.
"Journal. — Apes river, between Pretoria and Water-
borg. Arrived at the Outspan, remained until next
night at twelve, then started the waggon oflf on the
springbok flats (twenty miles without water). The
party consisted of L. Botha, P. Venter, and the
servants, one waggon with span of sixteen oxen, one
cart and two horses. Venter and Botha remained
at the Outspan place with the cart and horses and a
bastard Hottentot boy called Mark, twelve years
old. " The waggon had been gone half-an-hour when they
heard the rattling of wheels in a manner which made
them think that the oxen must have had a ' scrick '

2 2 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
(scare) from a lion, as that place is full of them.
Mark, who was sleeping alongside the fire, was called
up to bring the horses. The lazy fellows there won't
do anything themselves, not even when there is
a ' scrick ' from a lion. They were soon going to
render assistance to the waggon, going at a jog trot
(even then they did not hurry), when Mark, who was
on the front seat, called out, ' Baas, de esel byt
de paarde ' (' The donkey bites the horse '), and
immediately the cart stopped, and a lion was seen
clasped round the fore-quarter of the favourite
horse. Before the gun was taken up, down went the
horse ; meanwhile the gun was levelled at the lion, but
the cap missed. Another was searched for, but it
would not fit, as it was small and the nipple a large
military one (so like a Boer!). The lion now was
making his meal off the horse, lying at his ease along
side the splash-board, eating the hind-quarter, Botha
trying to split a cap to make it fit in vain ; so Venter
took the gun, and Botha made up powder with spittle
to make it stick, and Venter was to take aim and
Botha to do the firing with a match. Just as it
ignited, the lion sprang right into the cart between
them, and gave Venter a wound on the head and
scratched his hand with his claw, and bit off a piece of
the railing, sending the gun and Mark spinning out
of the cart, and with that force that the Hon fell
down behind the cart. He then came round, as fast

A LION IN A DOG-CART. 23
as he could, on to the dead horse, and continued his
feed ; but not in the same cool manner, but making a
growling, like a cat with meat when a dog is near, and
now and then giving an awful roar, which made the
cart, men, and all shake again. The other horse, which
is a miracle, stood quite still, never attempting to budge
an inch. After the lion had fed he went away, and
Botha got out, intending to unharness the remaining
horse, but no sooner was he on the ground than he
heard the lion coming on again at full speed. He
threw himself into the cart, and the lion stopped in
front of the living horse, which tried to escape but
was held fast by the pole- chain after breaking the
swingle-trees. The lion gave one jump on to the
horse and with one bite behind the ears killed him.
Botha was lying on the front seat, with his legs hang
ing down alongside the splash-board, when the lion
came and licked the sweat of his horse off his trousers,
but did not bite, Botha remaining quite still, which
was the only chance, in the dog-cart from ten o'clock,
when first attacked, until near daybreak, when the lion
left; you may imagine what Botha felt as he looked at
his two valuable hunters. Soon a waggon came along
and took on the cart, when their driver told them that,
soon after he left, suddenly the oxen bolted for some
distance, but luckily in the track, by the driver crack
ing his whip on both sides of them, which, no doubt,
kept oflf the lion also, who was galloping alongside."

24 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
This is a most remarkable case of boldness in a lion,
when not wounded.
The South African lions are not nearly so fierce and
plucky as the Syrian, and they are often very cowardly.
A Hottentot relates that he once came on a lion
asleep, and put his elephant "roer" at his ear, when
before he fired, he heard klop I klop ! and the bullet,
which had been secured only by a loose paper wad,
rolled, down and dropped into the lion's ear, who
jumped up and bolted !
There are a few herds of buflFaloes in the Bush, but
they are very wild and dangerous to approach, having
been so much hunted. I have seen them tamed and
inspanned with oxen. Elephants are seen no more in
Natal. The Berea, near Durban, which is an extensive
Bush country, was a favourite resort for them, and the
hippopotamus is becoming extinct in the rivers. There
are five preserved in the Umgeni river near Durban, on
a sugar estate ; one had disappeared for some time, and
then came back with a calf. This " Hero " must have
swum 100 miles by sea into the Zulu country after her
Leander. There are also a few in the Upper Umgeni,
near Maritzburg. I have been told by many Zulus that
they have seen them leave a river, go out to sea and fol
low the coast down until they arrive at another river and
enter it, and some of the old settlers have confirmed it.
The coast is much more tropical than the up-country.
Plants, such as guava, citron, lime, tamarind, loquat,

NA TA L -LIGHTNING. 2 5
lemon, orange, banana, pine-apple, figs, grow to
perfection. In the uplands also peaches, apples,
and almost every kind of European fruit and vege
tables. The coast is favourable for sugar, tea,
coffee, tobacco, indigo, arrowroot, ginger, all kinds
of spices, and the cotton plant has just been intro
duced on the coast, but it failed, owing to the aphis
fly; the castor-oil plant and the aloe grow to a
great size. There is also some very fine timber,
particularly in the kloofs amongst the hills. Coal, in
seams eleven feet thick, exists in the Newcastle
district, as the name denotes. Iron abdunds all over
the colony. Altogether, Natal is a very pleasant
colony to settle in ; the climate is everything that can
be wished. The two principal drawbacks are the
annual grass-fires, destroying everything as they
sweep over the country, killing all young forest-trees,
and making the grass of a coarser texture ; and there
are sometimes many months of drought. But these
are not confined to Natal ; the same drawbacks
pervade every part of South Africa, even up to the
Zambesi, and the long drought that lasts for months
is more common towards the west^n portion of the
continent than it is on the east coast. The summer
being the rainy season makes it pleasant, though the
lightning is terrible, and dangerous to a degree which,
perhaps, does not exist anywhere else. The most
dangerous are the dry storms.

26 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.

CHAPTER II.
My first start across the Drakensberg Mountains — Visit Harrysmith,
Wakkerstroom, Utrich, Newcastle, Home.
Early in the morning of the fourth found me ready
for a start for a four months' trip before plunging into
the unknown land. My litttle expedition consisted of
a waggon and fourteen trek oxen, a young four-year-
old Natal horse, my driver and two Zulu boys, myself
and young Talbot, well provisioned for my journey.
Leaving my kind friends, I took the road to Lady-
smith, but turned off to the left before reaching that
town, and took the Transport-Road, leading to
Harrysmith in the Free State, over the mountain,
passing up by Van Reenen's Pass, a very steep and
long hill, the altitude being 7250 feet above sea-level,
and arrived at Harrysmith on the 18th of September,
1863, where I outspanned close to the town. The
country along the whole distance up to the berg is
very pretty and picturesque. From the base of the
berg to the summit the distance is about five miles,
with a rise of 2000 feet, that being the difference in

DRAKENSBERG— MOUNT ERSKINE. 27
the altitude between the upper or northern part of
Natal and the Orange Free State, consequently the
latter being so much higher and open, makes the
winter much colder. From this elevation, and looking
back upon Natal, a more lovely or extensive land
scape can scarcely be imagined. To the right and
left huge rocks stand out on the rugged summits in
those grotesque forms from which descend perpen
dicular cliffs and deep kloofs clothed in subtropical
vegetation, between which- long spurs of the moun
tain are thrown out, terminating in rolling plains and
beyond lofty hills and deep valleys. Far away, on the
right, continues the Drakensberg, with its lofty and
noble peaks rearing their heads far into the clouds
that hang on their summits in loving embrace, until
they are lost to view in the pale tints of the evening
sky, leaving the central view open to the sea, 120
miles to the coast, where the bluff at Port Durban
can be distinguished overlooking the intervening
country with its plains and hills.
It was here, at the Bushman's Pass, 9000 feet
high, that the sad affair with Langalibalele's tribe
occurred. A number of them h«d been at the
diamond-fields, where they had procured guns for
wages. No Kaffirs in Natal are allowed to have guns,
except a few hundred, by special licence, and the sale
of gunpowder is all in the hands of the Government,
white men even not being allowed more than ten

28 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON. '
pounds a year, and they cannot import guns without
a special permission from the Government.
The entire immunity of Natal, from its first annexa
tion from Kaffir wars, which have caused so much
waste of blood and treasure at the Cape, is owing
chiefly to this wise law, which is so rigidly enforced
that a number of guns were seized which had been
made in Natal, at a cost of 2Z. 10s. each. The barrels
were gas-pipes, whilst good muskets could have been
imported at 5s. each. All the Cape wars have been
caused by the omission of this simple precaution.
The Natal border Zulu chief Langalibalele had been
a rebel from his youth upwards. He rebelled against
Panda, the Zulu king, and barely escaped into Natal
with a few followers, leaving all his cattle behind.
Shortly after he returned, killed the keepers of the
cattle, and took them into Natal. There he was
given about the best " location " on the beautiful spot
here described in the Drakensberg. Many refugees
from Zululand joined him; and his tribe became
powerful. But they were always restless and contu
macious. At last about 250 of them brought back
from the diamond-fields the guns which they had
received for wages, and when called upon to give them
up refused to do so, or even — as subsequently allowed
— to send them in to be registered, and they insulted
the messengers sent by the Government. A force was
consequently marched into the location, and as the

THE LANGALIBALELE AFFAIR— COL. DURNFORD. 29
whole tribe was about to depart into the Zulu country
with the cattle, a proceeding which was against all
Kaffir law, the passes of the mountains were occupied,
to prevent their escape, by volunteers, and the soldiers
were kept below. To the Bushman's Pass a force of
about twenty of the Natal carbineers (cavalry) was
sent up. The pass, 9000 feet high, was so steep that
they could not ride, but had to lead their horses, in
doing which Colonel Durnford (killed atlsandhlwana),
who commanded the party, was pulled down a rock by
his horse, and his shoulder dislocated. It was pulled
in at once, but being a delicate man the pain and
fatigue overcame him entirely, and he was obliged to
remain behind, while the rest went on and bivouacked
on the pass. During the night, young Robert Erskine,
son of the Colonial Secretary (the editor), went down
twice to his assistance, taking brandy, &c., and even
tually he got him on to his horse and up to his
men. Early next morning a part of the tribe, with
the cattle, came up, the rest having passed before,
and occupied the rocks around, being armed with
guns. Unfortunately, the Governor of Natal had got it
into his head that he was a born soldier, and had
accompanied the soldiers who were below. As the
captain of the volunteers knew no drill, and could not
move the men, the Governor — who was weakly allowed
by the colonel in command to dictate — sent Major

30 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS TN A WAGGON.
Durnford, an engineer — who knew no more than the
captain about manoeuvring men — in command, and
to this folly added a mad injunction " not to fire
first ! " in obedience to which Durnford allowed the
tribe to keep coming up. Erskine, who had been
private secretary to the former governor, and who
knew the tribe well, having lived among them sketch
ing, and having had twenty-five of them working for
him at the diamond-fields, offered to go dowuNthe pass
and remonstrate with the chiefs who were below.
Major Durnford would not allow it, saying that he
had saved his life, and it was certain death. The
tribe kept coming up and lining the rocks, calling
out, " You'll never see your mother again ! That's
my horse 1 That's my saddle 1 " &c.
At last a cowardly fellow, a drill-sergeant, formerly
in the Cape Mounted Rifles, who had been allowed to
join the force as dry-nurse, persuaded the men that
they would all be killed, and they sent their captain
to Durnford to say so, and that as he would not aUow
them to fire they would not stay. On which Durn
ford called out, " Will nobody stand by me ? " when
Erskine said, " I will, major," and another, Bond,
said so, as also did one more. Durnford then
said, " If you will not stand by me you must go ;"
and not knowing the cavalry word, the drill-sergeant
gave the word, " Fours right ! right wheel ! Walk !

ERSKINE' S DEATH. 31
March ! " As they filed past the rocks, the Zulu in
command called, " Don't fire until they have passed ;"
and they then fired and shot down the whole rear
section, and the rest galloped off, except Durnford,
who was drinking at the source of the Orange river.
His bridle was seized by two Zulus, and one wounded
him in the shoulder. Although one arm was disabled,
with the other he shot them both, and escaped.
At the same time the Kaffir interpreter, who fought
gallantly, was killed, and Erskine also, whose horse
was shot down, was shot through the head and heart,
in the source of the Orange river. One of the four,
whose horse had been shot down, caught Erskine's
horse, which had got up again, and escaped on him
for a space. The horse then fell dead, and two of the
men dismounted and covered him, shooting some of
the Zulus who were coming on. He caught Durn-
ford's spare horse running by, and after some delay
and danger from a shower of bullets, succeeded in
getting Erskine's saddle on to the horse, and escaped.
Durnford tried in vain to rally the men, and they went
helter-skelter down the pass, the captain — afraid to
ride down — being slfedged down on his stern.
The bodies were alloT^ed to remain there several
days, although there was not a Zulu near, and then
they were buried by Durnford under a large cairn,
erected with rocks, interspersed with the beautiful

32 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
heaths and flora growing around. Erskine's body
was found in the source itself of the Orange river.
The people erected a handsome monument to their
memory in the market-square at Maritzburg, and an
other to those who fell at Isandhlwana — about thirty.
Thus, out of a troop of fifty, thirty-three of the Natal
volunteer carbineers fell in these two affairs owing,
on both occasions, to the grossest mismanagement.
'Ne sutor ultra crepida.m !
The tribe was afterwards hunted for two months in
these mountains by volunteers only, and captured with
their chief, Langalibalele, who was sent to the Cape,
and kept more comfortably than he ever was in his
life, in a nice house and grounds, with entire freedom
to move about, his only grievance being that he was
not allowed more than three of his wives, the cause of
this distressing privation being simply that the balance
would not come. An absurd proposition was sent
out by the Home Government lately that he should be
allowed to return to Natal, but it was promptly
quashed by that Government. Goelum non animum
mutant qui trans mare currunt, as was proved in the
case of Cetewayo's restoration, " who had learnt and
forgotten nothing."
This, if it can be called one, is the only rebellion ever
known, or likely to be known, in Natal, where the Kaffirs
are thoroughly loyal. Shortly before this a little raid
was made into Natal, by one of Moshesh's sons.

LANGALIBALELE. 33
when two natrves were killed and some cattle lifted.
A force was sent up, too late, and en route the Colonial
Secretary and Secretary for Native Affairs, who were
sitting in a waggon, were watching a tribe, when
they diverted, and forming regularly into line their
orator ran out, and running as they do up and down
made an oration, " There's the Government in the
waggon 1 What's the meaning of this ? Why is this
land invaded ? Why are our people killed and our
cattle stolen ? Why were we not called out sooner ?•
Was it that we are not trusted ? Wow ! ! There sit
under that waggon Langalibalele's people ! Who are
they ?' Dogs ! that we used to hunt down ; and would
again ; if not prevented by the Government.
Sir T. Shepstone did not even condescend to address
them himself, but in a few words, through an inter
preter, told them they were quite loyal, had the approval
of the great Queen, and could fass on, which they did,
moving off by companies from the right, like soldiers,
and singing a war-song, making the earth tremble
with their stamping.^ All these tribes would fight well
for us at first if there were to be a rising outside, but
after a bit they would join their own kltid, as they both
feel and say that white and black blood can never
mingle because we despise them.
The great change in climate and vegetation is very
' On sach occasions extraordinary licence of speech is allowed by
the Zulus. — Ed.
VOL. I. D

34 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
perceptible on leaving fair Natal, for the cold, dreary,
open, and inhospitable Free State. Harrysmith, in
1863, was a poor, dull, sleepy town, only supported
and kept alive by a few transport riders on their way
to the Transvaal and the small villages of the Free
State. But after the annexation of the former State
by the British Government in 1877, it soon became a
town of importance, and being on the main road from
Natal, large and well built stores, houses, churches,
and schools soon put life into its inhabitants. Thanks
to British gold for turning a howling wilderness into
a land of promise !
I remained two days to gain news and information
about the locality, and the various roads to the north.
Game being plentiful in all directions, principally bles-
and springbok, wildebeest or gnu, quaggas, harte-
beest, and others. The ostrich was also plentiful. I
decided to follow the game up, taking the advice of
my Natal friend, who had recently returned from his
shooting excursion. I took tbe road leading east, and
less frequented than the others, which eventually leads
to the newly-formed town of Wakkerstroom, on the
eastern border of the Transvaal, and also north from
that town to Lydenburg, now the gold centre.
Anxious to make the most of my time, as I had to
return to Natal before starting on my grand explora
tions to obtain a fresh driver and two Kaffirs, I was
constantly in the saddle after anything that crossed

GAME. 35
my path, travelling slowly on, shooting as much game
as we required for the road. To shoot more would
be mere waste, although the Boers make a practice
of killing as many as they can for the sake of the
skins, leaving the dead animals to be devoured by lions,
wolves, or any other animal.
One night, as we were outspanned on the bank of a
dry sluit, close to a small, but thickly-wooded koppie
(hill) and large blocks of stone, we were disturbed
by hearing the roar of two or more lions, within a
very short distance of our camp. Not having made
any preparation to receive visitors of this kind,
we were all soon on our feet with rifles. The fire
had gone out, but the stars gave some little light,
sufficient to see all safe, particularly my horse. We
were all on the watch, peering into the darkness, when
we saw two lions cross over from the opposite bank
and enter the near koppie. I was told before starting,
by several old hunters, never to shoot at a lion when
near, if it can be avoided, unless certain of killing ; for
if only wounded he would attack before you could
reload. Our anxiety was for the safety cff our oxen and
horse, fearing they might get away and be caught by
the lions. I made the two Kaffirs collect a few sticks,
and with what was left from last night made a fire,
which threw a light into the bushes, where we saw our
two friends enter, and shortly after I saw a pair of
D 2

36 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON
eyes shining like fire from out of the wood within
thirty yards. If I could have depended on my Kaffirs,
all being armed, he would certainly have had the con
tents of my rifle, but knowing them to be bad shots
when cool, and that they would have been worse than
useless in time of danger, to my great disgust was I
obliged to stand and watch only. As they left the
koppie, they made a circuit of my camp, but at a
greater distance. Taking the two rifles from the
young Kaffirs, placing them against the fore-wheel of
the waggon, to be ready at a moment's notice, I could
not resist so fine a chance of a shot in the open, only
fifty yards distant ; the light of the fire giving out a
good glare, I had a full view and fired, and found I
had wounded one — the thud of the bullet is sufficient
to know that. My driver, a fine Zulu, and young
Talbot, had their rifles ready in case he charged,
which he did, in short bounds. As he neared, they
both fired and both hit, but not sufficiently to kill him ;
but he was unable to move, as his hind quarters were
rendered powerless. Reloading, we walked up, and I
gave him a bullet as near the heart as I could, when
he fell over ; the other we saw moving away into the
darkness — a fine full-grown lion with dark mane.
This was the third lion that had fallen by my rifle.
The little affair detained us the following day, skin
ning and pegging out to dry in the sun, in addi
tion to several other skins of the game shot on the

REMAINS OF ANCIENT CITIES. 37
road. When a skin is taken from an animal, I sprinkle
a little salt over it, then roll it up, to be pegged out
at a convenient opportunity. We have now eleven
skins since starting.
The next day we made a fresh move towards a lofty
isolated hill in the Free State, which we reached in
two inspans, and crossing a stony sluit, outspanned
under a few trees, close to some very ancient stone
.walls built without mortar. They were square and
some twelve feet high. The open plains were full of
game of many kinds. Wishing to explore this hill,
early in the morning after coffee I took my rifle to
climb to the topmost ridge, letting John have the
horse to get a springbok. After rambling about the
hill, scanning the country all round, I was coming
down when I nearly stumbled on a wolf (hyaena),
which must have been asleep amongst the stones. I
was within twenty feet when I fired, killing him at
once. Not far away were two large black eagles ;
the report of the rifle sent them soaring away into
space. About half-way down the hill I saw two
stones that had evidently been cut into shape by a
mason; they looked like coping-stones, with well-
marked lines, and perfectly square. I took their
measure and a sketch of each, both of them exactly a
foot in length and six inches wide. They evidently
belonged to some ancient building, but when? isa
question not so easily solved. But other stone huts

38 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
two days' trek beyond, were clearly erected by a race
long since passed away ; they were circular, with cir
cular stone roofs, and nearly two feet thick, of partly
hewn stone, beautifully made ; a stone door with
lintels, sills, and door-plates. Kaffirs have never been
known to build in this way ; between each hut there
was a straight stone wall, five feet in height, with door
ways and lintels, communicating with each square en
closure, perfect specimens of art. They were, I believe,
erected by the same people who worked the gold
mines, the remains of which we frequently find in the
Transvaal and the Matabile, and beyond, where so
many of their forts still remain. In the Marico dis
trict there are two extensive remains of these stone
towns, which must, from their extent have occupied
many years to complete. The outer wall that encloses
the whole is six feet thick, and at the present time
five feet high. Many large trees are growing out and
through the roof of many of them. They are now the
abode of the leopard, jackal, and wolf, and so hidden
by bush they are not seen until you are close upon them.
Broken pieces of pottery are the only things I have
discovered. The present natives know nothing of
them ; they are shrouded in mystery. Many remains
of old walls are standing, showing that at one time this
upper part of the Free State must have been thickly
populated. At this outspan I killed a yellow snake,
three feet in length, with four legs. I heard there

SNAKE COUNTRY. 39
were such in Natal,^ but this is the first I have seen.
When he found he could not make his escape, he
curled himself into a circle, with his head raised to
strike similar to other snakes. I consigned him to a
bottle of spirits. I also shot one of those beautiful
blue jays, as there were many in this district.
I pass over my shooting exploits, as there is nothing
worth recording, each daily trek being almost a repe
tition of the last, until we jirrive in sight of Wakker
stroom, a poor village, a few houses, flat roofs, single
floors built in an open country near a lofty hill, which
stands on the main road from Natal to Lydenburg ;
we remained only a few days, then went north, as far
as Lake Crissie, an open piece of water, no trees or
bushes near, a solitary sea-cow is the only occupant of
this dismal-looking place. In this district the Vaal
river rises, and many small branches meet, until the
veritable river is formed. The elevation at the lake
was 5613 feet, and on a hill a few miles north I found
the altitude above sea-level to be 6110 feet, an open
grass undulating country as far as the eye could see,
except on the east, where the mountain range that
forms the Quathlamba is seen in the distance. I re
traced part of the road, and turned south-east, over
the hills leading to where Lunenburg now stands, and
on towards Swaziland, which is an independent native
territory, thickly populated and very mountainous ;
2 They ran along the top of the grass, instead of through it.— Ed.

40 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
there are rich gold-mines there now, and some of the
mountains attain an altitude of 8000 feet.
The greater part of the summer months, a mist
envelopes the hills, but it is a very healthy part of
Africa, and horse sickness is rarely known to exist,
consequently many horses are bred here. Passing
Kruger's post, through Buffel forest, which is hilly, and
splendid timber-trees cover the entire country, the
scenery is grand and wild ; quartz reefs crop out in all
directions, sandstone, shale, and in some places lime
stone overlap the granite formation, which compose
these lofty ridges of the Drakensberg; shale, which
indicates the existence of coal, is frequently seen in
the valleys, and along the Pongola river and its several
branches. I left Harrysmith on the 20th September, 1863,
arriving on the banks of the Pongola river on the
16th October. In that time I had treked 360 miles,
being delayed on the road shooting and exploring
the country.
The people at Wakkerstroom wanted to know what
I was doing in the country, as I did not liandel
(trade), and was not a smouser, the term applied to
those who went about the country in waggons to sell
and buy. They would not believe I came into the
country for pleasure and to shoot, but I was set down
as an English spy, as I took notes and made sketches
of the country. When I showed them a small draw-

DRAWINGS— KAFFIRS— BOERS. 41
ing of the town with the hill at the back, and people
walking about, they held it upside down, and said it
was mooi (pretty). Most of the Boers''' are very slow
in comprehending anything, the women are much
quicker, and turned the picture round, and knew it at
once, as also some Kaffir girls, pointing to the figures,
naming whom they represented with expressions of
delight. Some of the girls seem to have a natural
gift for drawing and the beauties of nature, pointing
out with their finger various objects, and explaining
to those around what the drawing represented. I
have often thought that many of these bright Kaffir
girls might make good artists with proper training.
Mrs. Colenso taught some to draw, paint, and play
and sing. When they were about sixteen their father
came for them, and they, quite delighted, ran off,
stripped oflf their clothes, and went oflf naked, and
never returned, just like some wild pigeons I had
once tamed. They are also quite alive to the ridiculous :
in the sketch were two horses playing, one standing
with his fore-feet in the air ; this caught their attention
at oncCj causing great amusement, and imitating their
action. They belonged to the Mantatees or Mahowas
tribe, which is divided into many kraals under various
chiefs, all subject to the head chief Secocome, who
^ These people w^re the real cause of the Zulu war, because we
would not allow the Zulus to "wafsh their spears" in their blood.
jNow the Boers are renting the land from them. — Ed.

42 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
lives on the north of Lydenburg. The Pongola skirts
the Swazi, or, as it is sometimes called, the Amaswasi-
land, a very mountainous country, the people are
Zulus, their habits and mode of fighting being the
same. Many of these people came to my waggon
with milk, which I took in exchange for tobacco and
beads. The men are a fine manly race, and the
women, many of them, good-looking, but very scanty
in their dress, which is only a little strip of beads an
inch wide. The Swazi country is situated between the
eastern boundary of the Transvaal and the Amatonga,
which is the northern part of Zululand, up to the
Portuguese settlement in Delagoa Bay on the east
side. It is governed by an independent chief, their
laws and language being the same as the Zulus. The
country has every indication of being rich in gold,
some specimens of quartz I obtained from reefs run
ning through the country looked very promising. The
Pongola Bush, as it is called, is a beautiful forest of
fine timber-trees. Some of the most valuable are the
Bosch Gorrah, of a scarlet colour, fine grain ; Eben-
hout, a sort of ebony ; Borrie yellow, Bockenhout, no
regular grain ; Assagaai, used for spear handles ; Wild
Almond, Grelhout, Saffraan, Stinkwood, Speckerhout,
Wild Fig, Umghu, Witgatboom, Tambooti ; White
Ironwood, very hard, and many others of great use for
many purposes. The Pongola river is very pretty,
passing down through a richly-wooded district, with

COUNTRY. 43
its tributaries, flowing east and then north it joins the
beautiful River Usutu, which enters the south side of
Delagoa Bay. The Usutu river drains the greater
portion of the Amaswasiland with its many branches ;
it rises on the east side of the Veldt and Randsberg,
that is the continuation of the watershed from Natal,
already described, which separates the waters of the
South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean, some of the
springs of the Usutu rising within a few miles of the
upper springs of the Vaal, near Lake Crissie. The
principal tributaries of the former river are the Um-
taloos, Lobombo, Assagaai, Impeloose, Umkonto, and
Umkompies, all uniting in the Swazi country ; then it
flows east, through a beautiful break in the Lobombo
Mountains, and enters Delagoa Bay, as before de
scribed. For beauty of scenery and picturesque views,
with the deep glens, ravines, and thickly-wooded
kloofs of every variety of tint, few views in Africa will
surpass them, and some day, when the country is
prospected, if the Swazis will permit it, I believe it
will be found to be a rich gold-bearing country, both
alluvial and in the quartz. I went several times into
the river-beds to prospect, the natives following me,
watching my actions, but of course not knowing what
I was looking for. As the time was drawing short I
left the Pongola, and treked down to Eland's Neck,
where the country was more open, and on a small
branch of that river, close to a very pretty Waterfall,

44 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
are many fine tree-ferns, that grow to a great size.
Here we were again in the clouds on the Elandsberg,
at an elevation of 6000 feet, and overlooking Zulu-
land, with the distant mountain in the background.
With my boys to feed, and no small quantity satis
fies thera, the rifles were in constant use, and in an
unknown country it is never safe to go any distance
from the waggon without one. The Zulus have no
other weapons than the assagai or knobkerrie. Wolves
were nightly visitors ; several we shot, but not a lion
was to be seen or heard. There were many leopards
and panthers in the mountains, but they did not
trouble us. My driver being a Zulu as well as the
other boys, I got on very well with the people at
the kraals I passed, and the girls came without
any fear. In fact we always got on well with
them, having provided myself with brass wire and
beads, the principal articles in demand, as clothes
they do not wear. They are exceedingly clean in their
persons, and very fond of bathing. One afternoon I
saddled up, and started for the open to get a buck.
Passing through the bush to the river, I came upon
nearly fifty black women bathing in the stream.
Some scampered out on the other side, then stood
and looked at the white man; the greater number
kept in the water splashing about, for it was not
deep enough to swim, and laughing and cheering, show
ing their beautiful white teeth, not in the least afraid.

CO UNTR Y— BOERS. 45
It is true I had been nearly a week outspanned near
their two separate kraals, and they were daily at
my waggon with milk, so that I was to a certain
extent known to them, few white men being seen
down so far in that part of Zululand.
November SOth. — It was time to make a move home
wards. I therefore prepared for a start, and the
following morning took the road towards Natal,
stopping at Deepkloof on my way, leaving on the
right some very picturesque and lofty hills ; not a
farm-house to be seen. Having shot plenty of game
for the road to last many days, by turning it into
biltong, pushed on early the next morning, passing
down one of the most stony and difficult passes to be
met with in Africa, running against trees, which had
to be cut down, breaking one of the oxen's horns,
which had got fixed in the branches of a tree, and with
difficulty I saved the waggon from being smashed. The
view from this hill, looking west, was very fine, an
open plain beneath us with lofty hills on the right
and left, open to the south and west, where a distant
view of the lofty peaks of the Drakensberg could be
seen ; the distance in a straight line feeing over eighty
miles ; so clear is the atmosphere they did not seem
more than half that distance.
The next day about noon I came to a Boer farm,
where we procured some milk, a little butter, and
some meal. The comfortless manner in which these.

46 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
people live is surprising, and the dirt displayed about
the premises would shock many a poor labourer at
home. The old Boer asked, which is always the first
question put after shaking hands, " What's your
name ? where from ? what have I up to handel (sell)?"
After replying, " Then what's the news ? " This is
the usual salutation at every Boer farm, and, consider
ing their isolation, a very practical one. Coffee is
then handed round, and the tobacco-bag produced, to
fill your pipe, as a matter of course. The old Boer
complained sadly of the heavy storms that had passed
over the country, and loss of cattle from lightning, the
old vrow putting in a word occasionally ; their three
buxom daughters sat on boxes, looking at the stranger
as if he were some unknown kind of animal from a
strange land.
We crossed a small branch of the Buffalo river,
leaving the Belslaberg mountains, covered with bush,
on our right. At the back of t,his range is a mineral
spiing on the White river, which is a tributary of
the Pongola, the water being warm when it issues
from the ground.
On the morning of the 4th of December, 1863, I
started for Natal, on my backward journey, and
treked over an open country in two inspans, and
arrived in the evening on the banks of the Buffalo
river, which divides Natal from the Zulu country, and
outspanned for the night, as I never travel after dark

CO UNTR Y— RIVERS. 47
for two reasons ; the first, I cannot see the country,
and the second, that I always meet with some accident
in travelling a road not known, breaking dessel-boom,
axle, or some part of the waggon, sticking in mud-
holes, that would be avoided in daylight. The Buffalo
is a fine stream, rising in the Drakensberg, passing
the town of Wakkerstroom, and falling into the Tugela
twenty miles below the town of Weenen, where it
forms a broad stream to the sea, dividing Zululand
from Natal. At the outspan there was a Boer with
his waggon waiting to go through, the water being too
high to cross ; but it was going down, having risen
from the heavy rains, and an accident having happened
to his waggon by the bullocks turning round when
treking in the night, from fright probably by a
wild beast, and breaking the dessel-boom ; but on
my arrival I found the young Boer and his vrau
sitting by their camp-fire, taking their evening coflFee,
and after the usual shaking of hands was asked to
sit, and a Bushman girl was told to give me a cup
of coffee ; afterwards, of course, a smoke.
Having made my waggon ready for the night, and
looked after the boys and oxen, I took my evening
meal with John ; then walked over to the Boer
-vvao-o-on for a chat, where we remained until bed
time, which was nine o'clock. Sitting listening to the
Boer's various tales of Zulu fighting, and hunting, and
other anecdotes, I found he lived on a farm some little

48 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
distance beyond this outspan; his name was Uys,
rather a pleasant kind of man for his class. Proba
bly the father of Piet Uys, the hero of the Zulu
war. The next morning at sunrise I had a look at the
river, which was not much lower; but an exciting
scene was taking place, a flock of about 300 sheep
was being swum through the river, which occupied
all the fir3t part of the morning. I was astonished to
see how well they took to the water when they were
in, the difficulty lay in getting them in : some would
turn back, others go down the river ; what with the
bleating of the sheep, the shouting of a dozen Kaffir
boys and their two Boer masters making a perfect din
of sounds ; however, with only the loss of two sheep,
they got them safely over, and as the water was
falling fast, everything was made ready to cross. My
friend Uys took the lead. The banks on both sides
being very steep, the breaks had to be screwed home
to bring the waggons safely down to the water.*
Each waggon had a fore-looper, a Kaffir, to take the
fore-tow of the front oxen to keep them straight
towards the opposite drift, otherwise they might take
it into their heads to go down stream, and all would
be lost. On his return from one of his expeditions on
the east coast, Mr. St. Vincent Erskine, the traveller,
* They have also a tree towed behind as a drag, and ropes to the top
of the waggon to prevent its upsetting.

COUNTRY-LIONS. 49
on reaching Natal bought a horse, and as he had to
swim several rivers he put his journal for safety into a
waggon. It was carried down a river, the oxen and a
white girl lost, and his journal. Long searches were
made for it by numbers of Kaffirs, when the river went
down, in vain. Two years afterwards it was found in
its tin case, quite legible, being in pencil. It was in a
bush so far above the river that no one had thought
of looking for it.
We reached the bank safely on the opposite side,
which is Natal, and treked on in a westerly course
for a few miles, where we outspanned, and then
went on again for a long trek, as there was nothing
further to delay us, and the next day we con
tinued- on to a very pretty opening, close to the
River Ineandu ; the lofty Drakensberg range on our
right, with its beautiful rugged outline, and deep
kloofs, was grand to look upon. Game was more
plentiful here than we had seen for some time, and we
also found lions were not wanting to keep up the
excitement during the night-watch. As we arrived
late, there was nothing to do but have our fires, cook
some tea and a slice of a young spfingbok over the
red embers, with a little salt, mustard, and pepper, —
a supper not to be cast on one side. We were rightly
informed, and continued not to let the oxen and horse
stray in the bush, but kept them near and in sight, for
lions had considerably increased of late and had done
vol. I. E

50 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
much damage in carrying ofi" oxen when out in the Veldt.
Mr. Evans, the merchant, once saw forty all together.
We therefore made everything fast before going to
sleep, and collected wood for fires, if it were necessary
to light them during the night. My horse would have
been a great loss; he was excellent when out after
game, for, on dismounting and throwing the rein over
his head to hang on the ground, he would not move
from the spot until you returned from following up game
where a horse could not go.® As there was no moon
the night was getting dark, and while we were sitting
round the camp-fire, listening to the boys' tales of
some hunting expeditions they had been in, we were
reminded that our friends the lions were not far away.
In the stillness of night, -^vhen all is silent, the sounds
made by a lion close at hand in a thick bush sur
rounding the camp, the deep tones of his growls make
every one start, and look around to see if all is safe,
and put more wood on the fires, to throw light
into the bush, and take our rifles which had been
left in the waggon. Although we could not see them,
we knew they were close at hand ; others were heard
5 A good shooting-horse stops of his own accord when the game gets
up, and seems to hold his breath while you fire. Once my famous
horse " Pinwire " refused to pass a bush. As I could see nothing in
it I pushed him on, but as he kept looking behind, I went back and
saw a huge buck in it. I banged at it, and, being so close, the shot
went like a ball past his head and missed him. — Ed.

LIONS. 51
in the distance, and would no doubt come nearer ;
sleep was out of the question, as a vigilant watch
was necessary, in case they might make an attack on
our oxen. Wolves also began to enliven the night-
air with their sounds, and occasionally a jackal was
heard. With the exception of a few scares, when they
came too close to the waggon, the night passed off
very well, and a lovely bright morning succeeded.
We inyoked the oxen, and treked at daylight —
saddling up the horse, I rode into the bush, but could
see nothing except their footprints in the sand.
From this outspan to Ladysmith occupied five days.
The country over which we travelled was very pretty,
and in many places hilly. Ladysmith is another small
town, where we remained the morning, and then
started for the farm, and arrived on the 20th of
December, 1863, in time to spend the Christmas with
the old people.
Ladysmith is now the terminus of the railway, 180
miles from D'Urban. It is to be continued at once to
Newcastle, passing through a rich coal district 100
miles, where it will be only about fifty miles from the
nearest gold-fields. Natal only asks the Imperial
Government to enable it to borrow the money at three
per cent, for this great strategical work, which besides
reaching the Transvaal, would afford the only coaling-
station in South Africa.

TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.

CHAPTER III.
Final departure for the unknown land — The happy hunting-ground.
Christmas Day, 1863 ; on the banks of the Tugela
river. Natal; 96° in the shade, 149° in the sun ; 9.30
a.m. ; a cloudless sky, with scarcely a puff of air to
relieve the oppressive heat. No greatcoats, thick
gloves, mufflers, or snow-boots are needed on Christ
mas Day in these southern climes. The thinest of
thin clothes, and those but few, can be worn with
comfort. I envy the native tribes their freedom from
dress in such weather. But so it must be, I suppose ;
vre are but children of circumstances, and must abide
by the rules of society. Not always. The celebrated
Mr. Fynn went naked among the Kaffirs for years, as
also did Gordon Gumming.
But with all this glorious sunshine, sultry and
oppressive atmosphere, Christmas is not Christmas as
we know it in Old England, where friends meet friends
in all the warmth of overflowing love and hospitality
round the well-filled board, and the social gatherings
round the hearth, with song and dance, and Christmas-
tree. We live in its memory when it comes upon us

CHRISTMAS-DAY. S3
in this far-away land, hoping against hope that at its
next anniversary we may be united again with those
dear to us, and join in the festivities of merry Christ
mas in our native land. Father Frost, with his snow-
white mantle, is a welcome guest at this season of the
year ; without him we know not what real Christmas
is. In this warm clime we endeavour to realize that
Christmas is upon us, but how can we reconcile the
fact with the thermometer at noon standing 106° in
the shade, flies, ants, mosquitoes, and countless other
insects buzzing round you, fighting after your food
and filHng the dishes, until you can scarcely make out
what is in them. Such is Christmas in a sub-tropical
land. However, with all these drawbacks, my friends on
the farm, who were colonists of eight years standing,
did their best to keep up the old customs, their two
daughters and one son — all born in England — with
myself, and the old people, comprised our little family
party. Plum-pudding, mince pies, venison, and fowls
were served up in the old style, with good English
bottled ale, and sundry fruits Afterwards. We
managed to pass away Christmas Day with many
pledges of good luck and success to all absent friends
in glasses of some real old whisky which I had in
my waggon. Two Zulu girls attended, with a bunch of
long ostrich feathers each, to keep off the flies during

54 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
meals, otherwise flies as well as food would have
passed into the mouth.
But the day was not to terminate as brightly as it
commenced. Soon after 4 p.m. dense clouds were
rising over the lofty Drakensberg mountains in heavy
massive folds, rising one after the other in quick suc
cession, spreading out, expanding over the clear sky
above, enveloping the mountain-tops, blending to
gether earth and sky, a grand and beautiful sight, with
the quick flashes of lightning and the distant rumble
of the thunder. We watched with intense interest
and admiration its rapid approach until we were
warned by the hurricane that preceded it that the
house was the safest place. Having made everything
fast without, we waited its arrival. Those who have
never witnessed a tropical thunderstorm can have but
a faint idea of its violence, and in no place in Africa is
it more so than in Natal. They are renowned for their
rapid appearance and destructive eflfects.^
At half-past five it was at its height ; the lightning
was incessant and thunder continuous ; the rain falling
not in drops but in sheets, flooding everything.
Shortly after six it was passing away to the east, the
^ Fourteen soldiers were struck in one room in Natal, some men
and two officers on parade another time ; whole spans of oxen are often
struck, the lightning running along the trek-chain. A woman woke up
one morning, and found that her husband had been struck dead,
by her side wilhout her knowing it. — Ed.

THUNDERSTORMS. 55
rumbling of the thunder growing fainter, until a calm
succeeded, and the sun shone again in all its bright
ness, and the evening passed away as serenely and
calm as if there were no such things as storms, the
only evidence left being broken branches of trees, and
every hollow full of water. However, this did not pre
vent our finishing up our Christmas amusements. I
arranged to remain here until after the New Year, and
prepare for my long journey to regions unknown. A
driver and two boys had to be looked up.
On the farm was a middle-aged Hottentot, who had
been a driver to a transport rider. Mr. Talbot told
me I could have him if he would go, being trustworthy
as far as blacks can be trusted. When spoken to on
the subject he was all eagerness to be engaged, as
driving was his legitimate work. Consequently John
was engaged forthwith, and told to look out two boys
to go with us. He said he knew two good boys in
Ladysmith if I would let him go and get them, which
I agreed to, and in five days he returned with two
very likely lads who were used to waggons and anxious
to be engaged — ten shillings a month and food. So
far all was settled. The next step* was to get my
things from Maritzburg ; this entailed a waggon
journey. Nearly every day we had thunder-storms, coming
on in the afternoon, lasting nearly two hours, but
not quite so violent as the one described, though

56 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
severe enough, in their passage over, to make us glad
when they had left us, as the hghtning is most destruc
tive and dangerous. We had a very narrow escape
on our return journey from Maritzburg. We were
treking past Doornkop, a lofty hill on the left of
the road. A thunder-storm was gathering; conse
quently, anxious to outspan before it burst upon us,
we were whipping up the oxen to reach an open
space, when a flash descended perpendicularly, striking
the road not twenty feet behind the waggon, where
a few seconds before we were passing over. If our
pace had been the slightest slackened, our lives would
have been lost; as it was, we felt the effect of the
electricity for some days afterwards. When storms
are prevalent, never outspan near trees or stony
koptjies ; the latter seem to attract lightning more
frequently ; where it strikes on the stones it splits
them into several pieces.
A slight description of my travelling-house may
give greater insight into African travelling. My
waggon measured seventeen feet in length and five
feet in width. In front is a waggon-box for holding
such things as are required for immediate use, and also
for the driver, and another to sit on. Six feet of the
front I reserve for my own special use ; boxes arranged
on the bed-plant, full of grocery and other things,
upon which, a thick mattress and bed-clothes. On one
side boxes are arranged to form tables for writing or

WAGGON. 57
drawing. Around the sides of the tent are side-pockets
for holding all kinds of useful articles, powder-flasks,
shot, caps, brushes, books, tools, and other things
required at a moment's notice.^ On each side of the
waggon my rifles, shot-guns, and revolvers are con
veniently slung, that in a moment either of them can
be in the hand, three on each side. The back part of
the waggon is kept for bags of flour, meal, bread,
water-casks, and everything needed for the road. My
driver and boys sleep under the waggon or in the
tent, as they may think fit. Such was my travelling-
house. Therefore, when on the trek, I am indepen
dent, asking no favours of any one, and far from
civilization I am at home and want for nothing, a
grand thing for on# who is going to explore unknown
regions on the dark continent of Africa, where the
white man's foot has never trod. What a field is
before me 1
On the 18th of March, 1864, having everything
prepared, I started from the farm, after many fare
wells and good wishes for my success. I left with
reo-ret, feeling I had departed from true and valued
friends, who had, to their utmost ability, helped me in
my undertaking.
" Enormous " buck waggons " are now made for the diamond-
fields. They require twenty oxen, and contain a sitting, a bedroom,
and a kitchen, and a huge canvas covers the whole, and spreads out
into side-tents for servants and horses. They do not answer off the
main roads, as they cannot pass under the branches. — Ed.

58 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
My oxen well rested, and horse fat and saucy, I had
nothing to wish for but health and fair weather. The
first part of my journey was back to Ladysmith, then
on to Newcastle, crossing the Biggarsberg range of
hills, going over the same ground I had recently
travelled, and I arrived there on the 28th. My object
was to make for the upper source of the Vaal river
and commence my work at that point, but I found so
much opposition with the Boers against my takino-
drawings on this second trip, that I changed my plans
and settled to proceed to the westward and commence
my surveys beyond their boundary, and finish the upper
portion of the Vaal at some future time. Therefore I
retraced my steps back from the upper Vaal by the
road. I took the former route t5 Harrysmith ; from
thence treked across the Free State, a most desolate
and uninteresting country, and reached the Vaal river,
which I crossed below Potchefstroom, where I began
my work, arriving on its banks on the 25th of July,
1864. I have therefore omitted any reference to the
country through the Orange Free State because I have
nothing to relate, except that a more bleak, cheerless
region could not be found ; always excepting Walwich
Bay, Angra Pequina, and the back of them. Every
day's trek like the other, shooting game, inspannino-
and outspanning ; most monotonous to one wanting to
arrive at the unknown region.
At the. Boer farms I came to, the people were very

COUNTRY— BOER FARM. 59
civil and supplied me with milk, eggs, and butter if
ihey had any ; but few made any ; if they did, it was
only sufficient for a meal, the churn being an ordinary
glass bottle, which is bumped on the thigh until the
butter comes.
At one Boer farm in Natal, very early in the morn
ing, the old man was turning out of bed when he
opened the door, which lead into their principal
sitting-room ; the family, sons and daughters, were
stiU what may be termed in bed, if sleeping on skins
on the floor with old blankets and skins covering
them, and in thin day dresses, can be called so, except
the boys minus their coats, and the girls their frocks,
without shoes or stockings, because they never wear
them, except they go a-visiting. The old man asked
me in and to take a seat. After the usual questions
put and answered, a tall, well-grown Zulu girl brought
in a wooden bowl with some water, and placed it on
the table, with a small rag beside it. The old Boer
got up from his chair, went to the bowl, and began to
rub his hands, then his face, wiping them with this
rag, which I afterwards found out was called a feod-
hook. After the Boer, his three sons went through
the same operation, and then I was invited to do the
same, from which I politely excused myself, stating I
had washed at the waggon. The four girls and the
rugs had disappeared into the inner room. I was then
about going to my waggon, when the old man told me

6o TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
to " sit," coffee was coming, and presently the same
Zulu girl brought in a cup of coffee for each. She
was as black as she well could be, and without a
particle of covering of any sort. The Zulu girls, as a
general rule, wear some little bit of rag at their kraals,
but this one had nothing. I found the Boers do this
on purpose to show them they are an inferior race, and
to keep them under. At many of the Boer houses I
found their female servants were in the same way, as
they have a wonderful prejudice against the black races,
and treat them as dogs ; and I found out afterwards that
all Boers' servants were slaves, and received no pay,
their food being mealie, Indian corn, and milk. And
as the boys and girls grew old enough to marry, any
number of children would be seen on a farm, many of
) them piebald.
On the whole, the Boers are kind to the Kaffirs, and
are liked by them because, though strict and some
times cruel, they treat them more familiarly than we
do. There is not such a gulf fixed between them as
with us. Then, as to slavery, the work is light, and
they have enough food, all they care about. In
short, it is very much the same as in America formerly ;
there are good and bad masters, and the Kaffirs who
work are really happier than those who are idle.
Slavery is really extinct in Natal and the Cape, and
rapidly becoming so in the Boer States.

CHAPTER IV.
Tho native country north of the Vaal river.
26th July, 1864. — On the banks of the Vaal, north
of the river, I outspanned at a very pretty open
piece of ground ; not a house, hut, or living thing to
be seen, except geese and ducks in the river, very
tame and easily shot. The banks are very steep and
covered with fine timber and bush. The water might
rise forty feet and not overflow its banks. There are
many deep sluits along the banks, where waggons
cannot cross, therefore we have to go a long way
round. After travelling down the river for two days, we
came to an old drift on one of the small rivers which
rises in the north, and nearly overturned the waggon
in getting through. There are som^ beautiful stones
mixed in the gravel on the banks, some of the agates
are very perfect. On the opposite bank was a small
Koranna village, consisting of seven huts; the men
came out to stare, the women and children kept hid
in their huts ; here my driver, John, became an im-

62 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
portant individual, for being of the same tribe, although
calling himself a Hottentot, he could speak the same
language, which was a succession of clicks with
guttural sounds in the throat, quite unique in the
world's languages. From these people I got my
bearings, and found I was on the spruit called Scoon
Spruit, here I took my first observation in the Vaal
below the upper sources of the river.
The weather was very cold, sufficiently to wear great
coat. The Korannas informed me through my John,
that the grass was scarce lower down the river. How
these poor miserable-looking people existed was a
puzzle to me, a few goats was all they possessed ;
half naked, and what covering they had was nothing
but rags and skins.
The third day after my arrival I inspanned, and
took a little exploring expedition to the north of the
river, crossing several small streams where I could
find a safe crossing, as there was no water in any of
them, except here and there in pools ; the country
open and uninviting. In some places there were
bushes and thorn-trees, where I made a point of out-
spanning for the night to shelter the oxen, and
procure food for our fires ; fortunately there were no
cold winds, a perfect calm, and sometimes the days
were warm, but the nights cold. I spent some weeks
in going over the country, but as I proceeded westerly
I found great difficulty in crossing the many spruits

GRASS FIRES. 63
and small watercourses, causing much delay. At
one of these where I was outspanned , near a Kaffir
kraal, my driver, by accident, had, in making a fire,
ignited the grass, the only portion left from recent
fires that had destroyed nearly every blade in the
district, which gave a cheerless and desolate appear
ance to the country ; b ut, before it had spread any
distance, we managed to extinguish it. The Kaffirs
came running down from their huts, shouting, but
before they arrived the fire was out, otherwise it
would have been a serious matter with me, as it was
the only grass they had for their oxen and cattle ; I
might have lost all I had. When they came they saw
it was an accident, as it had destroyed several ox
reims that were lying on the ground. To make all
right, a present of tobacco and the purchase of some
brayed skins, made us friends ; money is not known
to them ; barter is the medium of exchange.^
Again I visit the Vaal, where, I follow it down,
keeping to good grass until the spring grass comes,
taking, long rides over the country with my rifle, as
game was plentiful, bles- and springboks, wildebeests,
and steenbok, which is a small anteTope, with horns
' There are dreadful accidents at times from these fires, and, strange
to say, loss of life, although you can pass unscathed through the fire
anywhere, even on horseback, as the horses will face it. But in
attempting to beat out the fire people become a.fphyxiated, and so fall
and are burnt.

64 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
six inches in length, very good eating when baked
in an iron pot.
The country I have now treked over leads up to
two very fine springs and large vleis, which I find
is the source of the Hart river, where Lichtenburg
now stands. I soon found lions and wolves were
numerous ; we could hear them in the evening and at
night, but had not seen any. Our outspan on the
Vaal is in a snug nook of the river, with plenty of
trees and bush, below where Bloomhof is now built.
Wild ducks and geese were so plentiful, that of the
former I frequently at one shot brought down six
and eight, on the islands, for there are several, covered
with trees and bush, as also are both banks ; the
river is very pretty.
In the evening, after fishing a short time, I would
return to the waggon with six or seven large barbel,
the tails reaching the ground when carried over the
shoulder on a stick ; they are fat, with few bones ; the
white or yellow fish is better eating but full of bones ;
much as I like fish, I do not care for these. The
Boers are very fond of them. They are soft and
tasteless ; the eels are better. They grow to forty or
fifty pounds.
The river is about 150 yards broad when it is
flooded, the water rises in the narrow parts from thirty
and sometimes fifty feet in height, entirely submerging
the tall trees growing on the banks ; at these times

IG UANAS— ANT-BEARS— HARES— OTTERS. 65
the water is composed of one-third mud, but when
low, as it is now, it is very clear, so much so, that I
have frequently seen the iguana walking on its bed at
a depth of five feet ; some of them grow to a great
size. I found three kinds, the very dark brown, the
largest, measuring from head to end of tail five feet ;
they are very destructive in the farm-yards, visiting
the fowl-roosts at night. I shot one a few nights ago,
with legs a foot in length. Otters are also plentiful
but difficult to find, their spoor was everywhere to be
seen on the banks. Ant-bears and spring hares which
resemble very much the kangars. Meercats abound
all over the Veldt, they are grey, some have very
bushy tails, others long and smooth, but along the
river-banks they are red with black tails. The arma
dillo is also found covered with large scales, and when
disturbed curls up similar to our hedgehogs. Snakes
are not visible yet, the weather is too cold. I have
shot three varieties of kingfishers, one very large and
of a light grey colour. There are many beautiful
birds along the-river banks, also Guinea fowl, part
ridges and pheasants, consequently I vary my dishes.
And with such a variety of small gamd? such as jackals
and tiger-cats, we find plenty of sport.
October 21 sf. — I made a move down the river in the
afternoon. A thunder-storm came on in evening, and
we had to outspan near a large Koranna station, the
nights closing in so quickly, and the road being unsafe to
VOL. r. y

66 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
travel in the dark. We made everything right before
the storm broke over us. We were close on the high
banks of the river, thick with trees and bush all round,
not a safe place in a storm, but well protected from
the wind. The night was fearfully dark and rough,
and I had little sleep ; the oxen breaking loose from
the trektow, I had to wake the boys to secure them.
Soon after breakfast the whole Koranna kraal turned
out to come and stare at the white man ; men, women,
and children, about seventy in all, as motley a group as
could well be found ; some of a dark dirty drab, light
yellow, and blackish brown, many of the younger ones
almost white and with rather pleasing countenances ;
all of them in a half -nude state, the children entirely
so. The grown-up females had old and dirty Kaffre
sheets thrown over their shoulders and held in front ;
the men wear parts of what once were trousers, but
are now in rags, made of skin. I began to think I
had fallen into about as fine a nest of unwashed and
half-starved rascals as I should meet with in my
travels ; my driver, John, knowing their language,
could talk to them. My waggon was soon surrounded,
each one begging for a piece of machuku (tobacco).
the women and children forming a half-circle in front
of the waggon, sitting down two and three deep, all
asking for tobacco. I gave some to the men, who
commenced smoking through bone pipes made out of
the leg bone of blesbok, about four inches in length.

KORANNAS. 67
in which they put the weed at one end and drew from
the other. One old shrivelled-up woman was per
sistent in her demand, and got quite cross because I
took no notice, and abused me in her tongue, which I
knew from her manner; I therefore would not. give
her any. Sitting on my waggon box in front, I looked
at her, and putting my thumb to my nose and ex
tending my fingers in her direction, called forth a
yell from all the women and young ones, every one
imitating my action returned the compliment to me.
Their action looked so ludicrous, I could not resist
bursting out into a hearty laugh, this exasperated
them the raore ; taking no notice of all this noise, they
began to see it was no use, therefore one by one came
holding out her hand asking quietly for a piece. I
told John to tell them I would not give them any
because they abused me ; they then came and wanted
to kiss my hand, finding they could not do that, they
kissed my coat, boots, anything they could touch of
my clothes ; at last, to get rid of them, each had a
piece given them, then I was everything that was
good, and blessings came tumbling down upon me
wholesale. A large circle of the women was soon
formed round the fire in a sitting position, smoking
away, about thirty, old and young, the old Kaffre
rags thrown on one side careless of results, modesty
being unknown. The men standing round or sitting
beyond the circle completed a group worthy a better
F 2

68 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
artist than I am to give it full effect, and in the even
ing the bright glare of a large fire, bringing promi
nently into view the figures against the background
beyond, and many of the large stems of the trees and
branches, showing out brightly, completed the picture.
But the charm was broken by the din and noise of
the people, all talking, laughing, singing, and some
dancing. A happy people 1 no cares for the present
or the future. This sort of amusement went on until
ten o'clock, then I gave my John orders to clear them
all off, for I wanted to sleep; any that remained
behind were to have no tobacco to-morrow ; this had
a magical effect, they cleared at once, and silence
reigned supreme, and the night passed away in
peace. I outspanned at a sharp bend of the Vaal, on
the fifth day from the Koranna station, where
there is a stony drift crossing the river to the
missionary station at Pniel, where Bloom and his
people lived. In 1869, extensive diamond-diggings
were worked here, and many thousand people were
employed at Pniel and Klip Drift ; both were very
extensive camps, the latter being the head-quarters
of the Provisional Government, previous to the
annexation of Griqualand West, when it received
the name of Barkly, and continued to be the head
quarters up to 1875, when all the departments were
transferred to Kimberley.

BOERS. 69
October BOth. — I went down early in the morning
to the drift, with my span of oxen, to help a Boer,
whose waggon had stuck in the middle of the river,
and his small and poor span could not move it.
Fortunately the water was very low, otherwise the
great boulders that blocked the wheels could not
have been removed. His vrau and kinder (children)
were sitting in the waggon with their faces wrapped
up, only their eyes visible, a common practice with
them when on the road. They are always getting
what they call sinkings (neuralgia).^ Having hooked
on my trektow with my span of fourteen, the waggon
was brought out and up the steep bank in safety, and
outspanned a short distance from my camp. He in
formed me he had come from the Free State, and
was. on his way up country for skins from the Kaffirs.
The ^vrau was handed out of the waggon, a camp-
stool put for her, a fire made, the kettle put on for
coffee, and things made comfortable. We had some
difficulty in landing the vrau, she being rather stout
and short, quite a genteel figure, measuring, as cor
rectly as my eye could judge, about five feet round
her waist; rather "off-coloured" complexion. Her
principal occupation seemed to be sitting on her
camp-stool; she was not fit for active work. The
' This is universal among the Boers, and is no doubt to be attributed
to their badly-constructed houses, without cellars or foundations, and
-having mud floors. — Ed.

70 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
whole family was suffering from inflamed eyes, a
common complaint caused by dirt. So far as I have
seen of the Boers, there is scarcely a family without
one of its members being so afflicted. This is purely
from never washing themselves ; they have a natural
horror of water touching their persons.
There are many Hottentot, Koranna, and Bushmen
living along the river-banks ; they have so intermixed
by marriage that there is little difference between them.
Some are of opinion that the Koranna is the true
Hottentot, but the people, as a general rule, are taller
and of a lighter colour than the real Cape Hottentot,
but as I have stated, from their intermarriages it is
difficult to draw the line. The Bushmen of the north
are much more distinct from those in the south.
There are also many of the Bechuana tribe living
in small detached kraals, and Bastards, so called from
being born of Dutch fathers and Hottentot women in
the early occupation of the Cape colony, and from the
great increase in their number they have become an
important tribe, and are found in all parts of South
Africa. They do not differ from the Boers in habits
and customs, and when able build their houses similar
to those of the Boer. In fact there is but a slight differ
ence between them, particularly those who are living in
the Transvaal. It is interesting to study how the blood
of a tribe or different nationality will show itself after
many generations ; as an instance, in one family I am

BOERS' HALF-CASTES. 71
well acquainted with, the grandfather is an old Boer,
whose mother was a bushwoman ; his son married a
Boer girl, and their daughter married a German, the
eldest son of this marriage was a half black; the
second son very fair, with light hair and blue eyes ; the
eldest daughter very dark, black hair and eyes, quite
half black ; the second daughter very fair, hght flaxen
hair and light blue eyes ; the third daughter and third
son were both half black, black eyes and crisp
black hair; the fourth son again was fair. This
family was the fourth generation from the black
and white marriage. I know of several other similar
cases, and most of the Transvaal Boers are of this
breed. November 10th. — I returned from a five days' trek
down the river, where the junction of the Hart river falls
into the Vaal, and close to a large Kaffre kraal, under
the chief Jantze of the Bechuana tribe, and found the
old Boer outspanned at the same place ; he was afraid
to proceed, having heard the Boers of the Transvaal
were still fighting amongst themselves, which had been
going on for a long time, and which was the reason of
my leaving the country last Octobef, causing me to
alter my plans, and on the 29th of November, 1864,
I left the Vaal at high drift for the north. Two days'
trek over a stony road, between low hills covered with
vaal bush, which is in full bloom at this season of the
year, giving out a pleasant perfume, the leaves also

72 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
being strongly scented, and when boiled in water are
sometimes used for tea.
Towards the Hart river the veldt is level, with
several isolated ranges of hills. At the west end of
one there, is a conical hill, formed entirely of lime
stone and fossil bones, so blended together that it
is impossible to separate them, teeth, jawbones, and
other parts of animals, large and small, are found.
The surrounding hills are of sandstone formation, with
large boulders of a bluish colour that overlap them. I
think there can be no doubt as to the origin of the
formation of this chalk hill, viz. by the action of the
water when submerged in the ocean. The bones and
chalk, the latter being held in solution, would be
brought together and deposited in comparative still
water by the eddy formed by the current rounding
the end of the adjacent hill, but from whence the
immense mass of bones comes is a question not so
easily solved ; being of the same specific gravity they
may have been deposited in the eddy, I visited the
hill several times in passing, and spent many hours on
its side and summit with my hammer breaking off
pieces to ascertain if any human remains could be
found, but not being an anatomist my labour was
partly in vain. Of every piece of rock I detached
frora the hill nearly one half was composed of bones,
all perfectly white, the same as the limestone, and
exceedingly hard. In many other localities I have

FOSSILS— GAME. 73
found masses of bones imbedded in limestone, the
former have been white, the latter of a dark greyish
colour, forming extensive caves, from which beautiful
springs of delicious water flow, showing that animal
life existed prior to the general configuration of the
present earth's surface.
During my two days' journey from the Vaal river
large herds of game were seen in all directions, keep
ing me in the saddle all day to provide food for the
road. Lions, wolves, and jackals were heard nightly,
and came prowling round our camp at no great
distance, but never came sufficiently close to be
seen. A few miles beyond the bone hill, if I may
so call it, we crossed the Hart's river, a bad and
muddy drift, where there were many Kaffre huts.
Ascending the hill beyond, I came to " Great Boet-
sass," where the chief would not allow me to outspan,
as he said I had come for no good, being sent by the
Boers of the Transvaal to take down on paper all
the watering-places ; therefore I was detained whilst he
and his head men held a kind of " raad " over me, to
decide what they should do. Finally they decided to
send me out of the country in the direction of Mal-
luxas kraal at Taungs, the head chief of the Bechuanas,
with a guard of six men to see me clear, and put me in
the road, following me up for several miles ; they then
left me in the middle of the veldt, without a road or
anything to guide me. The chief would not believe

74 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
my statement. To have resisted would have been
folly, as I could do very little against a hundred
Kaffirs. All the women and children kept to their
huts, the men assembled quite in a nude state,
except a small cloth in front, and were armed with
assagais and knobkerries. When I was leaving, they
came demanding some tobacco ; I told them they
should have none ; if they had behaved well, I would
have given them plenty.
Finding these Kaffirs had been so badly used by the
Boers, and not knowing the Enghsh, they insulted
every white man that came into their country; and
having heard very bad accounts of the people at
Taung and the villages around from the same cause, I
determined, when the guard left me, to strike across
the country and give them a wide berth, otherwise I
might be detained again. Two years after, when
visiting this kraal, the chief, when he found out who
I was, told me he was very sorry he had turned me
away. After proceeding several miles we came to a
single hut where a bushman lived, looking after a few
goats, who directed me what course to take. Giving
him a little tobacco I proceeded a few miles to a thick
forest of trees, close to a pan of water, where I out-
spanned for the night. At many of these pans, and
when travelling over the country, I would pick up
flint implements that were lying exposed on the surface.

ANIMALS. ' 75
On some of the large rocks in out-of-the-way
places, carvings of a variety of animals, snakes,
and men are occasionally stumbled upon in the
stone '• koptjies," quite artistic in execution. The
instrument must have been of good steel to make
any impression on the hard stone. I do not think
they are the work of Bushmen, as sorae suppose, but
those who once occupied this country in search of
gold many hundred years ago ; as there is such exten
sive evidence in this country, in the old pits remaining,
of former workings.
December Mh. — Shot a fine ha.rtebeest early in the
.morning from the saddle, and after breakfast started
with waggon, following a track partly overgrown with
bush, over an undulating country, sometimes through
a thorn country and Kameel-down trees, where
thousands of game were literally covering the open
plains in every direction as far as the eye could see.
Blue wildebeest, bles- and springbok, quaggas and
many other kinds ; there was one drove of quaggas, at
least a thousand, crossing the path I was travelling,
only a few hundred yards in front, going at full speed,
a beautiful sight. *
Outspanning in the evening near a large pond, we
disturbed as we approached, several hundred ducks,
which kept us employed until dark in adding to our
larder. In the morning the Namaqua partridge
in coveys of twenty to a hundred, came to water.

)6 TWEN'f'YFIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
They are the size of a dove, the time to shoot them
is when they are sitting at the edge of the water and
when they rise ; in two shots I killed fifty-four ; they
are called also sand-grouse.
The next day I passed through a pretty country, well
wooded and low hills, noted a§ the lion veldt; there
fore I treked on to get clear of the bush before night,
and carae to a very large brak pan, at least four miles
in circumference, called Great Chue Pan. On the
bank was a small spring of good water, and an open
country, where we remained the night. The oxen were
let loose to feed, and the horse knee-haltered to feed,
before making them fast for the night to the trektow,
my invariable custom, to prevent their straying ; the
loss of your oxen is almost death to the traveller.
They were feeding some distance from my camp, when
they were seen in full gallop coming to the waggon,
and did not stop until close home ; we knew they were
frightened by hons. At night, soon after dark, we
heard the roar of several, in the direction where the
oxen had been feeding. We made them fast round
the waggon, and close in front collected wood for
fires, which we kept up all night ; and all of us on the
watch with rifles, for they never ceased their roar,
sometimes very near, but being very dark and cloudy
I could not see them.
As a book of reference, describing the physical
geography of South Central Africa, it is necessary in

RIVERS, 77
the first instance to give the several river systems or
basins comprised within this region ; and, secondly, to
give the results of my explorations, not in consecutive
journeys, but in a detailed description of each separate
region visited from time to time, as I had frequent
occasion to travel oyer the same ground for the pur
pose of completing my labours, so that no portion of
any region should be left unexplored. For when such
an immense area of nearly 2,000,000 square miles has
to be visited, to survey the whole necessitates frequent
visits to the same district, to be able to reach those
parts beyond. Consequently I have passed through
all this region many times.

78 IWENIY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.

CHAPTER V.
On Griqualand West, the Griquas, Korannas, Bushmen, and Diamond
Fields.
Previous to the annexation of this country by the
British Government, it was occupied by various tribes
under petty chiefs, ruling each their separate kraals.,
the banks of the Vaal and Orange rivers being the
most thickly populated districts. So far back as 1820
there were mission-stations established at Griqua Town
and Campbell, by the Rev. — Campbell, and Anderson
and others. The country at that time was peopled by
Korannas, Bushmen, Bechuanas, and Griquas, under
the chiefs, Choodeep, Keidebio, Siffonel, and Sebedare ;
the two latter were Bechuanas of the Baralong family,
who had large kraals and many people. Soon after
the country was overrun by hordes of Kaffirs living
more to the east of what is now the Transvaal, of
various tribes, some of the chiefs being the Bapedi,
Makatee or Mantatees, afterwards called Basutu or
Musutu, under Moshesh, whose habits and customs in
war were similar to the Zulus-^their weapons, the
assegai and long oval shield, the shield of the

MR. MOFFAT AND MR. CAMPBELL'S MISSION. 79
Bechuana being square, hollowed out on the four
sides ^
Soon after the Rev. Robert Moflfat and the Rev. —
Campbell established the mission-station at Kuruman,
which was made the head- quarters of the London
Missionary Society in Bechuanaland, forty miles be
yond the northern boundary of Griqualand West
and, at the same time, two other stations on the
north and north-west of the latter station, Baclairis
and Matelong; and, subsequently, the German mission
was established at Pniel, on the banks of the Vaal,
about fourteen miles to the north, where Kimberley
now stands, and a missionary is now doing duty there.
At Griqua Town the mission-house is in ruins, thp
church is still kept up, and the missionary from
Kuruman goes over and holds service. At Campbell
the mission-house and church are both in ruins.
Upper Campbell, which is a mile to the north of Lower
Campbell, on the top of a range of hills called Camp
bell Randt, has only a few houses occupied by Griquas ;
a Mr. Bartlett occupies the farm. Another mission-
' These Mantatees are so called from the jame of their queen,
who was the widow of a petty chief and elected queen. The
Kaffirs had a fancy for a queen, and the tribe became very
powerful. At last she was deposed by her prime minister,
Mosliesh. She fled to Natal, and died there in obscurity. Moshesh
had 20,000 horsemen, and gave us more trouble than any other
chief. At last the Boers of the Orange Eiver Free State wore him
down — Ed.

8o TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
station, established after Lower Campbell, was at
Lekatlong, near the junction of the Harts and Vaal
rivers, by the same London Society, under the Rev.
Mr. Ashton, but the church and house are in ruins.
Mr. Ashton lives now at Barkly, and goes over occa
sionally to hold service. It was a large Bechuana
station under the chief Jantje, who has now removed
with his people to Masupa, beyond the northern
boundary of Griqualand West.
The Griquas many years ago settled down on both
sides of the Vaal. Adam Kok settled at Nomans-
land, on the borders of Natal, with his people. An-
dries Waterboer settled with his people at Griqua
Town, occupying the whole of the western division of
Griqualand West, dividing it into farms ; and at the
death of Andries, his son, Nicholas Waterboer,
became chief, and it was with him the British Govern
ment arranged to annex the country to the British
Government in 1871.
Waterboer lived in a nice house, well furnished, and
the family live as respectably as any Boer family. I
was invited to a dance one evening by Waterboer,
when the elite of the families were invited. All the
fashionable dances were correctly and well performed
to the music of the harmonium, which one of his sons
played ; his daughters were well behaved, and I was
much pleased to see such refinement in this out-of-the-
way corner of the world among the natives. Since

GRIQUAS— KORANNAS. 8i
that time he has been made a prisoner, deprived of his
chieftainship, and is now living in Hope Town, the
principal portion of his people being driven from their
lands. The Griquas are a religious and well-conducted
people, kind and hospitable, but lazy, and they will
only work when obliged. They plough and cultivate
their lands, are fond of coffee and visiting ; like their
Boer brothers in habits and customs, being descended
from Dutch and Bushmen, they retain the habits of
the former. Many of the Boers of the Transvaal are
descended from these people. In this province they
are found in less numbers than formerly, but some are
living along the Orange river and the western district.
The Korannas had large kraals along the Vaal
and Orange before diamonds were found ; since
then they have gone more to the west into the
Kalahara desert. They are, as I have before stated,
a dirty and dishonest tribe, not to be trusted in
any way; their main stronghold is at Maamuosa,
on the Harts river, under the chief, Moshoen, The
Bushmen also have considerably decreased. When
I first knew them, in 1864, 'these two tribes lived
together with scarcely anything to c9ver them. At
the present time they all wear clothes of some sort,
and are in a better position in consequence of the
Diamond .Fields bringing money into the country. I
have had several of them for my servants at different
times, but could make nothing of them. Speaking to
po Ti. I. G

82 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
my Koranna boys about their marriages, they tell me
when a man and woman agree to be man and wife,
as soon as that is settled between them, without
asking any one's permission or going through any
ceremony, they are then and there married, so long as
it suits them ; if either wish to break off the engage
ment, they tell the other party that he or she can go
and get another wife or husband, as the case may be ;,
the children, if any, are divided by agreement. In
1867 I had a Koranna boy, about twenty, who got
married when in my service ; seven months after they
got tired of each other, so he took another girl, and his
old wife married the other boy I had. In 1877 I had
another Koranna, who changed his wife three times
when in my service. The Hottentots and Bushmen
do the same; they never have more than one wife at
a, time.^ 2 When magistrate at Walwich Bay, I sent a number of them up to
the Cape, by order of the Government. The women were all directed
to be married, but one was found to be single — a fine girl. I directed
the single men to be paraded, and told the girl to choose one, which
she did, amidst some merriment among the party, and I proclaimed
them man and wife, having previously asked the consent of the man,
who gave it quite passively, and apparently only in obedience to my
wish. I went up in a schooner with them, and a few days after there
was a slight disturbance, owing to this man beating his bride. He said
it was in consequence of her speaking to another man. I told her
that I was surprised at her conduct after I had bestowed on her the
man of her heart. She promised that it should not occur again, and
he not to beat her. I was pleased at the success of my matrimonial

DIAMOND-DIGGING. 83
All the other tribes can have as many wives as they
are able to keep. They belong to the Bechuana
family, and live more in the northern part of Griqua
land West, near the Harts river, as all the lower parts
are occupied by English, Dutch, and others in farms,
allowing small native kraals to remain on them, that
the occupiers may have the use of their labour when
required, and they are allowed a piece of ground to
cultivate and grazing for their cattle.
Diamond-digging first commenced in the latter end
of 1869 at Hebron, on the Vaal river; then at Klip
Drift early in 1870, now called Barkly, and on the
opposite side of the river Pniel, where large camps
were formed employing many thousand people at each
place, all living under canvas. Then prospecting
parties went down the river, forming large camps
at Delporthorpe, Bsterhanger, Blue Jacket, For
lorn Hope, Keisikamma, Union Coppie, Gong Gong,
Webster's Kops, Waldeck, Plant, and down the river
venture, as it showed that the man was not so indifferent as he seemed
to be. These were full-grown Bushmen, not Hottentots of the dwarfed
and degraded type of the mountain Bushmen of Natal. I took one
as a servant — a boy — whilst travelling. He had been taken out of
charity by our cattle-watcher, as he was starving. He had a full
supply of food always with the men, and besides at my breakfast and
dinner as much as he could eat. But one day, when my dinner — a
wild guinea-fowl — was cooking in a pot, he ate up the whole of it
like a do" ; so I found it necessary to discharge my valet, as an
incurable savage. — Ed.
G 2

84 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
from Barkly fifty-five miles to Siffonel. These com
posed the principal river diggings. Diamonds have
been found much lower down in the Orange river at
Priska, and 100 miles above Barkly, and at Bloemhof-
but, no claims have been worked beyond those named.
All these river diggings are now abandoned, with the
exception of a few hundred, where thousands once
occupied the ground. The discovery of diamonds at
New Rush, now Kimberley, Old De Beers, Du Toit's
Pan, and Bultfontein, and from the great quantity of
diamonds found, drew all the diggers from the river
to take claims in those four rich and valuable mines,
which are now being worked with expensive machinery
at an enormous expense. The Kimberley mine is the
largest, being nearly half a mile in diameter and 360
feet deep, with engine and hauling-gear round the
whole distance. It is the same with the other mines ;
the population, including whites and blacks, must
exceed 30,000. Kimberley is twenty-five miles south
east from Barkly, and is the great diamond centre,
where the government of the province is carried on.
These four principal mines cover an area of over six
square miles, and are situated in a part of the country
the most wretched, barren, and exposed I have ever
been in; no trees, but open dreary plains, sur
round the mines in all directions. Up to 1884, the
people and machinery were supplied with water from
wells, which did not give sufficient for their wants. A

KIMBERLEY. 85
company was established to draw the water from the
Vaal river, distant some twelve miles, by an engine
pumping the water into reservoirs and by pipes.
Kimberley is the great mining centre and the im
portant town in Griqualand West, and in all this part
of Africa roads branch off to all parts of the country.
It is the terminus of the Cape railway. From Bloem-
fontein, the capital of the Orange Free State, the
distance is about 100 miles; from Kimberley to
Bloemhof 90 miles, and from the latter to Pretoria,
in the Transvaal 210 miles. To Barkly it is 25 miles,
and from that town to Taungs, in Bechuanaland,
80 miles, and to Kuruman, N.N.W. from Barkly, 120
miles. There is also a direct road from Kimberley, through
the Free State to Maritzburg, in Natal ; the distance
is about 400 miles; besides many others to all parts
of the country.
Barkly, up to 1875, was the seat of the govern
ment, when it was removed to Kimberley. Ib was
then a busy and thriving town, several hotels, club
houses, bank, high court, and other offices. The
town, since this change, has fallen Off considerably.
It stands on the lofty bank of the Vaal, 100 feet
above the river, with stone koppies surrounding
it, bare almost of vegetation, not an inviting locality
to settle in. It has become now the frontier-town for
the interior trade ; the river being 600 feet broad,

86 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
there is plenty of room for boating. Many of the in
habitants enjoy, in the summer, a sail on its waters,
which is in many parts deep. The banks are well
clothed with trees that add greatly to the beauty of
the river. Two passenger-carts run daily between
this town and Kimberley, passing over the pont, which
is capable of taking a waggon and span of sixteen oxen
on at one time. Since then a bridge has been erected.
The geological formation has many varieties of
rocks : — The siliceous and crystalline limestone of the
Campbell Rands, a range of hills that runs through
the northern portion of this province, from the chief
Monkuruan's town at Taung, in a south-west direction,
on the north side of the Harts river, down past Camp
bell Town to the Orange river, where it breaks up into
many spurs, where are amygdaloidal and ancient con-
gloraerates, and schistose rocks, with shale and sand
form the lofty hills along the Vaal, which is the same
throughout the whole course of this river in Griqua
land; and on the opposite side, at Pniel, Backhouse,
Hebron, and the koppies on its banks, is jasper with
magnetite along the Kuruman range which passes
Griqua Town, and quartzite sandstone at the Langberg
range of mountains, which runs north for several
hundred miles into the Kalahara Desert, and forms
part of the western boundary of Griqualand West.
Plumbago, shale, sandstone, and ferruginous breccia
at these peculiar hills at Blauw Klip and Matsap.

THE FIRST BOAT THAT EVER SAILED ON THE ORANGE RIVER.

COUNTRY. 87
Limestone on the northern boundary and at Daniel-
kuil. Felspathic rocks, olive shales, and gravels, are
seen in the hills on the river near Langberg mountain.
The boundary of this province commences at Kheis on
the Orange river, the extreme western point, opposite
Scheurberg mountain, following the river up to Hope
Town on to Ram ah, the Cape Colony being on the
south side, then in a N.N.E. direction to Flatberg,
near the Vaal river ; the Free State boundary also ;
thence in a N.N.E. direction, crossing the Vaal, and
Harts river, the joint boundary of the Transvaal by
the last convention, and also the boundary of Monku
ruan's territory, then turns W.S.W. to a tree, north of
Nelson's Fountain on to a point in Langberg, thence
to Kheis on the Orange. This part of Griqualand
West is wild and grand, lofty mountains broken up
into isolated and perpendicular masses, a thousand
feet high, with lofty projecting rocks jutting out from
their sides ; the dark colour of the stone gives addi
tional grandeur to the landscape. This kind of
.scenery continues up and down the river from Kheis
.for nearly 100 miles.
From Griqua Town to Bultfontein* over sixty miles,
the country is of the same character, the road passing
along from that town to Wittwater, Reedfontein,
Modderfontein, Bluebush Kalk, to 'Bultfontein, on the
Orange river, a pretty site for a town. It is a Kaffir
station of several tribes.

88 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
At Modderfontein, nearly on the summit of one of
the lofty hills, are several Bushmen's caves. The
largest is capable of holding 200 people; the rocks
within show evidence of fire by their smoked appear
ance, and many years ago were occupied by that
bloodthirsty tribe mentioned in my description of the
Kalahara. The Griquas living here told me they have
passed away, but the old man stated their fathers
could remember them. The mountain road leaves
Bultfontein and goes west no great distance from the
river, over a very stony road, on to the Pits, where
several Griquas have comfortable houses, situated on
a pleasant open space, rarely to be equalled for beau
tiful views in all directions. I remained here several
days to ramble and explore .the mountain tops. I took
my driver in case of accidents, as leopards and lions
were known to be there, as one old Griqua told me
they frequently lost a goat by being taken from the
kraal at night. Vegetation up the kloofs and on the
slopes of the hills is very fine ; beautiful tree-ferns, and
every variety of other kinds, particularly the maiden
hair, which grows out amongst the rocks on the moun
tains, are very beautiful ; also some very fine ground
orchids, and a thorny bush with crimson flowers, as
also many varieties of aloes.
This district contains copper and lead, and from the
appearance of the quartz which crops out, I believe
gold will be discovered when this part is prospected.

COUNTRY— TIGERS. 89
One road from this place goes down to the river
through a fearful valley, it is necessary to " riem "
(tie) the four wheels of the waggon, otherwise it would
go crash down into the precipice below, and then turn
over and be smashed. This was the road I took to
the river on a previous journey. The other passes on
to Milk Start Pass in the Langberg range, fifty miles
more to the west, which I crossed on the western
side, and outspanned under some fine old trees, close
to a perpendicular rock at the foot of the Berg, where
we found a small pool of water in the rocks, collected
from the recent rains, and good grass. The pass over
the mountains was a most difficult and dangerous
road, large holes and boulders blocking the way.
The scenery on both sides was grand, lofty and per
pendicular rocks, 2000 feet high, with beautiful shrubs
and flowers growing out from every crevice. The
light and shadows thrown on the opposite hills by the
setting sun gave beauty to the landscape.
At night some leopards paid my camp a visit ; a few
sheep I kept as a reserve for the road appear to have
been the cause of their troubling me. A Bushman
and his son came early in the mornirrg and told my
boys where the leopards could be found, and as their
skins made splendid karoses, we arranged to hunt them
down if possible, taking the Bushman as guide to point
the way. Three of my boys, myself and two dogs,
followed the spoor for several hundred yards. Up

90 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
amongst the spurs of the mountain, the old Bushman
pointed to a ledge of rocks overhanging others, sur
rounded by bush. We then sent the dogs to ascertain
their whereabouts, for we knew there were at least
two by their spoor on the sand. As soon as the dogs,
by their barking and unmistakable fear, showed
exactly where they were, we took up our position on
separate rocks, forty yards distant from the tigers'
den. Two of my boys were to keep up a fire into
where we knew them to be, myself and driver kept
ready to overhaul any that might come out. We
heard nothing but low growls from time to time ; the
affair began to be interesting. After nearly a dozen
bullets had been sent in, out came a fine male leopard
at one bound over some bushes, looking anything but
amiable, and took a deliberate survey of his surround
ings, his fine spotted skin shining in the sunlight —
a beautiful animal. But this was only for a few mo
ments, three bullets entered his body at once, when
he gave a spring, and fell on one side, and as he did
not appear quite dead I gave him another in the region
of the heart, for I have known them drop like this,
and then spring up and seize upon those near them.
The other, which we concluded was the female, made
her escape amongst the rocks. I then set the Bush
man and my Hottentot boy to take off the skin, and
the rest returned to the camp, where we found the
dogs lying down by the fire, evidently ashamed of their

LION CARRYING OFF A BOY. 91
desertion by their fawning manner to make friends.
Animals have more sense than instinct ; they knew
perfectly well they had done wrong in leaving us.
This range of mountains, which runs due north, as I
have stated, forms the south-eastern boundary of the
Kalahara desert, and looking towards the west for
thirty miles from the base the country is almost level,
a few sand-dunes and gentle rises up to the Scheur
berg mountain range, which looks one compact mass
of lofty peaks. But on a close inspection, there are
many detached and deep valleys running between. A
native road passes about midway through on to the
Koranna and Bastard stations on the Orange river.
There are a great many lions in these hills, as it is
uninhabited, except by Bushmen. On my previous
exploration along these hills, where I outspanned near
a Bushman kraal, one of them told my boys that a
few days before our arrival a lion had entered one of
the huts and carried off a young boy ; they followed
him in the dark with burning brands but had to give
up ; they could only trace him by the screams of the
lad, but they soon ceased. Across the desert from
this point westward, it is 330 miles. *
Leaving the camp the next morning after the leopard-
hunt, we proceeded in a northerly direction for thirty-
three miles along the west base of Langberg, and
arrived, on the second day, opposite Speck Koppie,
where another pass crosses the mountain, which is a

92 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
very stony and rough road, but the scenery grand on
both sides, similar to that we passed through a few
days ago, and arrived at a farm belonging to Pot-
gieter, a Boer. From thence on to koppies, Mr.
Ryland's farm, Blaaw Klip, is six miles beyond,
where, in a hill, a soft stone is dug, which the natives
form into pipes, plates, vases, and many other useful
articles. And beyond, in a north-east direction, is
Mount Hexley, Maremane and Coses, a Kaffir station.
The formation of the hills is very peculiar, lofty, iso
lated koppies, covered, many of them with thick bush.
others almost bare, the naked rocks piled one upon
ainother in grotesque forms. The dry river-bed passing
through this part is a branch of the Kuruman river.
We then crossed the Kuruman range, and arrived at
the mission-station 2nd January, 1866.
Before leaving this part of the Griqualand West,
I should like to describe that peculiar sand-formation
on the west side of the Langberg mountains, which
is in fact part of it. I heard from many of the
Griquas and Potgieter, living near it, that the lofty
hills are constantly changing ; that is, the sand-hills,
500 and 600 feet in height, in the course of a few
years subside, and other sand-hills are formed where
before it was level ground.^
^ I regret very much the description of this sand formation has
been left out, it being the only extraordinary geological formation
known in Africa, and fully describes the musical sand.

MR. MOFFATS STATION— BABOONS. 93
May Uh, Sunday. — Attended Mr. Moffat's church ;
the service is held in the Bechuana language. About
400 natives present. The singing is as well performed
as it is in any English church at home. The Kaffirs,
who are Bechuanas, have fine clear voices, and the
women are well known to have sweet, musical voices.
The service is well conducted, and the natives as
attentive as any white, congregation in a civilized
country. I first attended at this church in 1868, when
the Rev. Robert Moffat was living there, previous to
his finally leaving for England. In 1869 I was again
there, detained for many weeks with a severe ill
ness, and through the kind nursing of Mr. and Mrs.
John Moffat, Mr. and Mrs. Levy, and other English
residents, soon recovered. I remember well before
leaving at that time, they got up a little picnic party,
to visit some ancient Bushmen caves, a few miles from
the mis sion- station towards the hills, taking a cart
with provisions, the party riding, and a very enjoyable
day we had. As we approached the hills the country
became covered with bush and long grass, where I
may safely say, several hundreds of baboons were busy
seeking roots in the grass. The old" men were very
large, and to see the whole troop scuttle towards the
hills with the babies on their mothers' backs, with their
little arms clinging round their necks, was a pretty
and novel sight. Arriving at the caves, we found a
long sand cliff projecting many yards over the lower

94 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
part, affording shelter for several hundred families,
perfectly secure and a safe retreat — but its ancient
inhabitants are passed away and forgotten. We pro
cured some very beautiful specimens of the trap-door
spider ; the workmanship of the door and its hinge,
and the lining of the passage down to their nest is
something marvellous- So far as I have discovered,
there are three kinds of this species, distinguished by
their size. The largest is a black spider, the body
nearly an inch in length ; the opening, or passage, and
the door to their nest is the size of our English florin ;
the hole to the nest is perpendicular for from a foot
to two feet, when an open space is beyond. The
coating of this opening and the under side of the door
is of a greyish white, and as soft and smooth as satin,
and when the door is shut it fits so exactly as to be
quite water-tight.. The top of the door is made to
represent the ground round about, to be undistinguish-
able by an enemy. The second size trap-door is the
size of a shilling, and the third the size of a four-
penny-bit. But the spiders are of the same type;
where one kind is found in a district the others are
not, showing they occupy separate localities. I have
frequently found the door open and thrown back,
showing the spider is abroad hunting up game to
supply his larder. On several occasions when finding
these doors open I have watched the return of the
spider, sitting down a few feet from the door, and

SPIDERS' NESTS. 95
waited sometimes nearly half an hour. Presently he
will be seen coming along in great haste. On arrival
at the door he looks down for a few seconds, as if to
listen if all is right below ; then he makes a small circuit
round, again approaching ; this time he goes in a few
inches, then out, and another inspection of the locality,
back again, and down into his nest, where he remains
about two minutes, out he comes on to the top, looks
round, then goes in, turns round and puts out one of
his fore-legs, takes hold of the door and pulls ifc close
down over him, and when shut it is difficult to see
where it is. Frequently I have watched these spiders
(three kinds) when they have left their doors open,
and invariably the sarae cautious movements have
been adopted on returning home. There are other
spiders very similar in form and size to the above ;
they make their nests and passages down after
the same fashion, but with no trap-door, the entrance
being quite open and exposed. Another peculiar
spider, common in these parts, is the two-headed
spider, with two mandibles ; they are the largest
I have seen, two inches in length, with six legs,
and of a greenish brown colour. They are night
spiders, and the Bushmen tell me their bite is death.
This may, or may not, be true ; I had no desire to try.
The number that must be hidden in the ground in
the day must be legion. When I have had my
camp-fire at night, on an open piece of ground near

96 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
which I have been sitting, after hunting, hundreds
of spiders and creeping things, as also moths, are
drawn to it for warmth and light ; amongst them are
these two-headed monsters, seen running about, and
finally become destroyed by rushing into the burning
embers. I found their retreat during the day by a
a pet meercat, the long smooth-tailed kind, similar to
the ichneumon. He would, on my outspanning, jump
off the waggon and begin to smell the ground in
all directions, and would frequently- stop, begin to
scratch with his fore-feet down two or three inches,
poke his long nose into the hole, and bring out one of
these spiders and devour it with evident relish. The
ground being perfectly smooth with no aperture
exposed, I could not discover how they could conceal
themselves so cleverly. In some cases, I counted the
number this little animal would find in a given space,
when roughly hunting over the ground; it would
average seventeen, in a surface ten feet square, and
leaving probably as many in the ground. The taran
tula is also very common, some of them the size of the
palm of one's hand, well covered with long brown hair.
A large camp-fire at night would draw the scorpions
to it also, particularly if it should be made near a
stone koppie. They grow to a great size. I have
caught them from one inch to twelve inches in length.
When young they are of a green colour, but full-grown
they are black. The sting of the young ones, if on

COUNTRY. 97
the arm or leg, causes a numbness with a burning
heat that may last a day, with no other bad symptoms.
The sting of the full-grown ones must be dangerous ;
the natives tell me it is death. The study of the
insect- world is a life-long study in Africa alone, con
sequently my attention was only drawn to those kinds
that took my special attention.
There is every indication that this country is drying
up. Fountains that gave out fine springs of water,
so the old Kaffirs told me, in their fathers' time, have
not been known to flow for many years. This is a
common remark all over the country, and there is
evidence that it is so. Extensive pans, some more
than a mile in circumference and 100 feet deep, with
rocks or cliffs generally on the north-east side, with
sandy bottoms, are now without water, when evidently
they must have been full at some time. From the
long drought, seven or eight months of the year, it
cannot become a corn-growing country to any extent.
The greater portion of the ground is of that stony and
rocky nature it is incapable of growing anything but
a coarse grass that suits cattle, but not sheep. A
farm of 3000 morgan, or 6000 acres, will not maintain
throughout the year more than 200 head. That is
where water is on the farm, otherwise that number of
cattle can only be maintained for seven months out of
the year.
The northern border of Griqualand West, on the
.VOL I. II

98 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
north of the Campbell Randt, is a flne country for
grazing and keeping cattle. There is more permanent
water, the district being limestone. From Daniel's
Kuil, where there is a singular cave, and between
Neat's fountain, Marsaipa and Boetsap, is now laid
out into farms. Fourteen years ago I frequently
hunted the ostrich all through that region. Lions and
wolves would visit me every night. Bushmen also
were found, but of late years they have disappeared.
An old Bushman at that time told me one evening
many tales of his escapes from lions, and one of his
brothers, only a few months before, was seized by a
lion in the arm, when he had the presence of mind to
take a handful of sand and throw it in the lion's eyes,
when he let go, and the Bushman made his escape
before the lion had recovered from the pain and
surprise, then gave a roar and bounded away. I
saw his brother a few days afterwards and the marks
of the teeth on the arm. A similar occurrence happened
in the desert when I was there four years before. A
lion had seized a Bushman in a similar way, when he
could manage to reach the hind part and squeeze his
leg, when the lion gave a roar and sprang away.
Many other such tales I have heard from these children
of the desert of lions leaving the victim they have
seized. I have met with three kinds of wolves in
these parts : the tiger-wolf, hyena striata, the largest
kind, the striped hyena, a large animal, and the maned

PORCUPINES.

99

hyena, the small kind. The wolf-hyena is the most
numerous. Porcupine-hunting is very good sport at night
when the moon gives a good light. They visit the
Kaffir gardens, when the corn is getting forward.
The plan is to go in with a few dogs, and several
Kaffirs with sticks ; the dogs drive the porcupines
about, when they come near a good rap with the stick
on their nose soon kills them, but care must be taken
they do not run back and plant some of their quills
into your legs, for they make dangerous wounds.
The old Bushmen tell me they recollect when all the
large game was plentiful over the whole of this part
of Griqualand West, north of the Vaal and Orange
rivers, and also the hippopotami were found in them.
The Blood Kaffirs, along the lower part of the Orange,
also tell me there is one at the present time to be seen
occasionally. The flora in these parts, in the spring and through
the summer, is an interesting study alone. Some of
the flowers are perfectly crimson, others of a deep
purple, the creepers, with their rich scarlet flowers,
chmbing up amongst the bushes, an^ long yellow
pods, make the veldt interesting. The Vaal bush is
the most common in this province ; it flowers in the
winter, and has a pleasant perfume ; the tea made from
its leaves is an excellent tonic. Many of the Bechuanas
live ih small kraals along the Campbell Randt, the
H 2

joo TWENTY-FIVE YEAES IN A WAGGON.
Harts river, and at Great and- Little Boetschap and
possess many waggons and spans of oxen, supplying
the people at the Diamond Fields with vegetables,
corn, cattle, and also wood from their forests, to keep
the machinery at work. The general altitude of this
part of the country is 4300 feet above sea-level. This
is the cause of grass being more coarse throughout
the interior of South Africa than it is at a lower level,
and why winters are colder than they would be, the
south latitude being only 28°.
Griqualand at the present time is as much occupied
by a white population as any part of the Cape Colony,
and, from its being the great diamond centre, has now
become the most extensive and business part of South
Africa; millions of pounds change hands annually,
where fifteen years ago it was a howling wilderness.

CHAPTER VI.
The Bechuana family — Their division into tribes — Their past and
present condition.
That portion of Bechuanaland between the territory
belonging to the chief Montsoia, 'which is on
the north, and Griqualand West, is occupied by
several chiefs belonging to this family. Monkuruan
claims to be the paramount chief over ma;ny of them,
others claim their independence. When the British
Government annexed the Diamond Fields, they acknow
ledged this chief to be the head of the Bechuanas over
all that country. Previous to that time, Mahura, uncle
to Monkuruan, ruled ; at his death, his nephew became
chief, and lived at his chief town, situated on one of
the spurs of the Campbell Rantz, called Taung, or
Toane, a large Kaffir station, close to* a small branch
of the Harts river, above its junction, containing a
population, at the time I first visited the country,
under 2000. Monkuruan and his people belong to the
Batlapin tribe of the Bechuana family. He has several
large kraals, where his people live. Another chief.

102 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
Botlatsitsi, son of the old Chief Gasebone, lives at
Phokwane, about eighteen miles from Taung, on the
south side of Harts river. He and his people belong
to the same tribe as Monkuruan.
The town, or kraal, is very pleasantly situated
amongst the hills, which are thickly covered with low
underwood. The other petty captains, living within
the country first described, are Moshette, of the Bara
long tribe, who, with his people, live about nine miles
from Taung, at Kunanna ; the Chief Matlabane, of the
Bamairi branch of the Batlapin tribe, whose kraal is
six miles from Taung, on the hills about it.
The chief Matlibe and his people live at Taung, and
they are of the Batlapin tribe also. The petty captain,
Jantze, of the Batlapin, previous to the annexation of
the Diamond Fields, lived at a large kraal, Lekatlong,
on the banks of the Harts river, near its junction with
the Vaal, but afterwards he removed, with his people,
to Myneering, about thirty miles south of Kuruman.
Young Gasebone lived at Dekong, on the same branch
as that passing Taung, which I recollect perfectly
well, for he stole out of my waggon thirty pounds of
coffee, on my third visit there, in 1869, and then
politely offered to drive my waggon through a very
stony drift on my leaving his station. At Kuruman is
Moshette. At Bakclaris, which is eighteen miles on
the north from Kuruman, is the Chief Barhakie, and
brother to Moshette. To the north, eighty miles from

MOSHETTE— KAFFIR PENNS. 103
Bakclaris, is Morequerne, where there are three petty
captains, Makobie, Makutse, and Marketchwar, an old
blind man ; his people told me he was more than 100
years old, but they do not understand age; he died
shortly afterwards.
Eighteen miles to the north-west of Morequerne is
Conge, another large station, which is on the border
of the Kalahara desert ; and to the west, and south,
towards Kuruman, is the kraal at Mynyam, near
Honey Vlei, a large sheet of water. Cooe station is
to the west of the Vlei, but near it, forty miles south,
is Tsiniu station ; Comopere twelve miles south of the
last, and twelve miles west of Bakclaris. On the east
again we come to several kraals — Matetong, Kopong,
and Tokong are the principal. There are many others
of less note, all with their head-men. On the west of
Kuruman, under the Langberg range of mountains,
are Gamapoope, Molanwan, Kamasap, Puruhulu, Tu-
ten, Lukin, and Zitburn. One of the chiefs is Tatu.
Consequently, all this part of the country is thickly
populated by the Bechuana family, all under petty
chiefs and captains.
South of Kuruman is Kobis, KoAng, Myneering,
and Marseipa, and with their outlying posts for cattle,
sheep, and bucks, rnake it an important and valuable
region for the British Government to protect and
secure from foreign invasion, as it is contiguous to
Griqualand West along the whole of its northern

104 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
border. The extent of this portion of Bechuanaland
above-named, south of the chief Montsioa territory, is
from the Transvaal on the east, to Langberg on the^
west — 200 miles by nearly 200 north and south — or
40,000 square miles. And when I first knew the
country, twenty years ago, it was nearly unknown to
the white man, except the missionaries, who had their
stations at Kuruman, Lekatlong, Bakclaris, and Ma
tetong, and some half-dozen traders passing through
Kuruman, from Hope Town, in the Cape Colony, to
the Bechuana chiefs living to the north. This little-
known region then, was one of the most pleasant and
agreeable parts of Africa to visit and explore. The
natives, more particularly at Kuruman and those to
the north, were most friendly and kind. Like all
native tribes, they do not forget to beg of the white
man. Down towards the south, in Mahura's time, the
people were troublesome, and much less civil in their
behaviour to strangers. I think I experienced more
annoyance because they took me to be a Boer,
noting down all their watering-places, and on one
occasion I was in great danger in consequence. Skins
well brayed was the only material for their clothes ;
the men had long cloaks, which, when thrown over
the shoulders, reached the ground. The women had
short wrappers- round their loins, hanging down
behind and very scanty in front; in cold weather they
also had leather mantles. But at the present time

BECHUANAS' CLOTHING. 105
they have to a great extent adopted the European
mode of dress, and deal extensively in almost every
kind of English merchandise.
From cultivating little or no corn, which was the
woman's work, they now go in extensively for ploughs,
which the men use, and instead of growing mealies,
which is maize or Indian corn, and a few melons, they
now produce wheat, barley, and oats, which they grow,
in their beautiful valleys and sell to traders for English
goods, and in addition they breed herds of cattle, goats
and sheep. Many of the men buy the best English
clothing, and some of the women, particularly the
young ones, indulge in cotton prints and even silk for
their dresses, and are very proud if they can obtain
stylish boots.
The schools also have greatly improved the people.
The advance in civilization within the last twenty
years has been remarkable. They are as a people,
timid and far from being fond of war. Their language
is Sechuanse which is soft and pleasant to the ear.
They have natural mechanical talent, and make good
carpenters, smiths, and masons. Their houses show
great ingenuity in their construction, particularly in
the formation and design of their granaries for storing
their winter corn, which are quite artistic in form.
Many of these are built up in the centre of a large
hut made of clay, shaped like our water-bottles, in
diameter ten feet in the largest part, gradually reduced

io6 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
in size to three feet at the top, total height ten feet,
which will hold many hundred bushels oP corn. No
mice, snakes, or other animal can get in to destroy the
grain. A store is kept separate for each family, quite
distinct from their living huts.
They are very expert in metal, melting the ore for
the manufacture of ornaments, assagais, Kaffir picks,
and such things as they require. They also make
very neat mantles, karoses and other kinds of materials
for the women, the men being the tailors and dress
makers for the tribe. Time being no object, their
work is beautifully executed, as may be seen from the
karoses brought to England, many of them sold as
high as ten pounds. They are also very fond of
music; they make various kinds of instruments which
produce pleasing sounds. The young men forra them
selves into bands to the number of twenty to thirty,
called the reed band, reeds from six to eight feet in
length with holes similar to the flute, but held upright
in front of each musician, forming a circle like our
military bands, and perform tunes. The women and
children walk round on the outside singing and clap
ping hands in time to the music. This performance
generally begins about sun-down, and is kept up for
several hours.
The interior of their huts and yards outside where
they cook, which are surrounded by a high fence made
of sticks, are kept remarkably clean and tidy, and their

BECHUANAS, 107
iron utensils also receive their share of attention.
Many of these Bechuanas are rich in cattle, sheep,
and goats. They have their cattle-posts away in the
bush, where the stock is looked after, cows milked, and
once or twice a week a pack-ox is loaded up with skins
of milk and taken to the kraal for use. These " vieh-
posts " are in charge of their slaves called Vaalpans.
They are the Bushmen of the country kept in sub
jection by the Bechuana tribe, and are a very harmless
and quiet people, the only drawback to their liberty
being they cannot leave their masters' service, other
wise they have full liberty of action. They are of a
darker colour and different in form to the Cape
Bushmen. The Bechuanas throughout South Central Africa
possess waggons, and have spans of oxen and every
thing complete like the Colonists, and go trading with
English goods amongst their neighbours like any
white trader. They also bring down from their homes,
wood, corn, and vegetables for sale to the Diamond
Fields, and are far more beneficial and useful in the
country than the Boers. They are outstepping them
in civilization, and if they had white skins, would be
looked upon as a superior race. They have been
kept down for want of opportunity to rise above their
present condition. This extensive race, as I have
already stated, extends from the Cape Colony to the
Zambese, throughout the whole of Bechuanaland, and

io8 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
are in habit and customs the same wherever they live,
tho same language and its dialects.
The females, like all other nations of the world, have
tbeir fashions, and vary according to the country in
which they live. Some of the young girls shave all
the wool from their heads except on the crown, leaving
about three inches in diameter, which they anoint
with red clay, plumbago, and grease, giving a very
sparkling and shining appearance to it, that is very
becoming and even makes the young girls look pretty,
as many of them at that age have a pleasing and
intellectual expression ; their short kilt is so arranged
that the upper and lower borders should have the
white fringe of hair of the springbok skin to look
like a border of deep lace, which against the light rich
brown hair of the other part is very becoming, and
sets the figure off to great advantage. ^They quite
understand being complimented upon their good looks,
and can carry on a flirtation with admirable tact.
Where this is more perceptible, is far away from the
demoralizing influence of other tribes who have come
in contact with the Boers and other white people.
The more isolated they are from such influence, the
more I have always found them respectful in their
manner to strangers. I am referring to the Bechuana
family in general.
The principal roads through this part of the country
to the interior, pass through Hope Town in the Cape

MR. CHAPMAN'S STORE. 109
Colony to Kuruman, the mission-station where the
Rev. Robert Moffat spent forty-five years of his life
in missionary labour, which station has been largely
increased by the addition of an extensive college
erected of late years at a great expense for the teach
ing of native youths for missionary purposes. The
site is admirably situated, having an unlimited supply
of the purest water from a spring some few miles
above the station, which issues from a cave in the side
of the hill in a picturesque locality. The mission
houses and church of the London Missionary Society
are substantial and well-built, and have fine gardens
well stocked with fruit trees, and the orange and lemon
grow to great perfection. Mr. Chapman, who has a
large store, takes great interest in his garden, and
grows every kind of vegetable known in England.
Twenty years ago there were several stores ; three
at Upper Kuruman, about a mile from the mission
station. The bold outline of the lofty range of hills at the
back of Kuruman, distant some six miles, adds greatly
to the beauty of the adjoining country, which is un
dulating and well-wooded, with open Jilains and Kaffir
gardens, and is one of the most healthy parts of South
Central Africa. The roads from Kuruman branch off
in every direction to the several natives' towns. The
main transport road from Kuruman and Diamond
Fields, goes to Maceby Station on the Molapo, in the

no TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
Chief Montsoia territory, and very pretty roads to
travel over. On leaving the station there are several
small kraals on the road to Kopong, which is a large
native town situated on the Matlarin, a tributary of
the Kuruman river, which latter flows past Bakclaris,
and then south, past Comopere, frora thence through
a wild uninhabited country for 180 railes, where it
joins the Hygap river, which is the lower portion
of the Molapo. The main road continues on from
Kopong, through a fine forest of kameeldoorn-trees
for many miles, then enters upon open veldt, passing
little and great brack-pans to the Sitlecoole and
Moretsane rivers, then bush again to Macebay's station
Pitsan ; the distance between Kuruman and that town
is 154 miles. Several roads branch off from it to
different parts ; one goes to Melemas on the Molapo,
another to Marico, and also others to Monkuruan's at
Taungs. Maamuosa, where the Koranna Captain
Mushoen and his people live, a bad and wicked tribe,
who have been helping the Boers lately to make war
on Monkuruan, and whose land the Boers have taken
from him. The principal main transport-road from
the Cape Colony and Diamond Fields, runs direct to
Taungs in a north-east direction to Maceby's and then
north, which has by the late Convention with the
Transvaal been preserved. There are no very lofty
hills in this part of Bechuanaland. The principal
ones are those at Kuruman, those near Taungs and

GAME. Ill
Swaatberg. The average elevation is about 4600 feet
above sea-level. The northern portion is more open,
extensive plains and forests of the mimosa-tree ; and
has many brack-pans, where in the summer wild
geese and ducks come in great numbers.
The game when I first travelled through these parts,
swarmed on the open flats. Bles- and springbok,
hartebeest, quaggas, gnus or wildebeest, the black
and the blue ; the latter is a much finer animal, the
skin is also of more value. The koodoo is found in
the hills. Then there are several other antelopes,
such as the steinbok, found all over Africa. These at
the time I state, if it were possible to count thera,
would exceed 100,000 to be seen frora the waggon at
one time, a complete forest of horns, and as they feed
off the grass until it is too short, they move away to
another district. Of course lions, wolves, and jackals
were very numerous and kept up their howls all night.
The wild dog (Hyena venatica) could be seen in packs
of several hundred, crossing the plains in pursuit of
game — they are a pretty animal with large rounded
ears, large bushy tail, whitish face, long black and
white hair, tall and slender. They Always hunt in
packs. On one of my journeys, having to cross these
plains, I came upon several hundred of them in one of
the slight hollows. On nearing them, for the road
ran directly past where they had been having a grand
feast off springbok, as remains of them were still

112 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
unconsumed, some of them were lying in the road I
was travelling, and would hardly get out of my way,
others stood looking as we passed between them.
Fortunately they had been having their meal, otherwise
I think my span of oxen would have fared badly, for
there must have been over 300. With so many
making an attack on a span of oxen, guns would have
been of little use, if they were hungry. I have often
seen forty and fifty in a pack in full cry, after bles- or
springbok, and a beautiful sight it is. Wolves also
were seen, seven and eight together.
At a small pan on these plains, in a hollow, with
high reeds surrounding it, I, one afternoon, out-
spanned, intending to remain there the night, as there
was an extensive pan near, with very stee]) banks
down to it, where I intended, the next day, to look
for ancient implements, as I had previously found
some there before. I sent one of my Kaffir boys
down to this pan, only a short distance from the
waggon, for water. He was very quickly back,
looking quite scared, and cried out there were
wolves in the pan.
Our rifles were soon out of the waggon, and cart
ridges for a few shots if necessary. I started with
my Bushman and Hottentot driver, all armed. As
he said, the pan seemed full of them; when within
fifty yards, some of the wolves broke cover and were
making for some bushes ; two were shot, others escaped

HYENAS— GAME. 113
at the sound of our rifles. We could see them
moving about in the long reeds, and fired at every op
portunity, killing iu all seven ; four of them were the
largest I had ever seen ; their heads were immense,
and between the ears measured seven inches. They
are large and powerful animals, but great cowards.
Lions would be heard nightly round the waggoh,
whenever I outspanned in one particular district near
the Moretsane or Sitlecoole rivers, which seemed a
favourite resort for them.
All this state of things has passed away. The
game has" been shot and driven away more into
the desert, wolves nearly all poisoned, and in
crossing any of those extensive plains and open
flats, a few hundred may be counted, where before
tens of thousands covered the veldt in all direc
tions. Then it was a great pleasure to travel
through the country for sport alone, in addition
to the enjoyment of passing through a beautiful
country teeming with game. At the present time, to
pass over the same ground with not a living thing to
be seen, it becomes monotonous. Close to that pretty
isolated hill, Swaatberg, are the rui^s of a very
ancient town, Kunam ; whether built by Kaffirs or the
race that built the other stone huts, mentioned in a
previous chapter, there is no history to prove. There
are many strange tales handed down to the present
generation of its being one large town, the seat of a
VOL. I. I

114 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
powerful chief, and of some great battles having been
fought there. The ruins indicate it to have been at
some remote period a large town. Near it are ex
tensive pans, that at one time must have held water
to a great depth, as the banks and cliffs clearly prove ;
now only in the summer months water is found in
them. Not far from them there are some dried -up
springs, the water of which was conveyed away by a
sluit passing into the Moretsane.
One day we had fixed our camp at a very pretty
spot close to some fine trees and bush, had made all
fast for the night, and were sitting by the fire before
going to bed, the Kaffir boys having their supper,
when we were startled by a rush of large animals pass
ing close to our camp fires, on both sides of us. The
night being very dark, we could only distinguish, by
the light from our fire, that an immense herd of bles
bok was amongst us. We had our rifles in hand in a
moment and fired into a dense mass of them. When
they passed away we found three dead upon the
ground. My Hottentot and boys ran to bring them
in, when a solitary blesbok rushed up to the fire and
there stood quite exhausted, and some thirty yards in
the rear were several animals moving about, but I
could not distinguish, from the flickering light, if
wolves or wild dogs, that had chased the poor
animal until it could run no more. We aU ran
out with our rifles, but with caution, in case any lions

CHAMELEONS. 115
might be amongst them. As they did not go away,
evidently exhausted also with the long chase, we had
a good chance of getting some. We succeeded in
killing two. The others in the meantime made off.
Lighting the lantern to bring them in, we found them
to be very fine and powerful wild dogs. By this
time the blesbok had recovered from the hard run,
and took himself off. My driver wanted to kill him,
but I said, " No ; he sought our protection, and he
shall have it." It is wonderful they should seek
man's protection when all other hope of self-preser
vation seems gone. I have known small birds fly to
my waggon and into it, on several occasions when
pursued by hawks. This is more than instinct ;
there is some reasoning power in animals when they
seek shelter from foes where they know they will
not follow them. Foxes we know act in the same
manner. In the morning, on examining the spoor, -there must
have been many wild dogs engaged in the chase, but
they were stopped at the sight of the two fires and
waggons, and our shots at the blesbok as they passed
us. In the small grove of trees under which our
camp was pitched, we found several very large chame
leons measuring fifteen inches in length. We dis
covered them by hearing a noise on one of the
branches, caused by a fight between two of the largest,
which we caught, but gave them their liberty before
I 2

ii6 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
leaving. I also, during my explorations, made a col
lection of many kinds of the mantis family, commonly
called in Africa, Hottentot gods, as they always appear
to be praying, having their two arms held as if in that
act; their four legs are used for locomotion. They
feed themselves with their hands. I made a collection of
forty-seven different kinds, those with wings and those
wingless, both kinds having well-developed bodies.
Then there is a third kind without bodies, called
walking-sticks, each kind having four legs, two arms
and hands. I made twenty-two collections of the
winged, the largest measured eleven inches in length,
brown bodies and lovely purple wings, two on each
side, two horns on the head a little over an inch in
length, large eyes, with a mouth similar to a wasp's,
with flat head and neck four inches in length, from
the lower part of which the two arms spring. The
four legs were fixed in the centre of the body ; the
smallest size with wings measured one and a half
inches in length ; each size differed somewhat in shape.
I put one of these, which measured six inches, green on
the back and yellow underneath, with silvery wings,
into a paper-collar box. One afternoon on looking at
it half an hour afterwards, I found it had woven a
nest on to the side, composed of silky and light brown
naaterial, and the insect appeared quite dead or in a
torpid state. Putting the box away, I forgot to look
at it for several months ; when I opened the box I

MANTIS. 117
found upwards of 200 young ones, all dead, each
about one-eighth of an inch in length. The greater
portion of my specimens I caught in my waggon at
night when my candle was burning and my fore-sail
up, being like the moths attracted by the light. The
wingless ones I found on bushes or in the graiss. The
third kind, the walking-stick, I always found in the
grass. The first time I caught one was when I was
collecting some beetles. I saw, as I thought, a piece of
live grass moving along. Sitting down on the ground
to watch it, I found it had four legs, which moved very
slowly, and two in front that stuck straight out in line
with the body. Carefully observing its movements, I
saw at once it was a very strange kind of insect.
Taking a piece of grass to lift it from the ground,
the thing showed fight at once by raising its head,
opening and shutting its mouth, drawing up its two
long arms from the straight position, and striking out
at the grass I held to its head. The colour was
exactly that of the long dry grass in which it was
moving — yellow. Length of body and neck, fourteen
inches, and the size of a small straw ; the legs were
very long — five inches ; the knee-joinl half-way up ;
the arms had two joints — the regular elbow, and two-
thirds of the distance another that doubled up, so that
it could pick the food and carry it to its mouth.
Tiiese again vary in size and colour from one inch in
length to the size above described. The female is

iiB TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
much larger than the male, which is a light brown,
the former of a sea-green colour. I think the mantis
and the trap-door spider the most curious of the insect
world in South Africa. Many specimens of moths I
collected in my waggon after dark, some of them very
beautiful ; the larger kinds I mostly found in the
long grass on the plains.
Butterflies were very plentiful in some parts, in
others rarely any would be seen ; each locality had its
peculiar species. The wasps also amused me when
standing in any particular locality for some time ; the
large black with purple wings was a constant visitor.
When about making a nest to lay their eggs, they
would fly into my waggon, examine every part
minutely, and after fixing upon a particular corner,
would fly away and return with a ball of mud the size
of a pea, and commence to plaster the side of the
waggon fixed upon. This would go on for two or
three days, the two wasps, male and female, bringing
in these little balls of mud, going and returning every
minute until it was completed, leaving a little circular
hole to each cavity in the clay nest, one-eighth of
an inch in diameter when so completed. They would
commence with one of the holes, there being five ; the
female would deposit the eggs, then the two would go
out and return with a green caterpillar each, which
thpy would push into the hole containing the eggs,
then leave and return with balls of clay, and plaster

WASPS. 119
up the hole so cleverly that it would be impossible to
find it from the outside. The same labour was
bestowed upon the other compartment of the nest,
and when completed would be left for time to bring
forth the young. Two other kinds of wasps were of
quite a different shape, their slender bodies extended
for half an inch, leaving a large egg-shaped ball at the
end. These made exactly the same form of nest as
the one described. A fourth kind, I noticed, would
build their nest iu the roofs of buildings ; these would
be suspended by a thin stem of a glutinous nature,
upon which would be fixed from five to twenty cells
similar to those of the bee. There have been eight
and ten of all these kinds of nests in my waggon at
one time, and during the intense heat of the weather,
106° and sometimes 116° in the shade, being too hot
to move about, I have amused myself in watching the
methodical way in which they so cleverly and beauti
fully completed their work, and in so short a time.
The bees generally make their nests in old hollow
trees, which we discovered through the honey-bird
leading us to one. When one of these birds wants to
attract attention, it soon makes its ^esence known,
and becomes impatient, if not attended to, flying
round about with its little twitter and call, which is
well known. When it sees you are following it, ifc
flies from branch to branch in a straight line to the
nest ; when there, it stops, and you soon see the nest.

120 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
The Kaffir will go fearlessly to work, the bees buzz
ing about him when taking out the honeycomb, he
rarely being stung.
The common black crow, with white about the neck,
is also a friendly bird, of the same size as our Enghsh.
They generally come and settle near the outspan,
waiting for the camp to break up, then come and look
for what may be left. They talk in their throat as
well as caw, and can be taught like a parrot to speak.
I tamed a young one ; he would not sleep in the waggon,
but early in the morning he would come and settle on
the front part of the waggon, where he could raise the
fore-sail to look in. On seeing me in bed he would
come in, hop up to my face, take hold of my nose, or
have a peck at my beard, look round to examine the
things hanging. on the sides, then hop out. On my
getting up and leaving the waggon he would be seen
flying from some tree, and come and settle on my hat
or shoulder ; if the latter, he would put his head round
and rub his beak against my face.
There are other crows quite black, more like ravens,
but not so large. Another time I was staying at a
Boer farm for three weeks to have my waggon re
paired ; in the early day I walked over to a Boer farm,
about a mile frora my outspan, to examine some
quartz reefs, where I found a few specks qf gold on a
former journey. At this farm .there was a beautiful
crane, belonging to old John Nell, the farmer. I

A TAME CRANE. 121
tried to make friends by making the same kind of
sounds that he kept repeating, but he took no apparent
notice. On leaving to walk back to the waggon with
my rifle, this crane followed me all the way, keeping
about three yards behind, where he remained by my
camp a short time, then flew home. Every day after
he paid me a visit. One afternoon I took my rifle for
a ramble round in the thick bush veldt to look for a
waterbok. When about a mile from my waggon I
heard a great rush. Looking round I found it was
ray friend the crane. He settled down in front, then
came and walked on my left side, just beyond my
reach, keeping close for some distance, then on a
sudden he took flight and rose in the air, making
long circular sweeps, until he passed behind some
small clouds and becarae again visible, until he was
lost in the distance. Thinking no more of him, I con
tinued my walk for half an hour, and was returning
home when the same kind of rush was heard, and
looking up I saw him pass close to me, and settle on
the ground about thirty yards in front ; he then took
his place by my side as before, and accompanied me
home, and then flew back to the farm. I mention
these incidents to show there is something more than
instinct in all hving things.
The country round this part of Mankoroan territory,
and in fact all Africa, swarms with every kind of ant,
from the smallest size up to three-quarters of an inch

122 TWENTY-FIVEYEARS IN A WAGGON.
in length, each kind having their own peculiar form
of nest, more particularly the destructive white ant,
which causes so much damage to buildings and furni
ture ; the construction of their nests differs in different
latitudes. In the Cape Colony, Natal, Orange Free
State, and lower part of the Transvaal, the veldt is
covered with these hills, in the shape of a ball cut in
halves and placed on the ground ; the average size is
four feet in diameter by two feet in height ; many of
thera have been scooped out by ant-bears.
The Dutch woraen, in travelling, frequently make
use of these holes, by turning them into ovens to bake
their bread for the road. More to the north, instead
of being round, they form a kind of peak, with holes
on the topmost points, some exceeding in height twenty
feet. North of this again the ground is raised some
two feet by ten to fifteen in diameter. On the centre
part chimneys are built up, many exceeding four feet
in height, by nearly three feet in circumference ; the
opening i s nearly a foot in diameter, the top termi
nating in a cup-like form, in three distinct layers, one
above the other, forming quite an ornamental termi
nation to the chimney beautifully constructed. On
looking down, hundreds of these tiny masons may be
seen plastering and repairing the inside coating, which
may have received damage from rain. There is always
one large chimney, and sometimes one or two smaller
ones close to it, and at the base some twenty or

ANT-HEAPS. 123
thirty small ones, three inches to a foot in height, and
three and four inches in diameter, and many sraall
holes round about, where the ants are busy taking in
their food, small pieces of dried grass, and other things,
never making use of the chimneys as a means for
supplying their cells with food. They are, I believe,
erected as ventilators to give air below, as the cavity
beneath must be as large as a small room, and in some
cases larger, as on one occasion a waggon fell into one,
and I was nearly meeting the same fate. A road had
been made near Molapo, over one of these disused
nests, and in 1877 a Boer waggon was travelling in
the night, as is their usual practice. The front oxen
had gone over it, the ground gave way with the after
oxen, but they managed to get on firm ground; the
weight of the waggon broke the top surface, and
only the deselboom on the opposite side getting fixed,
kept the two fore-wheels and waggon suspended over
the hole, a Boer woman and three children narrowly
escaping from falling into the pit. I followed up the
next morning, when the Boer and others were getting
the waggon mended ; bushes were then put round the
hole and the road turned. If I had*passed over this
road before that waggon I should have met the same
fate. As a whole, the roads in all parts of Mankoroan
territory, and in fact throughout South Central Africa,
are very good, considering they are never repaired ;
many of them rough and stony, but as they are mere

124 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
natural tracks made by waggons, it is surprising they
are in such good condition.
The population of this district, including all the
various tribes, does not exceed 20,000, exclusive of
Bushmen, and they do not number more than 3000.

CHAPTER vn.
BECHUANALAND.
The territory of the Chief Montsioa, of the Baralongs.
This country is situated on the north of Mankoroan.
The boundaries are common to both, from the Trans
vaal, down west to that range of mountains running
north, the continuation of the Langberg ; beyond is the
Kalahara Desert, of which this western portion forms
part. Its northern boundary joins the chief Gaseitsive,
and the Transvaal is on the east. The length from
east to west is 200 miles, and from north to south
seventy miles. The Malapo, or the Mafiking river,
rises in the Transvaal, flows west, through the entire
length of this territory, continuing on in the same
direction, receiving the two dry rivers^ tlje Nosop and
Onp, then turns south at the great bend, under the
name of Hygap, and enters the Orange at Kakaman's
Drift; there are but few branches in its course. The
eastern portion of this country is valuable and pro
ductive, suitable for any kind of vegetation.

126 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
When the British Government settled the Keats
award boundary, they confirmed Montsioa's title to
the ground on the west of it. At that time, 1871,
Montsioa and many of his people were living at
Moshanen, a Kaffir station in Gaseitsive's territory,
situated eighteen miles to the west of Kanya, the
seat of that chief. But after the settlement of the
award he removed down to his own country, and
settled at his town, Sehuba, which has since been
burnt by the Boers, and was six miles south of the
Molapo river, and the same distance from the large
kraal on its banks, under the petty chief Melema, at
Mafiking, who was his nephew; and eighteen miles
below, and on the river, was the large kraal under
Maceby. The population numbered some 35,000 souls, in
cluding the Kuruman district ; but since the Transvaal
Boers have made war on these people, after the retro
cession of that state, nearly half have been killed and
made prisoners.
The country has fine grazing-lands, and some parts
are well wooded. There are extensive vleis and pans ;
the people cijltivate corn extensively, use ploughs, and
had large herds of cattle, sheep, and goats, now
stolen by the Boers.
Montsioa belongs to the Baralong tribe of the
Bechuana family ; he and his people have always been
loyal to the English Government, and during the

MONTSIOA. 127
Transvaal rebellion many loyal Boers fled to him for
protection, and were hospitably received. The people
are in their habits and customs similar to those in
Mankoroan's country. Montsioa is a quiet, well-
disposed chief, and has been cruelly used by the Boers
for his loyalty to England; one of his sons, and most
of his brave men, have been shot down like dogs, and
his women and their children killed in cold blood, and
many of them taken into captivity, all for keeping true
and loyal. He has been shamefully and disgracefully
forsaken, and left to battle alone against these murder
ing freebooters, who were supported by the Transvaal
Government, and supplied with guns and ammunition
to carry on their unholy war, and now he has lost the
greater portion of his people, and nearly all his cattle
and property. The British Government, moved by
the voice of the English people and our loyals at the
Cape, at the eleventh hour sent out a force under
Major-General Sir Charles Warren, to see justice done
him. Will they compel the Boers to return the stolen
property, and the women and children they have taken
into the Transvaal as slaves, for they will be nothing
less ? Will they deliver up the nfurderers of Mr.
Bethel and others ? Never was a more cruel and un
just war made against people than this, by a people
professing Christianity, who have, by their cold-blooded
and atrocious acts, stamped themselves as a nation of
murderers and robbers, and for such acts they are not

128 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
worthy of retaining the Transvaal as an independent
country. It is useless for that Government to deny
any complicity in these wars, they are well known to
have been the promoters — there is evidence sufficient
to prove this. I was told by some of the influential
Boers in Pretoria, soon after peace was restored, and
the first convention made, in July, 1881, that they in
tended to go and punish Montsioa and Mankoroan,
by driving them out of their territories and taking their
land, for their loyalty to England in protecting loyal
Boers. As they stated, " We will not have these
natives on our border who have helped you English,"
showing what their intention was as soon as they were
confirmed in their republic. I have deemed it neces
sary to state these facts, that the Enghsh people may
know in any future dealings with whom they have to
meet. In the settlement of the Keats award the land was
confirmed to Montsioa. There is an extensive hill of
metamorphic formation on his eastern boundary, but
which may now be included in the Transvaal by the
recent convention, which has in its centre, on the
summit, the remains of an extinct volcano ; the vent
is about 700 yards in diameter, the highest point is
5650 feet above sea-level, and stands on the central
watershed. There is an opening for the escape of the
lava, which appears to have travelled some miles down
a valley on the south-east. This lava, or boiling

MONTSIOA'S COUNTRY. 129
mud has several vents on the exterior, the central
opening is level, and on one side many bones are
embedded in the rock. It is an interesting formation.
The western division of Montsioa's territory is more
open on the south side of the^ Molapo river, but more
wooded on the northern. It was one of my favourite
hunting-grounds in my early visits, as game at that
time swarmed over those extensive plains, and with a
horse they were easily shot ; but it .was dangerous
riding, as there are so many wolf-holes, ant-bear, por
cupine, armadillo, spring-hare, and meer-cats, partly
hidden by long grass, that a horse at full speed cannot
always escape them, which frequently ends in a broken
collar-bone or a broken rifle. Many of the antelope
species are very subject to bransick, and hundreds
die ; their bones may be seen lying about in every direc
tion, consequently it is a great resort for vultures and
eagles, who are constantly on the look-out for those
who have not many days to live. If a wildebeest or
blesbok has this complaint, and is not likely to live
many days, he is found standing alone, and surrounded
by half a hundred of these birds waiting patiently till
he dr.ops, then they commence upon h*m before he is
quite dead, his eyes being first taken, and in less than
half an hour there is very little left to be eaten. Many
believe the vultures or eagles discover their food only
by their splendid sight; my experience proves that
scent has more to do with it. During my travels in
VOL. I. ^

I30 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
these wilds 1 have had almost daily opportunity of ob
serving their mode of discovering any dead animal that
may be exposed in the open. These birds are almost con
stantly on the wing ; the exception is when they have
gorged until they can eat no more. They then rest
on the ground or some stone koppie, until they have
to some extent digested their food, to enable them to
fly. Many times I have ridden up to them and given
them a cut with my riding-whip to make them fly,
which they are incapable of doing from over-feeding.
When an animal dies, the scent is driven by the wind
and ascends many thousand feet, and is carried along
with it. If any of these birds are to be seen on the
wing, they almost always fly in circles, making long
sweeps in their course ; this will take up any scent
that may be in the air. In watching them closely it
is easy to see when they have got the scent, and when
they lose it, as is often the case if they make too great
a circle. There may be sometimes from 100 to 200
performing these graceful circular flights, some one way
and some another. Being at a great altitude — 1000
yards — when they smell the carrion, they are, if the wind
is strong, more than a mile away from the animal, and as
theyflyround they gradually work up to windward, until
the object, is visible, then they do not come down at
once, but appear to make a survey of the surroundings
before coming down to feast on the carcass. Ihave many
times seen them come down wind, pass directly over

VULTURES. 13 c
a dead beast unnoticed, until they have got into the
current of air on the down side, when they have
worked back until they could see the animal on
the ground. Their splendid sight will lead them
to the spot after a time, but their quick sense of
smell is the first indication that there is a grand feast
for them.
Of all birds I think the vulture is the raost graceful
in its flight, with its immense wings, which measure
from tip to tip seven and sometimes nine feet, ex
tended without a movement as they circle in the air.
One day I was out on foot after some blue wilde
beest, with my rifle, near the dry pan Bakillara;
I came upon about 100 of these birds, who were
too late for a feast upon a buck, the bones of which
had already been picked quite clean, when they took
flight and disappeared. Knowing their habits so
well, and that more would shortly come, I walked
about ]00 yards away to a wildebeest hole, which
that animal scrapes to sleep in. There I laid
down as if dead, putting my rifle out of sight ; I .
wanted to see what they would do if they saw me.
In about ten minutes several flew (fverhead to the
dead animal, eyeing me as they passed, with their
heads on one side, and about flfty yards over me;
many of them commenced their circular flight to
have another look to see if I were dead. Nearly half
an hour was passed in this way without the slightest
K 2

132 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
movement on my part, when dozens of them began to
settle on the ground forty yards away, but afraid to
come nearer ; others would make a swoop down within
a dozen yards of me and pass on ; when upwards of
fifty had settled down, finding they would not come
to pick my bones, and getting tired of my position, I
jumped up with a great shout, when they took wing
and in less than two minutes were out of sight.
The black eagle is more frequently seen here than
in any other part of Africa, in consequence, I suppose,
of food being plentiful. I shot one out of four that
settled near my waggon one afternoon, when my driver
was skinning a wolf he had shot. When sitting on
the ground it measured two feet four inches to the
shoulder, and its wings frora tip to tip nine feet five
inches. Two years ago I shot a white eagle ; the wings
measured nearly ten feet. I tried to preserve them,
but did not succeed.
All kinds of hawks, some very large, and the large
horned owl are common in this part of the desert, as
also some of the smaller species. Snakes also are
plentiful : the most common is the puff-adder, which
grows to a large size ; two 1 killed measured three feet
each. The cobra-de-capello and also the python are
common. One 1 shot measured sixteen feet two inches,
but there are some larger. This one had an entire
steinbok in it ; they are more numerous near Vleis.
Lizards, salamanders, and many small snakes are seen

SNAKES.

133

amongst the stones and rocks. Scorpions of a dark
colour have been killed eleven inches in length.
This part of the country the greater part of the
year is short of water, but in the Molapo it can be
obtained by digging a few feet in the bed of the river,
which is sand. If proper attention is paid to im
provements, this part may be made valuable and
productive. Many Bushman families live on the north side of
the river, of the Bakillihara tribe, quite distinct from
the Masare Bushman. They have small cattle-posts
belonging to the Bechuanas, but others are free, seldom
stationary. The old mission-station at Mosega, situate on a
branch of the Klein Marico, was abandoned in 1852,
as also Malatza, by the Revs. Ingles and Edwards, the
Boers not allowing them to remain. All that portion
of Montsioa's territory is quite equal to any part of
the Cape Colony for richness of soil and growth of
corn and vegetables, splendid grazing-land for cattle,
and well supplied with water from fountains, with
good roads. Several lions were killed on the Molapo
twelve years ago ; two young ones woto captured and
brought up by M. Ludie, a Bastard, and afterwards
sold for five pounds, and sent to England.
There were many Bastards at the tirae I first passed
through, which I frequently had occasion to do on ray
journeys, and found them very civil and kind. Indeed,

134 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
it would be difficult to find a class of people raore
attentive and well disposed towards travellers than
this class, so that it was quite a pleasure to meet them.
They are good mechanics, and can repair a waggon as
well as any colonial waggon-maker, as I have found
when anything was required to be done to mine.
On the south of this territory, between it and the
Transvaal, is that small slip of country under the petty
captain Moshette, part of which is included in the
Transvaal by the late Convention between the British
Governraent and that Republic. This petty captain
and the Koranna captain Moshoen have been the tools
of the Transvaal Government to make war on Monku
ruan and Montsioa, and it serves them right that they
should lose their country. Moshoen lives at his large
station at Maamuosa, situated on a white sandstone
hill close to the Harts river ; this stone is used by
mill-owners for grinding their corn. The most unfre
quented part of Montsioa's country is that through
which the River Molapo runs, to the westward of
Maceby's station, the course of which has already been
described in the river system.
Eighteen years ago the plains swarmed with game,
and lions also. I was travelling down from Kanya
through the desert to Maceby, on my way to Conge
kraal, north of Morequern. At Maceby's, there were
Boers, each with a waggon, going to Morequern ; tho
road I was travelling was the same. One of them.

LIONS ATTACK THE WAGGONS. 135
whom I had met before, asked if we should trek to
gether, which was agreed to, until the roads separated
seventy-five miles on, the distance to Conge being
1 25 miles ; the only objection I had, was that they
travelled at night, but as there were some very nasty
places along the road and we could assist each other in
case of accident, I agreed. On the third night from
Maceby's, we were travelling along over an open
country, my waggon was the third in the line, and a
Dutchman was the last, the night was stormy with a
high wind, and very dark. Soon after inspanning in
the evening, we knew lions were following us, but
this occurs so often, that we took no notice of it. But
about eleven o'clock, the oxen in all the waggons
became very restless, and our foreloper s had difficulty
to keep them on the road, calling out that lions were
close. The Boer behind my waggon had no foreloper,
there was only himself with the waggon, which was
empty. I was sitting on my waggon-box with my
driver and the foreloper, leading the oxen. Soon
after eleven we heard the after- waggon and oxen leave
the road and make a rush across the veldt, towards
a dry bed of a river, and heard the Boer call out to
us to stop, which we did as soon as I could make
those in front understand the case. We held to, and
listened, but heard no sound of the Boer or anything
else. The wind and rain coming on, we three, with

136 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
our waggons, drew up in a line, and fastened the
oxen to the trek-tow and waited until daylight, for it
was useless and also very dangerous to go walking
about in the veldt amongst low bushes, to look for
the Boer or his waggon, where lions seemed to swarm ;
besides we had as much as we could do to keep the
lions from making an attack on our own oxen.
As soon as the first signs of daylight approached,
the two Boers, a son, and myself, took our rifles and
followed the spoor of the last waggon, which we found
upset in the dry river, about 400 yards from the road,
killing six of the oxen in the fall, and the other six
had cleared themselves from their yokes, and strayed
away out of sight, but no man was to be seen. Going
back on the line the waggon took, we found the man's
hat and some distance beyond his long ox-whip, and a
little blood, not far from it. There was then no doubt
about his disappearance ; the oxen had bolted, and
the man to turn them on to the road had jumped off
the waggon, when a lion had seized and carried him
off. As the sun was now above the horizon, we gave
orders for our boys to outspan, and then hastened on
in the direction the lion's spoor showed us he had
gone. There was here and there blood on the grass,
which led to a small clump of bushes and stones ; here
we found part of the remains and clothes, which
were all torn to shreds, of the poor man, but no signs
of the lions, for there must have been several by the

THE LIONS KILLED. 137
foot-prints in the sand. We sent to the waggon for
a spade and buried the remains of what small portion
was left, and then took up the spoor, — to settle
accounts with the lions, — which followed along a
dry water-course, which was crossed, and under a
sand-bank with high grass, we came upon them, a
lion and lioness, and a young one, comfortably re
posing. The two Boers and myself, — all good shots, —
made very short work of the affair, knowing what
they had done. It was arranged not to fire until
we could make a dead shot, and all to fire at the lion ;
two in the first instance, the third to be ready if he
showed fight, whilst the other two reloaded ; but as
the Dutchmen's rifles carried heavy bullets, — eight to
the pound, — their two shots did the work, for when
the lion rose up to have a look at us, throwing back
his ears and showing his teeth, both bullets entered
his chest and he fell, but not quite dead ; my third
bullet in the region of his heart finished him. We
then turned upon the lioness, who gave us much
trouble before we could have an opportunity of a good
shot ; her endeavour was to escape, but this we could
not quite agree to ; however, a shot'in the shoulder,
and another in the neck, stopped her making any
further attempt to get away, and enabled us to get up
and complete the work. The Boers wanted the skins,
which would delay us the day, therefore I went back
to my waggon for breakfast, thinking it was no bad

138 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
bag for so early in the morning. But before doing
so we searched every bush and cover for the young
lion without success : but in the afternoon, when the
two Kaffir boys were skinning the honess, the young
one was seen not far off, and the Kaffir shot him.
We then went down to the river to see what could
be done with the waggon, the dead oxen, and those
that had strayed away into the bush. After a time
they were found and brought back ; the waggon was
too much smashed to remove. Ifc had fallen over a
steep bank fifteen feet deep. The Boers wanted to save
the skins and the flesh of the dead oxen, which would
take time, and as I could do no more good I arranged
to start the next morning. We all took care to
collect plenty of wood for great fires to be kept
alight, and it was well we did, for we were serenaded
with the lions' music all the night ; the surroundings
seemed full of them, and also with wolves and jackals ;
the smell of the dead oxen brought them to our
locality. However, bidding my friends good-bye,
after breakfast I left for Conge. The second day
after leaving them, we saw several lions as we passed
along, but they were a long way from the waggon.
In the afternoon, the next day, about 200 yards on
our right from the road, we counted no less than
seventeen large and small lions, some of them playing,
others lying and sitting down; they took no notice
of us, merely looked as we passed along, and we at

MOREQ UERN— WA GGON BLO WN UP. 1 39
them. We made a long trek after that, to get as far
as we could from them before night, for however
pretty they are to look at in their wild and native
home, their proximity to the waggon on a dark night
is not conducive to a good night's rest. In four days
after this we arrived at Conge, without seeing any
more. I remained at this station two days, then left
for Morequern. The chief and many of his people
came to the waggon, with pumpkins, water-melons,
milk, and eggs. I never met with a more quiet and
orderly and well-behaved people than these Bechuanas.
Very few traders visited these parts then. There was
one after this who frequented this part of the country,
and who blew himself up in his waggon, together with
the missionary from Matetong and some twenty Kaffirs.
This was the last missionary that lived at that
station, the house and grounds are in ruins, but there
are some very fine willow-trees still standing planted
by Messrs. Moffat and Campbell when the mission
was first established.
Conge is eighteen miles from Morequern ; the road
the whole way iS fearfully stony ; a pan half-way is
noted for Guinea-fowl. The next day I arrived at
Morequern, where I had to repair my waggon. A
large pan divides two large kraals, on the east side,
an old blind chief lives, Makalawar or Makutse, a
Baralong, and on the west, Maksetse.
As it would take some few days before the waggon

140 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
would be ready, and as all the people at these large
stations had always been kind to me whenever I
came amongst them, I determined to send out an
invitation to all the young Kaffir oirls and young
Kaffirs to a big dance. They were to come in their
full dress costume. The reed band was engaged.
The performance was to wind up with a large ox
roasted whole, to be washed down with Kaffir beer.
Three o'clock was the appointed time, at a large open
space by my waggon. Long before that I had
half the people round me, including little children.
The young girls came decked out with a profusion of
beads worked upon well-brayed leather, forming
aprons, bracelets, necklaces, in every variety of form
and design, very beautifully executed ; bands of beads
round their woolly heads and long pendants of beads
for earrings setting them off to great advantage, each
coming to me to show their finery, and seeming
delighted to be praised for their good looks and fine
ornaments, for invariably when young they have
beautiful figures and expressive features. The young
men also came dressed in their best clothes. The
old people, with their chief and his counsellors, came to
look on. In all about 500 assembled to do honour to
the feast, and great rejoicings and fun characterized
the meeting. Two reed bands came, thirty in each.
Dancing and music commenced at 4 p.m. and con
tinued up to feeding-time, when the ox was sufficiently

KAFFIR CEREMONY. 141
roasted. Men were told off to cut up and divide it
amongst the people. Nearly 100 Httle fires were
made for parties to form round them, for Kaffirs
can do nothing without a fire. Kaffir corn was
cooked in pots in addition to the meat for their feast,
and at 9 p.m. dancing, music, and talking recomraenced
with undiminished joyousness, whilst, to complete the
evening, I had a scramble from my waggon of a
variety of articles of use to them — handkerchiefs,
tinder-boxes, knives, beads, and other things, which
caused an immense amusement. At twelve o'clock
I told them to go home, for I must sleep ; and
in less than ten minutes all was quiet. Every
thing passed off pleasantly. This reed band is a
great institution with these people. The following
night the young men met as usual with the band
at their large kraal. The night was not dark, as
the stars give great light in this latitude. When
they were in full play, and the women and children
going round the performers, singing and clapping of
hands, each one wearing a long karos, which covered
their figure, and a fur cap, their usual covering at
night, I left my waggon, dressed lite them, with a
jackal karos and tiger-skin cap, which concealed my
fio-ure and face, walked down and joined in the dance,
which was maintained for some time, all the men
sitting or standing beyond the circle looking on. A
little girl caught a glimpse of my white face, which

142 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
had become partly uncovered, when she screamed out
and pointed to me. It was then no longer necessary
to keep up the disguise; I therefore threw off my
karos. When they saw who it was, they joined in the
fun, laughing and clapping of hands, and I was made
to sit down and have a good drink of Kaffir beer.
The next night or evening, before sundown, there was
a dance of the married women, about seventy, dressed
up in all kinds of strange figures. This was to cele
brate the return of about thirty young girls to their
homes, and about the same number of young men,
who had passed through certain ceremonies after the
Jewish custom, before the boys are admitted into
the ranks with the men, and entitled to carry arms in
war; and the girls before they are allowed to marry.
This custom is at a particular season. One or two
old medicine-men will take those boys who are to be
admitted to manhood into some secluded glen, where
they remain for two or three months isolated from the
rest of the people, no one being allowed to go near
them during that time, the old men looking after their
food ; and at the appointed time they are allowed to
return to the kraal. The young men are painted over
with white clay for a certain number of days after the
ceremony. Two or more old women take the girls also
to some remote place, and when they return they also
are covered with white clay, and, in addition, wear a
short kilt made of reeds or grass, and a band of the

NARROW ESCAPE FROM A LION. 143
same material crossing over the shoulders, meeting in
front and behind, which are worn during a certain
time at their kraals, when they assume their ordinary
dress, and then are eligible to be chosen for wives. I
was hunting one day near Cooe, and happened to ride
down the river close upon a number of these girls and
two old women, which caused a great commotion
amongst them. I was told if they had caught me they
were likely to kill rae for trespassing into their sanc
tuary. All the Bechuana tribe have this ceremony.
This region being far removed from any white people,
the natives are much better behaved, and it was a
pleasure to be amongst them. As a people they are
quite alive to the ridiculous, and can understand a
joke as well as any one. It was great fun to go out
with the children and enter into games with them,
which they so thoroughly enjoyed that when I arrived
at their kraal again after many months, which I had
frequently to do to pass through to other parts, my
arrival was hailed with delight by the youngsters.
During my stay here I had a narrow escape from
a lion. I was out with my rifle after some ostriches
in the Kalahara, ten miles from CSnge. Here and
there were low bushes. I had run down one bird and
fastened the feathers on the saddle before me. On
my way home, on my right, about 300 yards, was
what appeared to be a dead animal or an ostrich, I
could not tell which, therefore I rode up and found it

144 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
was a blue wildebeest or gnu, nearly half eaten.
Turning my horse to the left to resume my journey,
walking the horse past a bush close on my right, about
fifty yards from the carcass, I came right upon a full-
grown lion and lioness lying down. My horse caught
sight of them first, made a spring which nearly threw
me from the saddle, so sudden and unexpected was
his movement. When he did this I saw the lion
about to spring ; but our movement was too sudden,
and he lost his opportunity ; in another moment the
lion would have been upon us. When a couple of
hundred yards was between us, I turned the horse
round to have a good look at the splendid animal, as I
knew he would not follow. Both were standing look
ing at me. It was now getting late in the day, there
fore I lost no more time in looking after birds or lions.
We were not ten feet from the lion when the horse
made his spring, about as lucky an escape from the
jaws of a lion as one could desire.
Treking through the country where there were no
roads to Kuis, on the Molapo, in Montsioa country, I
came upon a small Bushman kraal, six huts in all,
evidently a permanent station. A few goats were
feeding near them, and in the bushes were four bush
girls collecting most beaufciful caterpillars of red,
yellow, blue, and green, about three inches in length.
They told my Hottentot they cook them in milk, and
they are very nice. As the people seemed very friendly.

THE BUTCHER-BIRD. 145
I remained the night with my waggon, and was much
amused at the dancing and singing in the evening.
Happy people ! why should they be disturbed in their
innocent life ? There were old and young, in all
eighteen ; a quiet and inoffensive family. Far away
from other kraals these people lived to themselves ;
not another family that I could see within fifty
miles. Walking round in the morning to collect some of
these caterpillars to put into spirits, I observed many
of the thorn-trees covered with dead insects, small
lizards, frogs, beetles, grasshoppers, locusts, and many
other kinds, all beautifully spiked on the long mimosa
thorns ; nearly every bough had one or more on. I
knew at once that it was the larder of the little cruel
butcher-bird. The bush seemed to swarm with them,
and I have watched them frequently take and spike
insects. One caught a frog and carried it to a tree
close to where I was concealed, to see how he managed
to pierce them so securely. The frog made a kind of
scream when he was being taken up, and almost a
scream when the large thorn was put through him.
But he was not long suspended ; wh«n the bird was
gone he wriggled himself clear, and fell to the ground,
and I put him out of his pain. 'This butcher-bird is
about the size, rather larger than a sparrow, black and
white. One killed two canary-birds ; both were put
on the thorns. They seem never at rest, always look-
VOL. I. t-

146 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
ing for game of some kind. They are known in every
part of South Central Africa. The Wagt-een-beitje
tree is their favourite for impaling their victims.
The mocking-bird is also common ; two kinds, one
black and white, the other brown. The latter is the
most talkative. Both night and day I have watched
them on the topmost branches of the lofty trees, and
their persistent and energetic mode of keeping up their
everlasting talk has kept me awake many nights, as in
several parts, where the wood is thick, they seem to
occupy every tree and bush.^
Snakes are also plentiful down along the Molapo ;
being out one afternoon with my gun after wild-ducks,
walking along the banks, all of a sudden a large black
mamba snake stood in my path, about ten feet dis
tant ; he had raised himself more than two feet from
the ground and was coming at me ; I had just time to
fire into his head before he made his spring. He mea
sured eleven feet seven inches. The poison-fangs are
as long as a parrot's claws. I put him into one of
these chimney-pot ant-hills to feed the ants ; several
' A curious instance of their imitative powers occurred. A Kaffir
disappeared, and the next night groans were heard near the kraal.
Search was made in vain to find him, and when the next night also
groans were heard, it was evident they proceeded from his ghost.
So a more diligent search was made, when the body was found buried
and the murderer was hung. StiU the groans continued, and at last
they were found to proceed from a mocking-bird, sole witness of the
murder. — Ed.

THUNDERSTORMS. 14^
more I saw the same day, and imany puff-adders : the
largest measured three feet five inches.^
All this part of the Chief Montsioa's territory, down
past Kuis, and along the Maffeking river, which is his
western division, is one of the driest portions of the
Kalahara desert ; in the winter months the only water
to be obtained is in the sand of the river by digging ;
but in summer there is plenty. A road from Kuruman
runs through the desert, down part of the way by the
Kuruman river, crossing the Nosop and. Oup to Meer,
where the Bastards have formed a town : the distance
is 240 miles. Before leaving this region I wish to
explain the meteorological peculiarities of South
Central Africa. When any great change in the
atmosphere is about to take place, it has often been
2 A pointer of mine was bitten by a mamba. About two hours
afterwards I came along in the coach, and found her at an hotel
(apparently dying), where she had been cruelly left by an officer to
whom she had been lent. He had, however, had the grace to give
her a dose of eau- de-luce. I took her home, and gave her another with
oil, and I rubbed it into the wound also, and an hour after another
and then a fourth dose. The next day she was conscious, and the
third able to walk, but only sideways, and on her tip-toes, being
paralyzed. She was so for some days, and thi^ a large abscess on
the wound burst, and she recovered. It is said to be useless to apply
the antidote externally, and that it only causes an abscess. The cele
brated " Croft tincture " is composed chiefly of eau-de-luce. If you
have no eau-de-luce, alcohol, administered in considerable doses, will
often succeed, but dogs die with very large doses of it. They can
take a good deal more when under the influence of poison than at
other times. — Ed.
• L 2

148 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
remarked by travellers, thaf in Africa there is lightning
and thunder without clouds. I have often remarked
this phenomenon, and wondered what could be the
cause. Isolated from all society, thrown upon our
own resources for occupation and amusement, in these
solitary journeys through this vast unknown region,
we are more prone to investigate the mysteries of
nature than we should if thrown more amongst the
busy world. So it was in my case, and knowing there
must be some natura] law unknown to me, I took my
observations accordingly to find it out.
During the long dry season many years ago, when
travelling in the central portion of this desert, where
this strange lightning and thunder occurred almost
every night at certain seasons of the year, when no
clouds are visible, all I could discover was, that
the flashes seemed to come frora one quarter. I
was outspanned one day near one of those singular
isolated granite hills, so often to be seen in the Kala
hara desert, that look more like a ruined temple than
the works of nature. I started in the afternoon to
climb to its summit, to take observations with my
instruments, and found the elevation from base to top
to be 278 feet. It would be difficult'to find words to
convey the exquisite pleasure I felt in standing alone
on this lofty eminence, where no white man before
ever placed his foot : alone, far from the busy
world, its. anxieties, and troubles ; to look at the

THUNDERSTORMS. 149
fair scene beneath and around me, the rich vegetation
on the plains (for it was in the month of November,
when all is bright and fair), the distant mountains,
their quaint outlines softened by space to lovely purple
tints, as they fade away into the rosy sky on the
horizon ! Taking up a position under a huge block of
granite, to be out of the sun's influence, for the ther
mometer registered 106° in the shade, to take obser
vations, my attention was attracted to some heavy-
looking clouds just perceptible above the topmost
ridge of some lofty hills in the N.W. some twenty
miles distant. The sun was shining on them, giving
them a pink massive outline. I remained in this
position until nearly sundown, when I returned to
the waggons ; no clouds were visible above the hills
when I reached my camp, nothing but the bright
glow of the sky, which later on had changed to a
purplish-blue, and as night approached, came the usual
li.f':htning-flashes ; my impression was we were going
to have a storm, but there were no signs of clouds all
night, and a clear sky the next day. On the following
day we treked fifteen miles more to the north, and in
the afternoon observed, just above th^horizon, a hne
of clouds, similar to those I had seen the day before
in the same position, and as evening advanced they
appeared to have dispersed, as they became blended
with the evening tints, and a casual observer would
declare, with every appearance of truth, that there

150 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
were no clouds to be seen in the sky, although he
would see the lightning-flash only, as in no case
when these apparently cloudless flashes come, is spark
or electric fluid visible. I have been exploring con
stantly the whole of South Central Africa for twenty-
five years, out in the open air nightly ; not an evening
escaped my observations, therefore I write with some
degree of confidence when I state no electric spark is
ever seen with this lightning, in consequence of the
distance, and partly below the horizon, and occa
sionally, but very seldom, in the stillness and quiet
that pervades everything, the air perfectly calm, the
distant rumble of thunder may be heard, and the
clouds before morning have vanished. I followed
these observations for months, and whenever any
clouds were seen just above the horizon before the
sun went down, they appeared to vanish as the even
ing tints deepened. The same result followed year
after year.
I once took up my quarters at a small spring flowing
from some granite rocks, where I rem'ained six weeks,
near the range of hills already described, to hunt and
explore ; this was the following year, and strange to
say, every afternoon heavy masses of clouds just
showed their heads above the horizon, covering more
than a quarter of a circle, that is, from the west of
north to east-north-east, taking up the same position
daily ; their lovely pink tints faded as evening ad-

THUNDERSTORMS. 151
vanced, no clouds could be seen, and yet nightly we
had these flashes. Some may say, surely these clouds
must have passed over some portion of the desert, not
a great distance From my outspan, and rain have
fallen from these storm-clouds ; the reply is, for
months prior to the rainy season commencing, clouds
are formed after mid-day, and follow certain strata in
the air, drawn by the electric condition of that portion
of the earth's surface, and discharge the electricity
they may contain without rain. I give this because
I have on several occasions been stationary for some
weeks in the line of country these clouds have taken,
year after year, and at the same season. After the
sun has passed the meridian, clouds have been collect
ing, generally from the N.E., and as evening advances,
the vivid lightning and the heavy peals of thunder
commence, and last for several hours, and then appear
to evaporate, and a lovely starlight night succeeds ;
not a drop of rain has fallen during the storm, and a
clear blue sky is seen over the whole of the horizon.
In this part of the desert we are seldom below 3600
feet of sea-level, and, taking into consideration the
clear and rarefied atmosphere, a flasl! of lightning and
the thunder may be seen and heard at a greater dis
tance than where the atmosphere is more dense. I
may further observe, that owing to the rotundity of
the earth, and the ahowance to be made in every mile,
it does not require that the clouds should be very far

152 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
away to be partly below the horizon. When we place
our eye on a level with the ground and look along a
flat country, at ten miles' distance a man must be
seventy feet high for his head to be seen above the
horizon ; therefore, at twenty or thirty miles, a portion
of the clouds would be beneath the horizon, not a great
distance for sound to be heard on a still evening, or a
flash of light to be seen as evening closed in. These
storm-clouds, without rain, always precede the rainy
season, as also the sand-storms, and those gigantic
whirlwinds that may be seen passing over the desert
by the dozen, and extending in some instances 1000
feet high, carrying up sand, sticks, and other articles
that lie in their course ; many of them measure 100
feet through. It is a strange sight to see many of
these sand-columns passing along over a plain. I
have observed, where the first passes, in the course of
the day others follow exactly in the same line : they
indicate a change in the weather. The mirage is
also of daily occurrence. In travelling through the
country, its general features appear to have entirely
changed by imaginary lakes, looking so perfectly
natural ; lofty trees appear to be standing in water ;
long belts of bush and wood, which the traveller may
be approaching, seem suspended in the air, showing
their reflection in the vapoury atmosphere between
them and the observer, which does not extend above
a few feet from the ground : that apparently vanishes

MONTSIOA. 153
a,s you proceed, but you are passing through it;
isolated hills look like islands, by their base being
surrounded by this moist air, which is not confined to
any particular time of day, but towards the afternoon
they are more frequent. If there is any wind, of
course there is no mirage, as it disperses the damp
air which causes it.
Montsioa territory is rich in cattle, which is sold to
colonial traders. The natives also are cultivating
their lands for corn, and a great sale in ploughs is the
consequence. They are improving in every way, but
for the last three years the Boers have laid waste the
country, killing the people by hundreds, robbing them
of their property, and stealing from thera 30,000 head
of cattle, besides sheep and goats, causing untold
misery amongst a people who never injured them by
word or deed. I write this from my own personal
knowledge, being there at the time, and having only
just returned to this country. The only means of
preserving these people, and improving their condition,
which is essential also to the prosperity and advance
ment of the Cape Colony, is to annex their lands.

154 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.

CHAPTER VIII.
The Chief Gaseitsive"s territory of the Bangwaketse family of the
Bechuanas.
The next and third Bechuana chief from the Cape
Colony is the Chief Gaseitsive, whose territory is
more extensive than Montsioa's ; his southern boun
dary joins on to the latter, along the entire length
from east to west. His- chief town is at Kanya, sixty-
five miles north of Sehuba, Montsioa's town, situated
on the summit of a lofty hill, the highest of any in
this part of the country. The chief lives in a well-
built house, furnished similar to any European resi
dence. The hill where the main part of the town is
built, slopes gradually down towards the north, on
the east and west, more suddenly on the south by a
cliff, 180 feet in height, composed of rounded and
well water-worn stones, from the size of a marble to
an ostrich-egg, forming a hard conglomerate, with
dark-brown gritty sand, and it ha« every appearance
of having once been a shore-line, and the back of an
ancient harbour. At the bottom of this cliff the
lower town is built, and is the mission-station and

ROAD TO LAKE NGAME. 155
church of the London Missionary Society, underthe Rev.
Mr. Good. This lower town stands at the upper end
of an extensive level opening, surrounded on three
sides by hills, open to the south, where a sraall sluit
drains the land upon which the lower town stands.
The principal road from the colony after passing
through Montsioa's territory at Maceby's station,
runs due north to Kanya; the distance from the
former is sixty miles, from Molapo river ; half- -way, at
Vaalpan Pits, is the division between Montsioa and
Gaseitsive. The country is thickly wooded and very
pretty ; all to the west of this road is part of the Kala
hara Desert belonging to these two chiefs. A road
from Molemo's station on the Molapo joins this, and
at Vaalpan Pits a road branches off to the left, through
the desert, to Lake N'game, a distance of 420 miles
to the Chief Molemo at Leshubatabe's Station, east of
that lake.
The principal watering-places along this road are
Moshanen Kraal, thirty miles ; Seletse, forty miles ;
Tans, twenty miles; Kaikai, 110, with small pits be
tween; Makapolo Pans, 108, also small pans along the
road ; Goose Vlei, sixty-four miles beyond, and to
Molemo's station, near the lake, forty-eight. The
country through which this road passes varies in cha
racter and scenery; the lower portion passes between
isolated and picturesque hills, well wooded to their
summits with a variety of subtropical vegetation.

156 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
Mokotontuane Hills are particularly noticeable for
their beautiful flora. The plains and valleys have
many Kaffir stations with their petty chiefs, under
paramount Chief Gaseitsive, who belongs to the Bang
waketse tribe of the Bechuana family. They are
Moshanen, Montsioa's old station ; Selatse, Gabatane,
Ses, Khokhochu, Lutlue, Tans, and several others, as
also Bushman kraals where large herds of cattle are
kept. The people are quiet and inoffensive, living the
same kind of life their forefathers lived, thousands of
years before. The men have their skin mantle, the
women also, with their short kilt, beads of ostrich-
eggs, also brass wire from Kanya, for feathers, karoses,
skins, and other native produce.
The cliraate is almost perfect, no frosts in winter,
which is the dry season, as rain rarely falls between
April and October. Lions, wolves, leopards, and a
host of the cat tribe, some of which are beautifully
marked and make handsome karoses, which fetch a
good price, are numerous over the whole of this
part. The main transport-road, already described, from
Maceby station on the Molapo, in Montsioa's terri
tory, to Kanya, is the only road now open from the
Cape Colony to the interior, for carrying on the
colonial trade with the native tribes beyond, as now
settled by the late Transvaal Convention. All the

ROADS TO THE INTERIOR BLOCKED BY BOERS 157
others passing northwards go through that Republic
and are subject to a heavy tax, consequently they are
closed to us. Previous to the Transvaal rebellion, we
had six different roads for conveying merchandise
from our two colonies, Natal and Cape Colony, free
from taxation. The interior trade from Natal is en
tirely closed against English traders, in consequence
of the distance being too great to go round to the
only one now left to us. The other main roads to
Kanya, besides the one already described, pass through
the Transvaal and Zeerust, which has been given to
the Boer Government, since Keats' award has been
so unwisely abandoned and their north-west border
extended, the result of ignorance on the part of the
British Government as to the importance of keeping
in our own hands so valuable a part of Montsioa's
territory, for the purpose of greater freedom of com
munication with that vast native region beyond. The
transport over them would have been much easier and
cheaper, in consequence of good roads and an unlimited
supply of water. The only road we have willingly
confined ourselves to, from Maceby's to Kanya, has
only one permanent water, at Vaal-pan-pits, for sixty
miles with a heavy road, which for heavy trans
port-waggons is a loss to the trader. The roads
which the colonial trade passed over, now closed to us
by the extension of the Transvaal boundary beyond
Keats' award, which was the one that should have been

158 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
maintained, are as follows : From Kimberly to Taungs,
Melema on the Molapo to Rinokano, and the river
road along the Limpopo or from Rinokano to Kanya
by two routes ; another is via Mamosa ; a fourth
passing along the open plains by the two salt-pans,
and the other two, one to the north of Bloemhof, and
from that town by the Vaal river roads — all concen
trating on Molapo and Molmane, then through the
new land given to the Transvaal by the Convention.
This is the position in which the British Government
has placed the two colonies with regard to the interior
trade. The country through which these roads pass to
Kanya is very lovely, and superior to any part of the
colony. One of these passes through a drift of the
Molmane river, a branch of the Klein Marico, passing
on past John Mentji's farm ; a small lake in front of
the house, surrounded with beautiful trees, and a pretty
fountain at the back, with rising ground in the dis
tance, is a spot to be remembered. Beyond is the
fountain at Ludic's, passing between hills clothed in
every variety of foliage, on the Kanya ; the distance is
eighty miles. The other principal transport-road to
Kanya from Rinokano, passes through a more lovely
country than the one just described, the rich alluvial
soil of the valleys, well- watered by fine springs, which
are small branches of the Notuane river, fine grass
lands studded with beautiful groups of trees and bush.

COUNTRY.

159

On every side of the road, well-wooded, lofty, and
picturesque hills — they may be termed mountains;
others in the distance rearing their lofty heads, visible
between the openings of those near. The subtropical
plants, scarlet creepers climbing up and between the
isolated rocks, piled one upon another, complete a
landscape seldom to be surpassed for the beauty of
its scenery.
The distance to Kanya is fifty-four miles, ten miles
from Rinokano, which is a large Kaffir station. When
I first paid ifc a visit, an old Chief Moelo lived there.
It is a mission-station of the German Mission Society,
in charge of the Rev. Mr. Jansen, who is noted for
his hospitality to travellers ; he has a beautiful garden
well stocked with fruit, also orange and lemon-trees.
Monata, ten miles north of Rinokano, is the old station
of the Chief Marshelale, who, owing to the continual
inroads of the Boers from the Transvaal stealing his
cattle, removed to the other side of the mountains
beyond Kanya, where Pelan lived. This old station
has now been occupied by several Bastard families,
who have built quite a town of good brick houses,
situated on a branch of the Notliane river, which
runs throtigh a pass in the mountain of great
beauty. Above the poort near the springs are many
Karunnas ; some spoke very good English, and
gave me much information respecting the locality.
Six miles beyond, the road takes a short turn to

i6o TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
the left, passing between high hills for one mile,
the road being very steep and stony, and a mile
beyond you arrive at that singular and isolated hill
called Moselekatze Kop, a lofty conical hill ; the height
from its base to summit is 275 feet, by my aneroid
barometer. This is composed of hard sandstone and
shale; great quantities of ironstone, and conglomerate
in large boulders, cover the ground at the base, which
appears to have fallen from the top ; the rocks round
about are blue and white metamorphic.
As my intention was to scale it the next day, I
outspanned under some fine trees close to the hill for
the night, that I might be on the topmost point at
sunrise, which at that season of the year (April) is
about five o'clock; and as the sun rose above the
cloudless horizon, with the pure clear atmosphere, it
threw out all the distant mountain-peaks in bold and
well-defined outlines, although some of them were
more than sixty miles distant, and as the sun rose,
casting the deep shadows of the surrounding hills, and
bringing out the rich green foliage of the trees and
shrubs, it was a sight seldom to be seen. There are
many cattle and vieh posts for sheep and goats in
these valleys, that belong to the people at Kanya, and
other kraals, in the country belonging to the Chief
Gaseitsive. Leg-ving Moselekatze Kop, going to Kanya, the road
turns west, then north-west for thirteen miles, to a

SCENERY. i6i
deep and stony watercourse, that comes down from
the mountain two miles distant, which is a branch of
the river Tans and Sand, into the Notuane. Many
picturesque sandstone hills of every variety of form,
covered with rich subtropical vegetation to their
summits, with gigantic rocks peeping out between the
bushes, give a peculiar feature to the landscape. Some
of the finest tree-aloes grow here to perfection, the
stems measuring twenty-five feet, and in girth six
feet, their long light-green pointed leaves measuring
four feet, and when in bloom their many crimson
flowers are beautiful objects. The country being so
lovely, I remained at this stony river three days to
sketch and prospect, and was rewarded by finding in
the bed of the river, mixed up in the large stones,
many ancient flint implements, that had been washed
down in heavy rains. Some of them were so jambed
in between large boulders of several ton weight, that I
had to get a crowbar to remove them. Some of these
boulders measured over four feet in diameter, showing
the force of the stream and quantity of water that
falls in these thunderstorms.
The temperature at night in my waggon in April
was 68°, and at mid-day 84°. No large game has
been seen, although the natives tell me there are
koodoos, blue wildebeeste or gnu, hartebeeste and
springbok. From this river the road winds through these
vol.. I. '^'^

]62 TWENTY FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
beautiful valleys, passing a remarkable granite rock
standing alone in the veldt, round like a Kaffir hut,
twenty feet in height, continuing on through the same
kind of country to Kanya. Another, in fact two
other roads, leave Rinokano, and go direct to Mola
pololo, the Chief Sechele's station, one round by
Ramoocha Khotla, named after an old chief, passing
through Base Poort, a lovely spot, plenty of baboons
and beautiful birds ; we cross the Sand river four
times, very stony, on to Sneyman's farms, past the
Spitz Kop, another remarkable hill, over an open flat,
park-like, with beautiful clumps of trees, to Dwasberg,
passing on the right Kolobekatze inountain, leaving
on the left the Quagga and Kopani hills, and on to
Ramoocha, where the Chief Makose has a large station.
These people belong to the Bamankitse tribe of the
Bechuana family. It is a mission in charge of the
R,ev. Mr. Schonenburg, of the Berlin Society. From
this kraal the road divides, one going to Chene Chene,
where the Chief Maklapan lives on the bank of the
Notuana, and then to Motsode, taking the Limpopo
river road to Ba-manguato. The second goes direct
to Molapololo; the third to the same town, through
the Kaffir station Monope, under the Chief Kua-
nette, of the Bahurutsi-Bamangane of the Bakatla
tribe of the Bechuana family. Monope is also a
Berlin Mission station, in charge of the Rev. Mr.
Tanson.

ROADS. 163
The large Kaffir station of Monope is well situated
on elevated ground, a gentle rise from the river
Coloben, a branch of the Notuane, being protected by
several large stone koptjies. The people are very
quiet and civil, cultivate extensively Kaffir corn, and
make karoses, which they sell to traders. When I
first knew the people, twenty years ago, there was not
a man or woman that dressed in European clothes ;
at the present time most of them are getting into the
way of dressing. The men wear clothes, and will
have the best.
The Natuane river has many tributaries, that take
their rise in this territory and at Rinokano, which
drains the whole of this district, and falls into the
Limpopo. The town of Kanya, as I have stated,
stands on a hill, much higher by several hundred feet
than the surrounding country. There are seven stores
kept by colonial traders, who did, before the Transvaal
rebellion, a good trade with the natives in corn, cattle,
feathers, ivory, skins, karoses, and other native pro
duce, but which have been almost destroyed through
the Boer disturbances. The Chief Gaseitsive is a quiet
and peaceful man, and his son Bathoen is also well
disposed. All the men dress in European clothes,
and the women are taking to them. It is one of the
most difficult things to change the habits and customs
of a people, but in my time great strides have been
made in this direction up even to the Zambese. The
M 2

x64 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
large station at Mashonen, eighteen miles to the west
of Kanya, is now occupied by this chief's people, since
Montsioa left to live on his own ground at Sehuba.
The country between Kanya and Masepa station is
very picturesque, lovely valleys, some well cultivated ;
many of the hills that surround them are clothed in
lovely vegetation — the euphorbia, wild fig, and other
sub-tropical plants ; creepers of every variety climbing
up between the large masses of sandstone rocks that
stand out in grotesque forms, piled one upon another,
add much to the beauty of the landscape. Such
charming scenery could not be passed over in haste,
particularly when surveying the country, which de
tained me from time to time many weeks in treking
through. The different streams that drain this part rise to
the west in the Kalahara desert and fall into the
Sand, Tuns, and Coloben branches of the Motuane
river. The climate is splendid, so far as perpetual
sunshine for eight months of the year goes ; the
summer from December to April being the rainy
season, when severe thunderstorms and a downpour
of rain are almost of daily occurrence ; but with such
a long drought vegetation does not seem to suffer.
The natives are most friendly, bringing milk, green
mealies, sugar-cane, pumpkins, anything they possess,
to the waggon, in exchange for beads, tobacco, or such
trifles as they might require.

CO UNTR Y— RIVERS. 1 65
At one of my outspans, close to the highest range
of hills between Masepa and Coloben, I formed my
camp under sorae fine trees, as it was my intention
to ascend the highest hill, to take observations with
my servant, the next day. During the night several
wolves visited us ; the smell of the fresh meat in the
waggons brought them nearer than was prudent, for
we shot two very large ones in the early part of the
night. Their skins are very useful for many purposes.
This occurred when few white men visited Africa ;
consequently, lions, wolves, and other animals were
seen and heard daily, and therefore necessary pre
cautions had to be taken to guard against any attack
upon my oxen. In the early morning of the following
day I saddled up my horse, and with my rifle started
for the hills. It is always a practice in such a country
never to be without your rifle, for it is impossible to say
when you may require to make use of it. Finding the
hill much too steep to ride up, I led the horse along
a winding path between bushes and trees, and reached
the top, which was level and open. The view from
this point repaid me for the trouble of ascending.
The lofty and well-wooded hills in the immediate
vicinity, the distant mountains with their rugged out
lines, clothed in purple mist, with the rich valleys
beneath, was a landscape worth looking at. The clear
atmosphere brought out all the inequalities and pro
jecting rocks of quaint forms into prominence. I was

1 66 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
not, however, allowed to remain long in this peaceful
soHtude before I became aware I had invaded Mr.
Baboon's stronghold and look-out station. Making a
more minute survey of my surroundings, I observed
that many of the trees and bushes concealed one or
more of these monkeys, and others perched upon rocks
not far off intently watching my movements. Not a
sound escaped them ; I believe the presence of my
horse had much to do with keeping them quiet, for
horses then were never seen in those parts. If I had
been alone some of the old ones might have given me
trouble; many of them appeared to be nearly my own
size. To see what effect a shot would have, I fired
one chamber of my revolver. Then the music com
menced — barks, screams, half-human grunts sounded
from a hundred different places as they scrambled
from branch to branch to gain cover araongst the
rocks and small caves in the side of the hill, which, in
days long since passed away, were occupied by Bush
men. The height of this elevation was 4560 feet
above sea-level. On arriving at my waggon I
found one of my oxen stuck in a mud-hole, and with
difficulty released him and proceeded on to Masepa,
the petty chief Pelan' s station, where the Kaffir
women brought me thick milk, which is very good
and acceptable in this hot weather. There are many
Kaffir stations along these roads of the Bakwana
and Bangweketse tribe of Bechuana, who live under

BOEiRS' OPPRESSIONS. 167
their respective chiefs. From my earliest visits in this
country, up to the present time, the Boers have been
a murdering, and unprincipled people, over all these
parts, stealing the native cattle and encroaching on
the land. In 1852 Dr. Livingstone, in a letter to Sir
John Pakington, states, — " Frequent attempts were
made by the Transvaal Boers to induce the Chief
Sechele to prevent the English from passing him in
their way north ; and, because he refused to comply
with this policy, a commando was sent against him by
Mr. Pretorius, which, on the 30th September last,
attacked and destroyed his town, killing sixty of his
people, and carried off upwards of 200 women and
children. I can declare most positively that, except
in the matter of refusing to throw obstacles in the way
of English traders, Sechele never offended the Boers
by either word or deed. They wished to divert the
trade into their own hands. They also plundered my
house of property which would cost in England at
least 335Z. They smashed all the bottles containing
medicine, and tore all the books of my library, scatter
ing the leaves to the winds ; and besides my personal
property, they carried off or destroyed a large amount
of property belonging to English gentlemen and
traders. Of the women and children captured, many
of the former will escape, but the latter are reduced to
hopeless slavery. They are sold and bought as slaves ;
and I have myself seen and conversed with such taken

i68 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
from other tribes, and living as slaves in the houses of
the Boers. One of Sechele's children is amongst the
number captured, and the Boer who owns him can,
if necessary, be pointed out." The above statement
is perfectly true in every particular. This murderous
attack on Sechele and his people took place at Monope,
and the old men at the station took me up into one of
the stone hills closetothetown,and showed me the small
cave, about ten feet square, in the side of the hill, where
Sechele and his wife took refuge with several guns and
ammunition, and were pursued by the Boers, who kept
up a constant fire into the cave, whilst Sechele and
his wife, protected by the projecting rock, kept them
off, Sechele firing, whilst his wife loaded the pieces.
And the Kafflrs called my attention to the bullet-
marks on the opposite rocks, where portions of the
bullets still remained. Finding that Sechele shot a
Boer whenever he showed himself, killing five, they
withdrew, and Sechele and his wife came out. After
this affair Sechele went a few miles north with his
people, and settled at Coloben, and then on to his
present station, Molapololo. There is no denying the
'act that the Boers, from the time they crossed the
Vaal river into Transvaal, have been a greater curse
to the country, wherever they have set foot, than
Moselekatze ever was when he marched north from
Zululand. Some think they are excellent pioneers in
a new country. They advance into native territories,

BOERS' OPPRESSIONS. 169,
killing the people by thousands, enslaving women and
children, robbing them of all their lands and cattle,
and occupying their country, with no ulterior benefit
to themselves or others, but merely as a field for
further cruelties and spoliation of native races, so that
the country may be cleared of them, but not for
civilization or improving the country, because they
leave a dark spot wherever they settle from the ruth
less cruelties they perpetrate upon unoffending and
innocent people. Are they then good pioneers ? AH
the sophistry in the world cannot make it right. To
murder, enslave, and rob innocent human beings,
living on their own lands, who have done no harm,
and have as much right to live and enjoy their own
as any other people, black or white, that they should
be so ruthlessly treated by men who profess Chris
tianity and to be a God-fearing people, is an anomaly,
and cannot be tolerated by a just and upright people,
like the British nation. And yet these atrocities are
at the present moment being carried on in Bechuana
land by the Boers of the Transvaal and Orange Free
State and other scum of European nationality, who
have lost all sense of honour and jifstice, for the pur
pose of gaining a footing in the country ; and we allow
them to commit these lawless and criminal acts un
checked. They do not even civilize or improve the
country they take. Look at the Transvaal ; for forty,
years the Boers have had possession of it. What is

170 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
it now ? No raore civilized than when they entered
it, but the contrary. The Boers are more demoralized,
as we know, who know them. Their acts alone are a
sufficient answer to this question, and South Africa
will not advance in prosperity and wealth until the
Boer element is brought to a sense of justice ; and
that will never be while the Boers hold an independent
position in the Transvaal.
The population of the Bechuanas in Gaseitsive's
territory, including those under the Chief Kuanette
at Monope and Pelan at Masepa, does not exceed
35,000, exclusive of Bushmen; and against this the
entire white population of the Transvaal at the present
time does not exceed 40,000, including English and
other nationalities. Then why should this handful of
men be allowed to keep all South Africa in a perpetual
state of disquietude, to the immense injury of the trade
of the country ? The gold re-discoveries, however, will
settle this question, and that within the next yearortwo.
The bulk of the most intelligent and influential Boers
are determined to be annexed, and the hoisting of the
British flag is only delayed by the savage,_ ignorant
" Doppers," with whom the diggers will raake short
work whenever they think fit to do so. The popula
tion now cannot be less than 50,000, of whom 20,000
are Europeans, and all fighting-men, whilst the Boers
cannot muster more than 10,000, of whom the half
are on our side.

171

CHAPTER IX.
The Chief Sechele of the Bakwana tribe of the Bechuana family.
On entering this chief's territory from the south, that
is from Kanya and Masepa, the country is undulating
and densely wooded with trees and bush, the road
stony and uneven. Approaching Molapololo, Sechele's
chief town, a long range of lofty hills comes in view,
and as you near them a bold outline presenting many
perpendicular and lofty cliffs, which gain in magnitude
as you advance along the road with your waggon,
passing between many Kaffir gardens. This range
reminded me very forcibly of the Devonshire coast
line at Bolthead, and requires a short description to
make more clear the general outline, as in no other
region I have visited is there so singular a mountain,
and one that conveys so plainly to the mind the history
of remote times, and which appears so little changed
from what it was at that period.
On leaving the low and level country to enter Mola
pololo, the entrance is in a break of these hills, which
rise from their base several hundred feet. In this
opening is the remains of a considerable river. On

172 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
passing through this entrance, which is about 250
yards wide, we come into an open space, surrounded
by lofty hills, with an opening on the west side where
this ancient river enters from the Kalahara desert,
passing through this open space and through . the
entrance just described. On the east side of this open
space is another entrance, flanked with lofty and
almost perpendicular cliffs. The open space itself is
about half a mile both ways, of an irregular shape, and
has every appearance of being at one time a splendid
harbour, with two entrances, surrounded by lofty
hills, leaving the opening on the west side, where the
once ancient river passed in between a narrow opening
of light sandstone rocks. The soil of this open space
is clear light sand, and is now occupied by several
hundred native huts, and is also the residence of
the missionary, the Rev. Mr. Price, of the London
Missionary Society, and also traders who have
several stores. The outer face of the range of hills
above named that faces the south, present a bold and
perpendicular front of several hundred feet in height,
half-way down ; then it slopes at an angle of fifty-five
to the foot, which is the accumulation of soil fallen
from the upper cliffs ; at the base a level sandy space
of several hundred feet, clear of bush, similar to our
sea-coast sands ; and beyond for thirty miles the
country is almost level, but thickly wooded. The prin
cipal formation of these hills is sandstone, the stratifi-

SE CHELE 'S HO USE. 1 7 3
¦cation is almost horizontal, but dips towards the
north. The entrance on the eastern side is most
interesting, and showing the action of the sea .on the
outer face of the lofty cliffs, which were exposed to its
force. Half-way up one of the faces, 400 feet above
the base, is a large cave extending some distance into
the hill ; the entrance is shaped like the portal of a
castle, with perpendicular sides fifty feet wide and
seventy feet in height, the rock round and smooth on
both sides of the entrance. The interior has several
chambers, similar in form to many caverns along the
rocky shores in various parts of the world formed by
the action of the waves. The land-face of this ancient
harbour, the hill, rises 400 feet at an angle of 30°.
On the summit is another extensive level space, sur
rounded on the west and east by lofty rocks ; the north
is open to the level country beyond. On this open
ground the main portion of the town of Molapololo is
situated, and the residence of the Chief Sechele, who
has two well-built houses furnished after E-uropean
fashion : an entrance-hall, fitted up 'with weapons of
war, a dining and drawing-room, bedrooms and offices,
sideboards, tables, chairs, with fhe usual glasses,
decanters, silver stands, and such things as are required
in a dining-room. The drawing-room has sofas and
lounging chairs, pictures, and everything nice — quite
as comfortable as any house I have ever been in in
South Africa, except in the principal towns in the

174 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
colony. Sechele dresses well in English clothes, and
his eldest son. Sebele, is also a well-dressed, handsome
Kaffir. In 1867, when I first saw Sechele, he was not
so particular in his dress, and most of his people had
skin clothes ; now nearly all wear English clothes of
the best quality. There are many trading stores in
the upper and lower town, and a great trade is being
carried on with the natives. I am describing now the
state of the natives in 1880, my last visit. But now
since the Transvaal has been handed back to the
Boers, trade has become paralyzed and little or nothing
is doipg with the colony, as the Transvaal Boers have
closed all the interior roads, and not only done so,
but robbed and burnt traders' waggons on their way
to the interior, and driven the traders out of Montsioa's
and Monkoroan's territories, and by their lawless acts
have devastated the country.
At my last visit but one, in 1877, I was received
with great kindness, and as an old friend, by Sechele,
who had on former occasions shown me great kindness
and hospitality. I arrived at the town on Sunday after
noon, the 1st of September, after suffering much
from want of water, and bad grass, since leaving
Masepa. I called on the Rev. Mr. J. Moffat, and
then returned to my waggon, where I found Sechele's
brother, who had been sent by his chief, inviting
me up to see him. On Monday morning I walked up
to his house; he was sitting in his kotla with his

CHIEF L INSE Y. 175
councillors, the n stood up, shook hands, took my arm
without speaking, and walked to his house, a few steps
from the kotla, as the enclosure is called where he
and his councillors transact business, and took me into
his drawing-room, seated me beside him on the sofa,
still holding my hand, and ordered coffee. After
giving him the particulars of my journey and the news
of the country, he asked me to take dinner with him,
and was pleased to see me. The table was laid similar
to any white man's — stewed beef and pumpkins,
Kafflr beer, for which he is famous. Then I had to
listen to all his troubles respecting the Chief Linsey,
who lives at Kgaman'yane or Motsode, a station forty-
two miles on the east of Molapololo, who had robbed
him of all his cattle, and he was now a poor man.
Having examined some papers he placed in my hands,
I gave him an outline of my journey to the Matabele-
land, and left him with a promise to see him on my
return from up-country, to give the news. Such is
the chief the British people look upon as a savage,
and many out here call a wily old fox, because he is
guarded in what he says and does ; and can any one
be surprised at his reticence whefl he has so many
enemies in the Boers, who are watching for the first
chance to make war on him and his people in their
thirst for land and plunder ? He has always been a
good friend to the English, and recent events have
taught him to be more than careful how he acts, seeing

17-6 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
that no dependence can be placed on the English
Government in relation to South African affairs ; and
such is the feeling of all the great chiefs from the
Zambese down to the Cape Colony.
A more romantic position for a native town could
not well be chosen, and with little labour this natural
fortress could be made impregnable. Many of the
women wear petticoats, others still retain their skin
dresses with bead and brass ornaments ; and if left
alone, without fear of Boer invasion, these are the most
happy people in the world. The English people have
hitherto been looked upon as friends and protectors,
and as one of them I felt proud of my country. But
since the Transvaal rebellion and its retrocession,
an Englishman is ashamed to travel the country, to
be subject to the taunts of the chiefs and people at
the boasted honour of England. As I have stated,
the people are the most happy of the human race —
having no. cares, no great division of classes, no extra
vagant fashions or forms to keep up. Luxuries of
civilized life are unknown. They have their amuse-
ments, their nightly music and dances, the usual reed
band already described ; the women and children sing,
and keep excellent time to the music ; their clear and
musical voices are pleasant to hear. The duty of
the men is to attend to the oxen and cows, make
karoses and clothes, hunt and work with their waggon
and spans, fetching in the corn when ripe, bringing in

THE SHAME OF ENGLAND— KAFFIR HABITS. 177
wood for the fires ; the boys look after the calves and
and goats. The women cook, bring water, hoe the
gardens, and keep the birds away, and cut the corn
when ripe — the labour being so divided, all goes on
pleasantly. Sechele assists the missionary in his
services at the church, which is a large building in
the upper town. A few days previous to my visit a
troop of young elephants marched up to the town from
the Kalahara desert, having lost themselves — a very
unusual occurrence, as they seldom come down so far
south. The natives turned out and shot them, causing
great excitement.
In Sechele's territory there are no other stations
of any size; he has many smaller kraals in outlying
districts, and several cattle-posts belonging to Kaffirs,
some of whom are rich in stock. Four roads branch
from Molapololo to the north, one passing through
the desert to Lake N'game, two direct to Bamangwato
through the Bush Veldt, a fourth via Motsode, by
continuing down the Notuane river ; -another, making
a fifth, taking the river road by the Limpopo. The
distance by the direct roads to Mongwato is 133 miles.
In the dry season most of the ttansport-waggons
take the river road, as water is always to be obtained.
In the direct roads, many of the pans dry up ; only at
Selene Pan can water be obtained, which is eighty-
eight miles from Sechele's, and forty-five from Mon
gwato. All that parfc of the country is very pretty;
VOL. I. N

178 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
there are no hills, small kopties are numerous. The
trees and bush that grow in such park-like clumps,
of great variety, add to its charm. The first year I
travelled that road, eighteen years ago, the whole
country swarmed with game, lions, and wolves, that is,
at the tirae I speak of. The koodoo, with fine spiral
horns from three to four feet in length, is a noble
animal, the size of an ordinary ox, of a dun colour ;
their fine action when trotting or on the gallop,
carrying their heads well up, is a fine sight. Harte-
beests, roibok, with their beautiful fat sides and sleek
coats. Well marked with black stripes and white is
the zebra, and when a troop of a hundred or more
pass, it is a picture in itself. The ostrich was
then plentiful, but it was difficult to run them
down where the trees grow so thick, with bush
between. I had a young and fleet horse who got quite used
to hunting them ; if he saw any, it was difficult to
keep him in hand, and in a country of thick bush, wolf-
holes, and antbears, it required great caution to
prevent a tumble of both horse and man. The best
plan I found was to stalk them between the bushes. I
had a narrow escape with a lion on one of my ostrich
hunts. When chasing them at full speed, I had to
leap a low bush, no other opening being near; when
half-way over, I saw a lion on the other side close
under the branches, who raised himself as if he had

OSTRICHES— A NARROW SHAVE WITH A LION. 179
been asleep — I partly passed over him. All I had
time to see was his great head and mane as he jumped
up, but I was off and away before he seemed to
realize his position ; at any rate he did not give chase,
as I thought he might do. I think my horse had
some inkling of the same, for he stretched out at his
full speed. At night they became very troublesome,
prowling round the waggon, keeping us awake to
prevent them coming disagreeably close to the oxen
and two horses fastened securely by reins to the
trektow and waggon. Not being hunted, they were
very bold. One night they killed a beautiful gemsbok
within 100 yards of the waggon; the long straight
horns I secured the next morning.
Several Bushmen and their families kept with me
during my stay in these parts, and were of great assist
ance in fetching water, cutting up the flesh to make
biltong by drying it in the sun, and bringing in the
game when shot. Some of the Bushmen and women
were well made, the old ones poor specimens of hu
manity. One girl was a perfect model, with rounded,
well-formed limbs, and in good condition from living on
the game the men killed with their Bows and arrows.
These people were quite black and small, a different
type altogether from the Bushmen of the south. They
were of the same family as those who occupy a great
portion of the Kalahara desert, of which this forms
the eastern part. Their language is also different;
N 2

i8o TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
they are called Masara Bushmen from their small
size ; that word signifies woman. They were perfectly
naked, the weather never being cold, at this time the
thermometer being 102° in the shade. Their long
rough grass huts being a broken bough or a few sticks
stuck up and long grass thrown over.
They have a very ingenious method of taking game
by pitfalls. They dig four or five pits eight feet deep,
ten long and four wide, fifty or sixty and sometimes
100 feet from each other, not in a straight line, but
so placed that when they make a fence from one to
the other it would form the letter V ; at the point
would be the pit, and no hedge, so that an animal want
ing to pass through would walk down to the opening,
and as the pit would be beautifully covered over with
small sticks and grass, made a very inviting road to walk
over. It was at one of these openings I had a very
narrow escape of my life. Returning to my camp after
a long day out after game, I came upon this fence,
seeming an opening, and not having seen any before,
I was going through, my dog in front, when I saw
him disappear all at once, howling as dogs will howl
when hurt or frightened. Dismounting, I pulled
away some of the sticks to make the hole larger, and
found one of these pits, with a large sharp-pointed
pole stuck upright in the centre, and there was the
dog at the bottom in a great state of mind, but how
to get him out was a puzzle ; as there were several

A NARROW ESCAPE. i8i
long straight branches that formed the hedge, I got
sufficient to put in that I might go down to take
hold of the dog's neck and lift him out, which took
me an hour to perform. I took care to give these
hedges a wide berth when I saw any afterwards. If
a giraffe or elephant fell in he would be impaled and
unable to move. Smaller game like my dog are
caught alive. If I and my horse had gone in, he
would have been impaled, and I should have been
probably killed.
The Bechuanas have another method of catching
game by pitfalls — at least many years ago it was in
use, where instead of securing one, they trapped
hundreds at one time. In those extensive open
plains where tens of thousands of the antelope
species roam, a favourable spot would be selected,
and from eight to twelve large pits dug, ranged
in a row fifteen feet apart, the earth taken out
to the depth of five feet, and thrown up between
them, forming a steep bank, at the bottom of this pit,
it would be divided into smaller pits, two feet in
depth, leaving a wall of earth between each; these
would be square, and three in a i^w. The full size
of the opening would be about thirty by twelve feet,
placed longways. These would occupy a considerable
space ; at the extreme ends a thick bush hedge would
prevent the game leaping over, and several hundred
men placed in addition to prevent the animals going

i82 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
round. When all was prepared, men would drive the
game by thousands towards the pits, and as they
were pressed on by those behind they made for the
pits to escape, where they would fall in, and having
no foothold in the small square pits above named,
had to remain. Hundreds passing over them, also
got fixed, until the pits were full.
Then the grand slaughter commenced ; as many as
1200 have been caught at one time. All the men,
women, and children set to work ; fires made, cooking
begins, the skins taken off, and the meat cut into
lengths and hung up to dry in the sun for future use ;
not a marrow-bone is wasted, and it takes days to
complete the work. This practice has been given
over for years, but the pits still remain, some very
perfect, which I measured. The Dutch name is " f ung-
cut," the Kaffir name " hopo." The game driven into
these pits would be composed of all kinds common
to the country. The Bechuanas have guns and shoot
the game, and have become very good shots.
At Molapololo when the people get short of meat,
a hunt is got up to go out for weeks to shoot game.
Thirty or forty men, each with a gun, and many pack-
oxen, with several waggons, proceed to the Kalahara,
where game is always to be had, and when they have
procured enough meat or biltong to load up the oxen,
they return home. Many women and children go in the
waggons with them ; it is a grand picnic. I was with

GAME PITFALLS AND DRIVES. 183
them on one occasion when we had a lion-hunt, and
we killed three out of seven, but four of the Bechuanas
got fearfully wounded.
I was outspanned about 100 miles on the north-west
of Sechele's, near a very pretty pan full of water, it
being the rainy season in February, when one of these
hunts came along, and outspanned a short distance
from my waggon. The night previous we had been
on the watch, as lions kept prowling about the
waggons, but could not see any, the night being
very dark. The next night the Kaffirs lost one of
their largest pack-oxen, and as we saw by the spoor,
that there were several, the Kaffirs came to me,
they knowing me very well, and asked if I would
go with them and hunt up the lions, as we had
several good dogs to drive them out of the bush. We
mustered in all twenty-two guns — myself and my
driver, a Hottentot, a capital shot, and twenty of the
hunting party. Leaving the camp about 2 p.m., we
took the lions' spoor for nearly a mile into a small
koppie with thick bush. The best part of the sport
was to see the Kafflrs in their excitement, as if they
had never seen a lion before ; my J^ar was they might
shoot me in their anxiety to have a shot and be the
first to kill ; every man had his place assigned him,
but we could not draw the lions out of their cover ;
the dogs made a great noise, but would not go in.
Finding they would not move, I placed three Kaffirs in

1 84 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
a good position for them to keep firing with their
rifles into the most likely part ; this after a time
brought four lions out, three others slunk away to the
rear. Two had evidently been hit by the bullets,
for they made for the nearest Kafflrs, whom they
seized. Three were killed, having received seven to
eight shots each ; those that made their escape were
young, only half grown. This was a glorious day
for the Kafflrs, to go home and tell their chief and
friends of their bravery.
All this part of the Kalahara belongs to, and is in
Gaseitsive's territory, a country nearly 200 miles
square ; the northern part from Molapololo is a com
plete forest, fine trees, bush and open glades, and is
his hunting-ground, where his people procure ostrich
feathers, skins, and game, and also ivory. It was,
when I first knew it, full of game, but since the
natives have obtained^ rifles, they have greatly reduced
it. The Notuane river and its branches drain the
country belonging to Sechele and Gaseitsive, and is a
tributary of the Limpopo. Fifty miles to the east of
Molapololo is a large Kaffir station, Chene Chene,
within the latter territory, under the Chief Maklapan.
A beautiful and picturesque hill stands close to it,
which is visible at a great distance. The whole country
is forest and full of game. The town is twenty-nine
miles south from Motsodie. The river road to the
interior from Molapololo passes through a very pretty

THREE LIONS KILLED— KAFFIRS WOUNDED. 185
and interesting part of the country, a long range of
low thickly wooded hills on the left. Twenty-two
miles on the road from Molapololo is Clokan, a small
stream, another branch of the Notuane, where water
seldom fails.
On my last journey I found a trader, a Mr.
Okenshow, outspanned, who told me several lions
had killed three blue wildebeeste the previous night,
and advised me not to let my oxen go out of my sight
in the thick bush. This spot is famed for beautiful
birds. After shooting some pheasants and four of
these Httle beauties, I went on and passed another
small stream called Koopong, thirfceen miles, and then
to Motsodie, the large Kaffir station under the Chief
Linsey, which is forty-two railes distant from Mopa-
pololo ; he cautioned me to look after my horses and
oxen, for the country was full of lions, and they were
so bold they came close up to the town. They follow
the game, more particularly quaggas or zebras, and, as
there were plenty of them, also koodoos, hartebeeste,
and wildebeeste.
Previous to my first visit, a chief named Kgaman-
gane left his country on the east sifle of the Limpopo
river, crossed over and settled at this station, with all
his people, by permission of Sechele, and built a large
station up among several hills, that it might be well
protected in case of war with any tribe. At his
death, his son Linsey ruled jointly with his uncle, and

i86 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
claimed the country as his own, and began stealing
Sechele's cattle and killing his herds ; this led to war
between them, several attacks were made by the latter
on the town, but they were driven off, with a few
killed, and so the war for a time was ended. This
was the trouble Sechele told me of. The town is well
selected for defence, the hills command every approach
to it. Linsey lives in a brick house, and he and his
people dress in European clothes. There is a mission-
station under the London Missionary Society. The
people are very civil and ready to help strangers.
Close up to the town are some very large ant-hills,
fifteen feet in height, and forty feet in circumference
at the base, terminating in a sharp point. They are
the work of the small white ant that is so destructive
to furniture and buildings; what motive they have
for building them so lofty and pointed, I have never
been able to discover, because all their food supply
is conveyed into it through little holes at the
base. They are wonderful works for so small an insect,
I remained here a week that I might explore the
country, which is of sandstone formation, granite
below, iron conglomerate in large boulders on the
slopes of the hills.
There are two roads to the Limpopo river, one on
each side of the Notuane, and another through the
Bush Veldt, to the Great Marico river, with branch
roads to Chene Chene, Ramoocha, and Rinokano

SECHELE. 187
stations, the two former ones being very bad and
crossing many sluits. I took the one through the Bush
Veldt. Leaving Motsodie in the afternoon, I crossed
the river, and as night would be dark, outspanned
early, to be prepared for any nocturnal visits from our
feline friends. Fixing upon a pretty little open space,
the only one I could find along the road, as it was one
dense bush on both sides, I outspanned, and made
everything ready, collecting plenty of wood to make
big fires. Having made a fire to cook our evening meal,
my three Kaffirs, or rather my Hottentot driver and
two Kaffirs, were sitting smoking over it, and having
seen all secure, were ready to turn into bed, when
my driver, a first-class boy, called out there were
lions coming on. He was the first to hear them —
their noise is not to be mistaken when once heard.
Having listened some tirae, the sounds, which on a still
night can be heard a long distance off, appeared to
be approaching. Our first care was to replenish the
fire and pile up wood for two raore, bring the fore
most oxen close up to the waggon, making them fast
to the wheels ; the horse was placed between the
waggon and fire, fastened to the* front wheels, and
more wood collected. During this time the lions
appeared to be nearing us. After lighting the other
two fires, I gave the boys a rifle each; myself and
driver took up our position on the front waggon-
box, that we might have a better view. The night

1 88 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
being very still,' not a sound was heard, except
occasionally from our friends, as they evidently
were very near. When about one o'clock in the
morning the sounds ceased altogether ; then we knew
they had discovered us, and meant mischief. The
last sounds appeared to be about 300 yards dis
tant. This was an exciting tirae, for at any raoment
we might expect them in our midst, and to seize some
of the oxen or the horse. All was still as death,
except when the Kaffirs threw more wood on the
fires. After waiting nearly an hour, the first indica
tion of their presence was the restlessness of the oxen
and horse, having scented them in the still air ; but
with all the glare of the fires they were not visible,
the bush being so thick. We each took our rifles and
stood between the oxen and the wood. The first
warning sound was from my Hottentot driver. Dirk,
who called out, " Look sharp," and the next moment
the report of his rifle. I was standing by his side,
and saw the lion, not thirty paces from us, turn
round, when I gave him a second bullet. He appeared
to be severely wounded, as he only retreated a little
distance, when he received a third from my driver,
which brought him to the ground, and another in the
head to make sure : a fine, full-grown lion. The other
we never saw, he must have made his escape at the
first shot. Early in the morning, to save time, I had
him skinned, and inspanned to make my morning trek

LIONS. 189
before breakfast. Two treks a day, morning and
evening, nine miles each, if possible, but in this
country you must be guided by water. The smell of
the lion-skin at the back of the waggon made the
oxen trek so fast that it was difficult to keep them
under command. It is a very strange fact that calves
born in the colony, grown into oxen, that have never
seen or smelt a lion, should be so frightened at even
the smell. Instinct, I suppose, tells them they are no
friends. Those who have never seen a lion in his
wild state can have no idea what a noble-looking
animal he is. My driver Dirk was elated at having
given the first shot, being the first lion he ever shot at.
Every night in these parts we heard them at a dis
tance. Wolves came every night. A few nights after,
one came close to the waggon about midnight, not
thirty yards away. I merely took my rifle as I sat up
in my bed and shot him in the chest — one of those
large-spotted brown sort. They smelt the raw meat
at the back of the waggon. Wild dogs also this year
came in large packs ; they may be seen in one district
for a short time, then they disappear for months. It
is the same with the lions. The tig^r (leopard) seldom
leaves his haunts.
The distance from Motsodie to the Great Marico
river road is forty-seven miles, from thence to the
junction of the Notuane river with the Limpopo,
seventy-four miles. On the road from whence I

190 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
crossed the Notuane river to the Great Marico road,
the country is very dry and sandy, but the bush in
places is very lovely. A great fire was raging on our
right and coming down upon us with a strong wind ;
there was no means of escaping it, as high grass was
in every direction, by trying to get past it ; I therefore
held still, set fire to the grass on our left of the
road, which went blazing away at a great speed, that
soon cleared a large extent of ground, where I
brought my waggon into a safe position; if I had
not done this, the waggon and all would have been
destroyed. These grass-fires are very injurious to vegetation,
killing the young trees and causing grass of a very
coarse kind. This transport river road in dry weather
is splendid, level and free from stones ; some of the
sluits are bad to cross. At the junction of the Great
Marico river with the Limpopo is a drift through the
latter, and a pinkish granite crops up on its banks.
Wishing to have a swim, I took my towels from the
waggon, and walked towards the river. On arriving
at the bank, which is some fifty feet above the water,
I saw on the sand beneath me a fine crocodile, on the
opposite sandbank, for the water was very low, three
others basking in the sun below rae, and two in the
water, with a part of their heads and backs out.
Those on the opposite side saw me first, for they
moved towards the water slowly, and entered it and

WOLF-SHOT— GRASS-FIRE. 191
disappeared, without making the slightest ripple in
the water ; their bright colours made them look any
thing but ugly, I thought it advisable to defer my
bath to some more favourable opportunity. At this
point Sechele's territory terminates and the Chief
Khama's begins.
At the junction of the Notuane and Limpopo there
are two drifts. At the upper one I had to repair
before I could take my waggon through, which caused
me a day's delay ; I therefore fixed my camp under a
very pretty clump of trees on the bank, where we
were in the evening fully occupied in shooting wolves,
this being a very noted place for them. Having shot
a hartebeeste in the morning, we employed the evening
in making biltong of the flesh, and placed it on the
branches of the trees to dry, as it was getting dark, for
in this latitude (23° 30') immediately under the Tropic
of Capricorn, night sets in very soon after sundown.
Several wolves came round the waggon ; I thought at
first in the dim light they were dogs, but soon dis
covered my mistake. We then made a plan to catch
them, by placing two pieces of the raw meat about
fifty yards from our camp, fastening them to a stump
of a tree, just before the moon rose at ten o'clock, that
we might see them when they came ; then we all took
up our position with our rifles, and waited. About
eleven o'clock three large ones were seen coming
from out of the wood towards the baits, which they

192 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
soon found and seized, but the pieces were too flrmly
tied for them to take away, and then they began
fighting over them, when two more made their appear
ance, creating quite a scene. It was then time to
fire, and our four bullets settled two ; the others before
we could reload made off, although one was wounded
as he made his escape. Bringing the two dead ones
to the camp, we watched a short time longer, when
another was seen coming on, and when in the act of
trying to drag the meat away, we shot him also, and
another soon afterwards, making four, and very large
ones. The next day they were skinned, as they are
very useful for many purposes, and the day after,
I shot a crocodile as he seemed asleep on the bank.
He measured eleven feet. Being only a short distance
from the Limpopo river, which is broad and in places
very deep, these reptiles seem to swarra ; and its well-
wooded banks give shelter to hundreds of monkeys,
and also to many beautiful birds.
At the junction of the Notuane river with the
Limpopo, the altitude is 2880 feet at the drift, which
is one of the main roads from Pretoria in the Trans
vaal to the trading-station Mongwato, and the Chief
Khama's capital ; the distance by road frora the drift is
seventy-three miles. The territory of Sechele, which
also includes those portions now claimed by the
petty chiefs Linsey at Motsodie, and Maklapan at
Chene Chene, are valuable and well-wooded dis-

EXCELLENT MECHANICS. 193
tricts, with many native kraals ; the people cultivate
the land, use ploughs, and grow corn which supplies
largely the inhabitants on the border of the Transvaal,
and is taken in exchange for English goods through
traders from the Cape Colony, and they also rear
large herds of cattle. If a settled form of govern
ment is established, and Boer invasions put down,
the country will soon become highly valuable as a
market for British merchandise, as the natives are
very industrious, and quite alive to the import
ance of trade ; most of the beautiful karosses that
find such a ready sale in the home markets are made
by the Bechuana people. In all these chiefs' terri
tories they are excellent mechanics, manufacturing
tools and utensils from native iron, and good forges
are now being introduced. They have hitherto used
for heating their metal, air-bags, connected by a
tube, one placed under each arm, which they press to
their side, which causes a blast sufficient to melt or
heat the metal, which they hammer into form with
stones. But this primitive mode is going out of use,
and the ordinary bellows is being adopted. They
purchase extensively of colonial traders, iron pots,
kettles, saucepans, and tin utensils, as also every kind
of wearing apparel, and if the country is protected
from Boer marauders, the British merchant may look
forward at no distant date ^to an extension of trade
in these regions, over and above the present sales, up
VOL. I. 0

194 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
to several millions annually, as the great stride to
wards civilization during my time has been most
satisfactory. Twenty years ago, where one trader's
waggon went in, in 1880 there were fifty, which was
stopped on the retrocession of the Transvaal to the
Boers, when a collapse took place, and has continued
through the murderous attacks and robbery of the
Boers on the natives, but which, I trust, will
now be put an end to by the British Government
proclaiming a protectorate over all this extensive
and valuable region.

195

CHAPTER X.
The Chief Khama's territory of the Bakalihari tribe of the Bechuana
family,
Feom the last outspan on the Notuane, at the junction
of the Limpopo, mentioned in the last chapter, the
road for eight miles is close to the bank of the Lim
popo river, where I had some fishing, but instead of
catching any fish, I caught a young iguana, two feet
long, and had great difficulty to land him. It was
necessary to kiU the beast to release the hook. At the
bend of the river the road turns north-west, and goes
on to Ba-Mongwato. There are several cattle-posts at
the b6iid belonging to Khama's people and the traders
at that station. There are some very fine trees, and
also immense ant-hills, of the same kind as those at
Motsodie. I measured one, twenty feet high and
nearly sixty feet in circumferencg, made by these
little white ants ; my waggon looked quite small
beside it.
The climate here is very peculiar, hot sun, 99° in
the shade, with cold blasts of wind every four or five
minutes in regular waves, reducing the heat to 70°,
0 2

196 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
which we feel very cold. This is one great cause of
rheumatism and fever. To-day was almost melting
with heat ; I took shelter under the waggon, but had
not been there three minutes when I had to get into
the waggon, being so cold from the wind, which feels
as if it came from a frozen region. If in a violent
perspiration, fever comes on, if care is not taken to
prevent a chill. The road from this place to Mon-
guato is fifty-five miles. In the dry season there are
only three places where water can be obtained.
On one of the tributaries of the Limpopo is a
circular rock in the veldt, no other stones near it,
fifteen feet in diameter, and similar in shape to a
ball cut through the centre, and placed on the ground,
only it belongs to the rock beneath the soil. This
rock has been covered with carvings, the greater
portion of which have been rubbed nearly smooth by
large animals rubbing against it, giving it quite a
polish. Sufficient lines are left to show it has been
well cut with sorae sort of figures, and on one side
where it curves in a little, and is out of the way of
elephants, rhinoceros, and other aniraals, the carvings
are nearly perfect. They represent paths with trees
and fruit on each side ; upon one is a snake crawling
down with a fruit or round ball in its mouth, near it
is a figure, and a little distance off another figure with
wings, almost like an iguana, flying towards a man
who is running away ; his left foot is similar to that

ANCIENT CARVINGS ON A ROCK, NEAR A BRANCH OF THE LIMPOPO RIVER. TAKEN IN OCTOBER, 1866.

ANCIENT CAR VINGS. 1 9 7
of a horse, the right one has two points, evidently
Satan ; the intermediate spaces have many stars. The
upper part of the stone has, in the centre, a small
hollow of a cup-shape, with two circles of the same
round the centre one. It is a very interesting monu
ment, and appears to be very old, from the fact of the
other portions being partly obliterated by the rubbing
of animals against it. The rock is very hard and
similar to those several geologists call igneous. There
are many rocks of the same description, with carvings
of animals, snakes, and figures on them, and from
their position they have been preserved from animals
defacing them. In several parts of the country many
of them are well executed.
A few days previous to my arrival here in 1877,
three Boers, with their waggons, were endeavouring
to find a new drift in the Limpopo river, and went in
to cross to the opposite side. They had nearly reached
the bank, when the foremost looked round and saw a
large crocodile come up from the water and seize the
head of the last man between his jaws, and disappear
with him. His name was Herman, a married man,
twenty-six years of age. Nothing more was seen of
him but blood in the water. His widow, a few months
after, consoled herself with another husband. At this
time, soon after the British Government had annexed
the Transvaal, the Boers, wherever I met them, were
•always friendly — so much so, that I have often been

198 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
invited to take one of their daughters for a wife.
They were rather proud to have an Englishman for a
son-in-law. I was outspanned not many weeks back
at a very pretty pool of water, or spring, the water of
which fell into the Notuane river, in what is termed
the Bush Veldt, that I might have a little shooting.
The second day an old Boer and his wife carae to me
to ask if I would buy some ostrich feathers, taking me
to be a trader, for all Englishmen travelHng through
the country will do a little in the way of barter ; there
fore I told them if they were good I would. When
coffee was handed to them as a matter of custom,
they asked where my wife was. On stating I was
single, the old vrow said I must have one of her
daughters ; she had two mooi (pretty) girls, and
would bring them the next day for me to see when
she brought the feathers. Accordingly, the next day,
true to her promise, she came with the old man and
her two girls to the waggon; both very young, the
eldest not more than seventeen, and not bad-looking
for Dutch girls, apparently very modest and shy,
with a conscious look of what they were brought for.
After settling about the feathers, the old mother
pointed out her daughters to me, and told me, point
ing to the eldest, she would make me a mooi vrow,
and that she had a farm of her own and some stock.
Both the girls, sitting together by their mother,
looked down and giggled every now and again, giving

BOER GIRLS OFFERED AS WIVES. 199
me sly glances from beneath their cappies (the usual
covering for the head for old and young), and then
another giggle. They had evidently been got up for
the occasion by their smart dresses, well-made English
boots, and clean white stockings, to show off a pretty
foot and ankle, which certainly they both possessed,
and were not backward in showing. This is very
unusual, they generally have clumsy feet. When at
home these articles are never worn, only leather shoes
called veldtscoons, which the men make. They say —
which is quite true — that stockings are dirty when you
walk about in a sandy country. However, after a
long visit, coffee and biscuits, I arranged that on my
return I would come and pay them a visit, and talk
over the matter, as my opinion was either of them
would make excellent vrows, and left the best of
friends. The old woman's last words were, " You can
take my daughter as soon as you come for her," and
an encouraging glance from the daughter terminated
this interesting meeting, enhanced, as it was, by the
anticipation of having the felicity soon to possess so
charming a young lady. I have had many such offers
from Boers, who were favourable«to Englishmen at
that time. However, unfortunately my pursuits called
me in another direction.
The country between the Limpopo and Ba-man-
gwato, the Chief Khama's station, is very pretty,
plenty of guinea-fowls, partridges, and pows. Far

200 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
away from the road on the left, seven miles from the
bend of the Limpopo, is a large pan where lions are
always known to be, and beyond is Brackwater,
where ten years before I lost an ox from out of my
cattle-kraal one dark night when outspanned. It is
the custom with all travellers when in the Lion Veldt
to kraal their cattle at night. Seventeen miles be
yond Brakwater are the Khamitsie Pits, where water
seldom fails, and close to them is a large dry pan
quite a mile in length. The road passing round at
the upper end, and fifteen miles beyond, winds through
the veldt into the ancient river-bed leading to Mon-
guato. The whole country for hundreds of miles is
one continuation of wood, inhabited by a few Bush
men. The country for so many months without water
is uninhabitable, except at the springs. The distance
by this river-road from Molapololo to Mongwato is
164 miles,
Ba-mangwato, or Shoshong, is the chief town of
Khama. The chief Sekomo ruled at this station,
until Machin, his brother, drove him frord the chief
tainship, and at Machin's death, after considerable
fighting, Khama, son of Sekomo, became the chief
of the people over this territory. They belong to the
Bakalihari tribe of the Bechuana family. It is a very
important station, situated at the foot of a long range
of beautiful hills, and up an opening in the range,
where an ancient river-bed passes through, and where

KHAMA— MR. HEPBURN'S STATION. 201
the mission-station and church are situated, it is
one of the most romantic valleys in this part of the
country. When I first knew the station, the Rev. Mr.
Mackenzie had charge, now the Rev. Mr. Hepburn
lives in a very comfortable house up this kloof. The
hills are formed of various kinds of sandstone of a
brown colour. At the back, some distance beyond
the church, is a very singular hill, with a perpendicular
cliff on the upper portion. The stratification makes it
look like a regular wall, with its horizontal layers so
regularly placed. In Sekomo's and Machin's time
the town was much larger, but since the wars it is
considerably diminished. The chief Khama lives in
the lower town, and has only one wife, being a good
Christian and a great help to the missionary. The
traders' stores are also in the lower town, and form
quite a little village by themselves, Messrs, Francis
and Clark have a fine store, and a building which is
occasionally used as a concert-hall by the traders, who
sometimes muster in considerable numbers, and out of
so many a good band is got together. Most of those
stationed there are splendid musicians, both vocally
and instrumentally, so that many aa enjoyable evening
is spent to break the monotony of a life so far removed
from the outer world. They have also their cricket
matches, horse races, lawn tennis, football, and other
sports. Mr. Hepburn is indefatigable in his mission
labour in civilizing the natives, combined with the

202 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON
good example set them by the traders at the station.
The chief Khama is a gentleman in every sense of the
word, I have met him and felt much pleasure in his
society. He has prohibited spirits being sold to his
people, and on my last visit but one he did me a great
service, and helped me in the most kind way by taking
charge of my oxen when I had been two days without
water, having arrived at Mongwato expecting to obtain
some, but there was not a drop, not sufficient even for
the people. On hearing of my arrival, he came down
and took my oxen in his charge, sent them with one
of his herds to his cattle-post eighteen miles away on
the River Mokalapse, to the north of the town, and
kept them there for twelve days, until I could trek to •
Matabeleland. He requires all travellers who enter
his territory to call upon him, that he may know who
is passing through, in case they require any help he
can give. Those who avoid doing so, if they get
into trouble, must get out of it the best way they can.
All the roads from the south meet at Mongwato ; one
goes to Lake N'gami, another to the Chobe, two to
the Zambese, and one main road to the Matabele
land, with branches leading to the Victoria Falls.
The people at one time were very unruly and
troublesome to travellers. In 1868 I was at the
station when a trader came in with some brandy; we
outspanned close together outside the town. The
next day the traders at the station, and there were

KAFFIRS AND PORK. 203
some fourteen, indulged too much ; one in particular
had so far forgotten himself as to take a leg of pork
to the kotla or council enclosure, where the chief
Machin. was sitting with his councillors, and held the
leg of pork in the chief's face, and asked if he liked
the smell. These Kaffirs are like the Jews with
respect to pork. This created an uproar in the
station, the trader was severely beaten, and the
whole town turned out to kill all the white men.
They, hearing of this, fortified themselves in their
stores. Hundreds of Kaffirs paraded the town, visit
ing the waggons with their knobkerry and assagai,
threatening destruction to all white men. The course
which I thought best to take was to sit on my front
waggon-box and smoke my pipe, time after time
hundreds surrounding my waggon, raising their as
sagais as if to hurl them at me, and brandishing
their kerries. Knowing the Kaffir character pretty
well, I went on smoking as if they were most friendly,
and seeing they could make no impression, they
rushed away to other parts of the town. At last
the chief sent round some of his councillors to all
white men, ordering them all outT of the town, bag
and baggage, by four o'clock the next day. Mr.
Mackenzie, the missionary, left the day before to go
to England. Not having anything particular to do,
I, with the trader who came in with me, inspanned
in the evening to trek towards Selene Pan, forty-five

204 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
miles on the road to Molapololo, which we reached
the following afternoon, and all that night and the
next day traders came treking in, until thirty-six
waggons had assembled and nearly fifty span of oxen,
which looked more like a commando than traders
flying from the wrath of a powerful chief. It was
a very pretty sight. The man who coraraitted this
insult was too ill to be removed, and was left behind.
He recovered, and, I think, became a wiser man. If
it had occurred a few years before, he would have been
killed, and the traders also. He richly deserved the
punishment he received. This will show that the
Kaffirs at that time had been brought under great
control, for no greater offence could be given than
an insult to their chief. Some little time after this
affair, the chief, when solicited, allowed the traders
to return.
The chief Khama dresses well, and looks like a gen
tleman. Many of his people also dress, as well as
the women. They are strong and well-made ; some
still wear their skin dresses and a profusion of beads
and brass rings, but I think in a few years these
will be abandoned for European clothes. Begging is
still largely practised, particularly for tobacco. They
cultivate corn, mealies, pumpkins, melons extensively,
and have large herds of cattle of all kinds, which are
kept at the different posts away from the town, and
milk is brought in on pack-oxen to those who have no

FOSSILS. 2 05
cows. They also make Kaffir beer from their Kaffir
corn, and, if well made, it is very nice. This is the
only extensive interior trading-station in this region.
There are other trading-stations beyond : at Tati gold-
fields, and in Matabeleland, and also at Ponta-ma-
tinka, where Mr, G, Westbeach has a large store, and
others beyond, and also on the north side of the
Zambese river, where a large and increasing trade is
now being carried on by the English traders at the
chief Secheke's on the north side of the Zambese.
The main direct road from Molapololo to Mongwato
runs N.N.E, through a bush country with fine trees.
The distance is 133 miles, and very pretty, the forma
tion being argillaceous limestone ; most of the hills are
sandstone. At a fountain at Koopan, twenty miles on
this road, are some large masses of sandstone rocks,
standing out like walls of an old castle that cover an
extensive area. In these rocks are many fossil remains
of seeds, nuts, shells, ammonites, and one trilobite,
also many footprints of animals. As it was impossible
to obtain them, I remained two days to make correct
sketches and measurements, being most interesting
specimens. In many parts of the ifiterior, where this
light sandstone has been exposed by denudation, par
ticularly in the deep beds of those dry rivers in the
Kalahara, footprints are very numerous, which I have
taken great care to copy, and also all the carvings on
the rocks. The other permanent waters on this road

2o6 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
are Bartlanarme in the chalk-pits, and Lepepe, also
Selene pan. Both are favourite localities for* the
giraffe, and here I have remained several days to
hunt them, and was fortunate enough to shoot one
out of five that were coming to drink. Eight miles
from Bartlanarme we shot two out of seven, and at
another time Mr. Hume, of Port Elizabeth, a hunter,
came upon several, and shot three from the saddle,
from my horse, which I lent him. One we had
brought to the waggon, and left the other two for,
the bushmen. The flesh is very fine. It is a pity
such beautiful animals should be destroyed merely for
food and skins. In this part almost every variety of
game is to be found. Such a vast extent of open
country — where the white man is never seen beyond
the transport-road, and its inhabitants bushmen only,
— extending in an uninterrupted forest westward 500
miles, and the same in breadth, is no small hunting-
ground to roam over for a hunter to pick his game.
Twenty years ago, I may say up to 1875, game, as
well as lions, wolves, and other beasts of prey, were
much more numerous than at the present time. In
the north and west of Khama's country up to the Zam
bese, along the Zouga river are the great Makarakara
pans, and others ; the large game such as elephants,
rhinoceros, buffalo, and giraffe, were plentiful, but of
late years many hunters have been for months and
scarcely met with any.

GIGANTIC TREES. 107
The country along the Zouga river is very level.
This river enters, or, I may say, empties Lake N'gami,
the altitude being 2813 feet, and flows to the great
pan above-named in April and May, and in June and
July flows into the lake. The only outlet for the
surplus water of the Zouga is the Mababe river to
the Chobe, one of the main streams of the Zambese,
and the water in the Mababe flows either way accord
ing to the rainfall, showing the perfect level of the
country. Gigantic trees grow along these rivers and
the region adjoining ; baobab, measuring 108 feet in
girth, the palms, mapana, and other tropical trees and
plants. A great portion of this country the chief
Khama claims, where there are many kraals of the
Makalaka, Batletle, Barutse, Bakalihari, and others,
also many of the Massara bushmen, and a few Hot
tentots and Korannas. This region is a portion of
the Zambese basin, and the northern part is infested
with the tsetse fly, the sting or bite of which is fatal
to horses and cattle ; but I have been told by the
natives, that if calves and colts are bred in the fly-
country, they are proof to the bite. We know that
all the game in those districts are n*)t affected by the
bite, and that may be the reason.
The sickly season is from September to May. Many
parts are open, with little bush ; another part of the
desert is thick bush, and very scarce of water in the
dry season, and is a part of what is called thirst land

2o8 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
(thirst) from the dryness of the country, and whore
the trek Boers suffered so much in their journey to
the .westward in 1877. In that year I was at Mon
gwato, and came in for my share a few months later,
when there in October of that year. Mr. Harry Shel-
ton, who had a large store at Leshulatebes station.
Lake N'gami, was coming to Mongwato with several
of his waggons for goods, and two saddle-horses he
had with him, having treked 150 miles along the road
which skirts the River Zouga ; he was obliged to leave
his waggons and oxen, as no water would be found
between that place and Mongwato, a distance of 160
miles, and came on with his two horses, but on the
road was obliged to leave one of them from exhaus
tion, and managed to come in with the other, and
was obliged to be lifted from the saddle on his arrival,
having been nearly four days without water. On his
return fourteen days after, he expected, of course, to
see the horse dead and eaten by lions ; but he found
him standing by the same bush he was left at, and he
recovered. This shows how long a horse may live
under such circumstances. Horses, however, knock
up far sooner than oxen from thirst. The lions and
wolves must have forsaken the country as well as the
game, otherwise the horse would have been eaten.
Most of his oxen had died on his return, principally
from licking the moist mud in the pans and river.
When so many days without water they cannot drink

GAME. 209
when brought to ifc. The only means then of pre
serving their lives is to throw buckets of water over
them ; but this does not always succeed. Such are
the trials and hardships we have to put up with in a
region so liable to long seasons of drought, and where
the country is so destitute of springs or standing
water. But with all these drawbacks there is a
fascination that impels one on to explore these re
mote and little-known regions. The bright and clear
atmosphere, the lovely mornings and evenings for
travelling, the constant change of scene, the splendid
tints of the sunsets, and variety of foliage of the
vegetation, the calmness of everything around, and
the constant excitement of strange game to be seen,
is a pleasure we can seldom enjoy, and, as I have
before stated, the only true enjoyment in Africa is
Avaggon travelling in the interior, where time is not
limited. " There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture by the lonely shore,
There is society where none intrudes
By the deep sea, and music in its roar." Byron.
The watershed dividing the ZSmbese and the
Limpopo basins runs to the east of the great Maka
rakara pans, in a N.E. direction through the Mashona
and Matabele country, and from the S.W. to the
Kalahara Desert near Kaikai Pits, the elevation being
4260 feet above sea-level.
VOL. I. P

2IO TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
The principal antelopes of this region are the eland,
koodoo, gemsbok, sable, and leechy or lechi, pallah,
ourebi, bonte, rooy, reit, bush and steinboks, spring
bok, hartebeast, giraffes, and grysbok, and the zebra,
and many other kinds, which are all to be found in
different localities ; and legions of the antbear, porcu
pine, earth-wolf, earth-pig, spring-hare, meer-cats,
and other smaller animals ; wild boar and wild dogs
are seen in large packs, sometiraes only a few are
together, consequently with the larger game there is
always plenty of sport to be found, if hunting is the
sole amusement ; but, combined with natural history,
geology, and other sciences, an explorer has not much
idle time on his hands. Locusts made this part their
breeding-ground, depositing their eggs by the million,
and in October there would be immense tracts of
country covered with them several inches deep. Be
fore their wings came, and as the waggons travelled
along the roads, thousands were killed at every
turn of the wheels. The natives eat them, and some
cattle are very fond of them also. It is nearly seven
years since any have been seen in South Africa.
There are many kinds of wild teas found in the veldt,
which I have used for months, and like them. Fine
forests of timber occupy a large portion of this region,
other parts are more properly termed bush, although
many trees grow in them, and extensive open plains.
The fine flat-topped kameel doom is very common.

INSECTS. 211
palms, baobab, bockenhout or African beech, zuiker-
bosh, acacia, Kaffir orange, ebenhout or ebony, yellow
wood or yeelhout, knopjis, doom or lignum vit^,
cabbage-tree, mahogany, sneezewood, wild olive and
fig, stinkwood, salicwood, Orlean wood or African
oak, vittkut, mimosa thorn, wagt-een-beitje, the
African name is mongharn, and a host of other trees ;
tuberous roots of many varieties, some eaten by the
natives, and are used medicinally, and others would
make good paper — an endless variety of herbs, of
which we at present know but little.
The insect world is legion, immense hairy spiders,
and also the trap-door spider is a wonderful creature,
the mechanism of hinge, door, and entrance are perfect
works of art.
I was told by some of the people at Mongwato that
there are in Khama's territory over 200 cattle-posts, in
addition to vich-posts for sheep and bucks. The main
and only transport-road from Mongwato to the Mata
beleland passes along by the east end of the range of
hills by the town, through a thick bush to the Moka-
lapie river, thirty miles, a large and broad stream in
the rainy season. Upon its banks • are many cattle-
posts, and it is much visited by Hons. From this
river the road continues in a N.N.E. direction, cross
ing the metley or sand river, Tuane, on to Chakani
pan, distant from Mongwato fifty-four miles, one of
the most lovely spots on this road, where I spent
1- 2

212 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
three weeks exploring. I outspanned under a clump
of trees close to the pan, but had to shift ray waggon
into the open, the trees being full of tree-toads, and
large lizards occupied every hole in them. The toads
would drop down on to my waggon and make them
selves very comfortable on my boxes and bed. The
large lizard had every look of being a dangerous
reptile to have a bite from. They were beautifully
marked, the front of the head had a well-shaped heart
of a silver grey, with a well-shaped letter Y of a rich
red brown. I endeavoured to obtain a specimen, but
could not get them to come out.
There are some very fine specimens of the euphorbia
and lotus-trees away in the bush, and also fine timber
trees of other kinds. My delay here for three weeks
was compulsory, as there was no water to be had
beyond this point for 150 miles. This being part of
the doorst land, and as the season had been very dry,
all the pans were empty. I was compelled to wait
until the storms, which are usual at this time of year
(October), filled them. The last week of my stay
severe thunderstorms were seen iu the north every
afternoon, which gave me hope of a good supply on
the road, and occasionally we had severe storms at
the pan, but not a drop of rain fell. The light
ning was terrific ; and the thunder following, rolling
over the hills and forest-trees, shaking the very
ground, was grand. I always kept from three to

THIRST. 213
four days' supply of water in my waggons, in casks
and iron cans, never leaving without having them
filled, which I personally looked to. But in this case
I omitted doing so, thinking my driver would attend
to it, as I had been out early m the saddle after game,
and arrived at the waggon as the oxen were inspanned
ready to go forward, as I fully believed water would
be plentiful; therefore, on leaving Chakani pan, I
thought we were full up with water, instead of which
we had only a day's supply. To give a clearer
insight what travelling is in a parched-up country
like this, where rain has not fallen for six months,
I will quote from my journal a week's trek through it.
Tuesday, October 16th.— heit Chakani pan at 9 a.m.
Travelled over very heavy sand for nine miles to a
large open vlei called Lemonie, which, when full of
water, is nearly a mile in length, a great resort for
wild fowl and that beautiful bird the berg swallow,
the size of a dove, with a brilliant golden copper-
colour plumage on the back, and light salmon colour
and sky-blue breast. This pan is surrounded by
gentle rising ground with bush, where I endeavoured
to secure some of those small bii»ds that are rare
even here, being of a dark golden-purple, and less
in size than our common wren at home. Finding no
water, I proceeded on to Lotsane river, nine miles, and
outspanned for the night ; no water. Found for the
first time all our water-casks empty, my driver having

214 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
forgotten to fill them at Chakani pan. Having ex
plored up and down the river without finding any,
after one kettle of coffee being made, went to bed,
with the hope of finding water to-morrow.
Wednesday, 17th, 4 a.m. — Sent my driver out and
went myself to look for water ; no signs of any.
Treked three miles and outspanned to give oxen a
feed on green young grass, as they have not had
water since Monday afternoon. Went without coffee
this morning to reserve what little we have for our
mid -day meal, then it will be exhausted. This is the
first time for twelve years I have been without water
by my waggon.
Thursday, 18th, — Retraced my steps six miles, as
I met a Boer with his two waggons, who told me he
had got a bushman to show him where the oxen could
get water, about two miles off the road, in the bush.
Sent my span and boys down to it, but the water was
so muddy I could not drink it, filled two bottles, such as
it was. The Boer told me I could get good water eight
miles beyond Phalasque vlei, the pan being a mile to
the right of the road, then I could get water along the
road to carry me to the Tati river ; consequently,
shall start early to-morrow to reach it.
Friday, 19th. — Inspanned at 4 a.m. No sign of
rain, although plenty of storms. Treked on to Pha
lasque vlei ; no water. Then pushed on over a fearful
sandy road at the rate of one and a half mfles an hour.

TWO DAYS WITHOUT WATER. 215
Thermometer 94° in the waggon. This is a God
forsaken country, no people, no game, no birds, no
water, nothing but hot sandy roads to travel over,
but beautifully wooded and fine grass. Reached the
spot described by the Boer, saddled up to look for the
pan, found two, both dry. Treked on another five
miles, and outspanned for the night, no water for man
or beast ; my forelooper drank up what little remained
in the night. He is what is termed a Cape boy, a
perfect beast in the way of eating and drinking. My
driver, a Hottentot, is a fine fellow, good at every
thing. Saturday, 20th. — Sent Dirk forward early to look
for water ; went as far as Surely Kop, nine miles,
where I had always found water in the pan, but it
was dry and hard. It was now getting serious, as I
knew if this pan failed, there was very little chance of
getting any this side of Tati, so I turned back six
miles and remained the night where I had previously
slept. Fortunately the grass was young and green
for the oxen, which relieved them to some extent.
No water these last two days, not a drop in the
waggon; I have brandy, but could not take any, a
small teaspoonful the stomach would not retain. To
eat is out of the question, I have tried several times,
but cannot swallow.
Sunday morning, 21st. — Inspanned and retraced our
steps six miles, as I intend to return to Chakani pan.

2i6 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
where I know there is water. My driver asked for
his rifle, as he would take a bushrnan-path through
the bush, which he thought would lead to water. He
left me about 11 a.m. All that day he never re
turned, which has given me great anxiety, knowing
the country swarms with lions. All night kept firing
off my rifle that he might know my whereabouts. At
daybreak the wolves and jackals began to let me
know they were not far off.
Monday, 22nd. — Dirk, my driver, not returned. I
shall never see him any more ! Passed a fearfully
anxious night ; my thirst is intense ; fourth day with
out a drop of liquid passing my lips. To stay here is
death 1 Set to work with my forelooper, inspanned
the oxen, and travelled night and day to reach Cha
kani. Arrived at Phalasque vlei at 11 a.m. Out-
spanned to give them a little green grass before going
on. No sooner were they free from the yoke than
they started off through the bush evidently after
water. My loopboy I sent after thera to bring them
back, but instead of following them, he went behind
some bushes and sat down. There I remained alone
with my waggon in the dry veldt, ray driver, as I
thought, killed by lions, and now my oxen gone, and
my boy nearly dead. The weather intensely hot,
106° in the shade. I have only one chance; leave
the waggon and all my belongings to be plundered by
the bushmen, and walk to Chakani, a distance of

STILL NO WATER. 217
thirty miles. Whilst revolving this plan in my head,
a bushman came from under the trees to me. I made
him understand I wanted him to fetch me a small tin
of water ; I offered him powder, caps, and other
things, worth about two pounds, but he said it was
far, pointing with his finger in the direction, and left
me. I never saw him again. Having made up my
mind to start the next morning by daybreak, with my
rifle and a few biscuits, for the water, as it would not
be safe at night for lions, I heard some footsteps
coming on ; looking in the direction, saw my driver
Dirk within a hundred yards. Never was I more
pleased to see a human being, and gave him a good
shake of the hand, but he brought no water. He told
me after he left the waggon, the day before, he walked
on for hours until it got dark, and he wandered about
looking for water, so that he lost the direction he
came. Hearing several lions, he selected a nice tree
and climbed up, where he spent the night, and shot
two large wolves. At daybreak he climbed down and
found five bushmen looking about, when they saw him
they came up ; he asked for water, but they said there
was none, which Dirk believes was* not true. They
wanted to look at the gun, but he was wise enough to
keep it from them ; seeing he was alone, they might
have kept it. However, he left them by the two dead
wolves, and managed to strike the road, and saw the
spoor of my waggon, and followed it down to where I

2i8 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
was outspanned. When I told him of the forelooper and
the oxen he said he would go at once and follow their
spoor, otherwise we should never see them again, and
asked for a little brandy to wash his mouth out, for
he, as well as myself, could not articulate plainly, and
then started after them about 5 p.m. I was again
left alone to pass another sleepless night, and the
fifth day without water or food. I frequently rinsed
my mouth out with brandy, which kept my tongue
from swelling. It was a lovely moonlight night, and,
under other circumstances, I should have enjoyed it
amazingly, for the country round was peculiar for the
many stone koptjies, 150 feet in height, large masses
of granite, piled up in most grotesque forms, with
flowering plants growing between them. To pass
away this anxious time I took my rifles to inspect
them; on my return I found my poor little terrier dog
on the point of death. I took him up in my lap, and
with a piteous shriek he fell dead. Poor little thing,
he must have suffered acutely. My other dog, " Bull,"
died on Sunday, so here I am alone, 150 railes from
any white man. Once more passed the night smokino-
on my waggon-box, the only thing that I could do,
and about 11 a.m., on Tuesday 23rd, as I was lying
down in my waggon, I caught the sound of oxen's
feet on the road, which proved to be mine, with my
driver and forelooper bringing them on, and holding
up a can to show me they had water. What a relief !

WA TER A T LAST. 2 1 9
we are saved I — for I was far too weak to walk alone
150 miles, and carry a rifle and food for so long a
journey. My driver told me after he left yesterday to
follow up the spoor of the oxen, he found my boy
asleep under a bush, about a mile from the waggon,
and took him with him, and after six hours' walk
came upon the oxen, where they had been drinking at
a kind of swamp in a valley, and some twelve miles
from the road we had travelled a few days before.
Five bushmen were driving them over the brow of the
hill to be out of sight of any one looking after them.
Dirk fired his rifle to give them notice that some one
was near, when the bushmen dispersed out of sight, and
he brought back the oxen as before stated. Five minutes
later, and it might have been too late. It was a most
fortunate recovery for us all, and for me in particular.
The water, about three pints brought, was worth
much more to us than its weight in gold, I took a
few teaspoonsful at a time, and with the rest we made
some tea, and soon after inspanned and treked to
Chakani pan, there to wait again for rain. After we
had been a week there a very singular affair occurred.
It happened to be one of those dark stormy nights
without rain ; my driver and the boy were sleeping
in a tent attached to the waggon. About 2 a.m. he
woke me and said there was some kind of an animal
wanted to get under the waggon, being pursued by
two ethers. It had twice got under, and being dis-

220 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
turbed by the driver, left, but kept going round, still
followed by two others. I was up with ray rifle, for
in these parts we are soon ready for what may turn
up. At last the poor beast, whatever it was, took
safety between the two after oxen as they were
fastened to the waggon, and stood there quite
quiet ; the other two that followed stood a little
way off. By stooping low to get the animal above the
horizon, we fotind it was a large rooi buck, and the
others were wild dogs that had been chasing it, until
all three were completely exhausted, and could run no
more. Jumping from the waggon I tried to get a fair
shot at the dogs, but the uncertain light prevented
my making a good shot. While so engaged my driver
shot the poor buck that had come to us for safety,
which I was very sorry for, as I wished to shoot the
dogs, which we could have done as daylight was near,
and then I would have let the poor beast go. One
dog I did shoot, the other made his escape. On
looking round the waggon in the morning the whole
ground was covered with their spoor, and close to the
waggon it was completely trampled ; they must have
run at least twenty miles before they carae to us from
the exhausted state they were in. The most remark
able circumstance was that a buck in a wild country
like this, seldom seeing a waggon, should have had
the sense to know, for it is not what is caHed instinct,
and should feel if he could get under the waggon, his

PIG SHOT. 221
pursuers would be afraid to follow, and he would be
safe, so came to us for protection, I was much
annoyed that my driver shot him, for he should cer
tainly have had his liberty in the morning.
The foregoing will give a slight idea of some of the
trials explorers meet with in travelling through regions
where water is so scarce, I remained at this pan up
to 14th November, having consumed all the water in
the pan, and still no rain, fearful thunderstorms with
out any, I was compelled to fall back on Mongwato,
and retrace my steps fifty-four miles to procure it.
During my long stay at this pan I had very little
sport, a few rooi bucks and guinea-fowl, also phea
sants, partridges, and doves. I was always out with
my gun, and my oxen grazed where they liked, know
ing they would come for water once or twice a day,
not thinking for a moment there were any dangerous
animals near. But on the 14th, at 4 a.m., we were
preparing coffee ready for a trek, when we saw two of
the largest wild pigs I ever fell in with, come down to
drink, not a hundred yards from the waggon, on the
opposite side of the pan. One we soon secured,
having received two shots, the otheip quickly escaped.
This delayed us until 7 a.m. when we treked, and had
not gone a quarter of a mile,, passing a little stone kopt-
jie, with beautiful euphorbia and other trees, when we
saw, as we thought, six rooi bucks out on the outskirts
of the wood, and 200 yards from the road. Finding

222 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
they did not move, although they were looking at us,
being in long grass we were deceived as to the nature
of the animals, and when we were opposite we stopped.
I and the driver jumped off the waggon with our
rifles, with only one charge, and were walking up to
thera when they seemed to be walking down towards
us. I was about to fire when Dirk called out, " Don't
fire, they are tigers." Lowering the rifle to have a
better look, sure enough they were six beauties, with
their sleek spotted coats, which made them look very
handsome. As we were at least fifty yards from the
waggon, if we had fired with no more ammunition,
and they had corae down upon us, it would have been
very awkward. We therefore stood our ground,
watching them stretch themselves on the ground, and
then stand up, looking at us with heads erect, until
they quietly turned into the wood ; and we followed
their example, and turned into the waggon. It was
no use attempting to follow them up, we were only
two, and could do very little, and they might have
done a great deal to us. This hill is about a hundred
and fifty feet high, and almost daily I have walked
round and over it with my shot-gun, and saw nothing
but guinea-fowls. And so ended this little leopard
affair, and we proceeded on our way towards Mon
gwato, sadly inconvenienced for want of water for the
oxen. But at Mokalapsie river, by digging two feet
in the sand between the granite rocks in its bed.

LIONS. 223
we obtained it in sufficient quantity to satisfy the
oxen. The lions have been a great trouble to those
who keep cattle-posts on the river bank ; only
last night they killed a horse belonging to Mr.
Francis. Many singular isolated conical hills, over a
hundred feet in height, add greatly to the beauty of
the scenery, but are great covers for the lion and
leopard. Very warm, thermometer 102" in the shade.
Everything very dry. Pushed on to Mongwato for
water. On my arrival there was told there was no
water for oxen, and if rain does not fall the people
will have to leave the town and go down to the
Limpopo river. The chief Khama came to me and
said he would take charge of my oxen and horse, and
send them to the same kraal he sent thera before, if I
would send a man to look after them, with one of his,
and keep them until wanted. This kind offer was
gladly accepted, consequently I had to wait for rain.
On the 21st November a Boer came in and told me
rain had fallen in the north, and that I could now
trek up ; but as the other Boer I had met on the road
deceived me, I took no notice of th» information, and
it turned out he wilfully deceived me. I spent many
pleasant evenings with the Rev. Mr. Hepburn and the
traders at the station, musical parties at Francis'
store, and cricket-matches in the day. Bought a
muid of Boer meal, that is, wheat ground, for 4L 10s.

224 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
the 200 lbs. A few days later we had a fine storm,
with heavy rain, and on the 26th started again for the
north, and arrived again at Chakani pan on the 30th,
which was full of nice fresh water, and found a troop
of ostriches drinking at it. From thence I pushed on,
the grass being burnt up by the drought, and arrived
at Gowkwe river, one of the tributaries of the Lim
popo, as are all those I crossed from Mongwato.
Two miles back frora this, to the right of the road,
is the first baobab-tree, a young one, twenty-seven feet
in circumference, with several large nests, each form
ing quite a town. The entire country is a thick wood,
stretching in every direction hundreds of miles. The
belief does not hold good in this region that forests
bring rain, for it is one of the driest parts of Central
South Africa, and has been named thirst-land, from
its proverbial dryness, as my experience can also
testify. From December to the following May water
may be obtained ; the rest of the year it is like what
I have already described, consequently game is scarce
in the dry season ; it always follows the rain.
From Gowkwe river the road continues on to the
river Shasha, the boundary the chief Khama claimed
when he gave me his boundary-line, but this the
Matabele king disputes, and claims down to the
Macloutsie river, and, in fact, all Khama's country,
from previous conquest, but Khama holds possession.
The road from Gowkwe crosses several rivers between

COUNTRY.

225

it and the Shasha. The Sand river is broad and
pretty, and falls into the Macloutsie, which is about
the same size, tributaries of the Limpopo. They rise
in the hill district of the water-shed separating the
Zambese basin from the Limpopo, The distance
from Mongwato to the Shasha by road is 163 miles,
crossing the Shasha river, where we find granite and
gneiss rocks, the sand being very deep in its bed,
which is about 100 yards broad, with very steep
banks on both sides. No water is ever found in any
of these rivers, except in the rainy season, and then
it comes down with a rush, sometimes rising twenty
feet, but lasts only a few days or weeks. This river,
according to the chief Khama, is his northern boun
dary, but this Lo-Bengulu, the Matabele king, will not
acknowledge. However, after crossing the river, the
road continues north for six miles, and the Tati river
is crossed, of the same size and character as the
Shasha. On its northern bank is the Tati station,
where there are a few houses occupied by English
traders, and a few Boer families, and the ruins of the
large building, once the store of the Tati Gold Com
pany, under Sir John Swinbourne, which will be more
fully described in a future chapter. The road branches
off from the "JTati station, runs in a N.W. direction
nearly the entire way. " The main road from Tati to
Matabeleland runs nearly north. The roads through the
western portion of Khama's territory leave Ba-Man-
VOL. I. Q

226 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
gwato station and go west for thirty-five miles, where
the road branches off at Khababa sand-pits from the
Lake N'gami road, and continues north for 129 miles
until the large brak vlei Makarakara is reached.
Thirty miles from Khababa pits there are two roads at
Loala, which join again at Makwa pits, a distance of
sixty-four miles between the two. Thirty-five miles
beyond is Berg fountain, close to the great vlei above
named. The road continues along the eastern shore
sixty-six miles to the N.E, point of the vlei, where the
Natu falls into it. From the crossing of the Natu to
Daka the road runs in a N,N.E, direction, the distance
being 167 miles, passing many vleis, the principal
ones treking north are Veremoklani, twenty miles,
great Klabanyane, eighteen miles, Kamakanyane vlei,
seventeen miles, Juruka vlei, Tamajo pan, Tama-
situ vlei, Stoffolds vlei, Henricks vlei, Telukana vlei,
which is twenty miles south of Daka. The road to
Panda-ma-Tenka is eighteen miles, where Mr. George
Westbeach has a large store, and is the principal
trader for all that region, even to beyond the Zam
bese river at Seshekes and the country round. He
has a store there, and another nearer the Victoria
Falls, seven miles beyond his large store. All this
part of the country is drained by sluits running to the
Zamboya river, which is a small tributary of .the Zam
bese, which enters it about sixty miles below the falls,
which, together with another small branch, Lutuisi

VICTORIA FALLS. 227
river, that falls into the great river about ten miles
below the Zamboya at a great bend of the Zambese,
both passing through Wankie' s territory, which now
belongs to the Matabele king. From Mr. Westbeach' s
great store to the Victoria Falls is about thirty-two
miles. At the falls, or above the fall, the river is
nearly a mile in width, and is 2580 feet above sea-
level. The perpendicular fall extends the whole way,
falling into a narrow fissure to some 200 feet in
depth, but the opposite or lower side is so close, and
on nearly the same level with the upper fall, that it
is impossible to see the bottom from the perpetual
mist or spray that rises near the centre of the fall.
The outlet of the water passes down a narrow gorge
in a sort of zigzag shape, between lofty rocks, rushing
down at a great speed until the river opens out. It is
impossible to take any accurate drawings of the falls,
there is no position in which an artist can take up a
position to make an accurate drawing. I have seen
many, but they are greatly deficient in portraying the
falls as they are, or giving a correct idea of their
magnificence. The island on the south side imme
diately on the brink of the fall a(^s much beauty to
the scene. The tropical trees and plants growing
everywhere about add an extra charm to the land
scape. Thirty-seven miles above the falls the Chobe
river, one of the main branches of the Zambese, comes
in, which as described in the river basin system, forms
Q 2

228 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
the northern boundary of the chief Khama's territory,
that is, from the Victoria Falls to the Chobe, up that
river for forty-five miles, then crosses the desert to the
Sira pan on south, crossing the Zouga or Bot-let-le
river to Dorokarra kraal in a S.W. direction to Ma-
copolo vlei, which is the extreme western point, then
turns S,E., crossing the desert to Selene pan, which is
forty-five miles south of Mongwato, then down to the
junction of the Notuane and Limpopo, South of this
line belongs to the chief Sechele, and the western
boundary to the chief Molemo at Lake N'gami. The
road from Walfish Bay to the Victoria Falls passes
south of this lake to Batuana town, where the chief
Molemo rules, along the south side of the Zouga to
the town of Dorokarra, where it crosses on to the
north side, past the tree with feet, going east along
by the pits and pools, salt pan, seven palms, to
Mahutu, then turns nearly north, and joins the other
road from Mongwato, at Garuga, on to Panda-ma-
Tenka, Mr. Westbeach' s stores, and Victoria Falls,
which are called Mosioatanga. The road to Mon
gwato from Molemo's town is the same to Dorokarra,
then turns S.E., following the river to Kumadau lake
or vlei, which is part of the Zouga river, then strikes
east to Nchokotsa, and from thence S. E. to Mongwato,
passing several pans, the most permanent waters being
at Khakanye and Inkatsany lime-pits. Where the
road leaves the Zouga there is a drift, and a road runs

CO UNTR Y TREES. 229
due north, passing through the western end of the
great Salt vlei Ntwetwe, on past the great baobab
letter-tree, passing a salt-pan on the left, crossing the
road going to the Victoria Falls, on to Karaakama,
through the sandy forest of mahani-trees to the
Mababe river and Linyanti on the Chobe, the chief
Skeletu's town. Several other roads cross this part
of the desert from Panda-ma-Tenka. The distance
by road from Lake N'gami is 335 miles, that is,
170 from the lake to Kumadau lake, and 165 from
there to Mongwato, consequently in a very dry season
there is no water to be obtained in this last distance,
and where the trek Boers, in 1877, lost so many of
their people, oxen, and waggons. There are many
hundred pans, but dry in winter. There is game of
every kind all over this region, but they follow the
water. The great brak pan, Makarakara, is also dry
at that tirae. When water is in, it is over fifty
miles, both north and south, quite an inland sea.
Sand is everywhere, the roads are fearful, quite up to
the Mababe river.
Many of the mapani-trees grow to a great size ; the
leaf has a sweet gummy sort of varnish, of which the
elephants are very fond. The palm grows about
forty feet in height ; the wood is very hard, an axe
with a hard blow will not penetrate. The gigantic
tree, the baobab, grows extensively over all these
regions. They are prominent objects in the country

230 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
through which you pass. Many of the stems exceed
in circumference 100 feet; their height is not in pro
portion to the bole, few exceed eighty feet. The tree
spreads and covers a large extent of ground ; the
bark is used to make ropes, and blankets can be
manufactured from it, I obtained one, which is
exceedingly strong. Bags are also made *to hold
water or milk. The fruit is used to raake a refresh
ing drink. This tree is also called the Cream of
Tartar; the fruit is similar and much larger than
an ostrich Qgg. These trees are calculated to be, the
largest of them, nearly 5000 years old.
The country generally is flat ; there are a few hills
down by the Zamboya and Lutuisi rivers to Wankie's,
on the river, conical and flat-topped. But this part is
out of Khama's territory. All east of Panda-ma-
Tenka now belongs to the Matabele king. Wankie's
people and town are now on the north side of the
Zambese. To the west of that station is the Lechuma
Valley. South of Daka the land rises gradually from
the Victoria Falls, the falls being 2580 feet above
sea-level, and the land south of Daka is 3900 feet at
the highest point. The southern slopes gradually
down to an altitude of 2813 feet near the great Salt
vlei Makarakara. The sickly season is from Septem
ber to May. South of the Zouga the land rises
gradually until it reaches the central water-shed, at
an altitude of 4260 feet. At all the permanent waters

COUNTRY. 23 1
and along the rivers are kraals occupied by many
tribes, under the chief Khama, who, with the greater
portion of his people, belongs to the Bakalihari tribe.
The distance of the Victoria Falls from Ba-Mangwato
is 400 miles, and the distance from Walfish Bay to
the falls is 1150 miles.

232 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.

CHAPTER XI.
[This chapter includes the list of the Bechuana family in South
Central Africa, and also of that portion lying to the north of this
family, on to the Chobe and Zambese, which has not been fully described
in the account given in the Kalahara Desert.]
THE CHIBP MOLEMO.
The territory claimed by this chief, a branch of the
Bakalahari tribe of the Bechuana family, joins on to
the Chief Khama's from the Makopolo Vlei, which is
situated 110 miles south of the town of Batuana, where
the Chief Molemo lives, along the former chief's
boundary on to Sira pan, where it leaves Khama's
territory, and strikes west to Kabats HiU. on to the
Mababe river, where the continuation of the Okavango
falls in ; up that river to the Tonga, then due south
to Omdraai, Ghanz lime-pits to Makopolo Vlei, Lake
N'gami being nearly in the centre of this chiefs terri
tory. All north and east of this lake is flat, and in
many parts contains extensive swamps and lagoons,
swarming with crocodiles, hippopotami, iguanos,
snakes, and other creeping things. The miasma
rising from these low-lying grounds, where the decom
position of all vegetation under the tropical sun brings

DRESS OF THE PEOPLE. 233
on fever, is very fatal to Europeans. During the dry
season, from May to September, there is Very little
danger in travelling through this region. The Tonga,
or as some call it, the Teoghe, the continuation of the
Cubango, or as it is sometiraes called, the Okavango
Quito. Down the Tonga from the northern boundary
are many rapids. The water entering the north-west
point of Lake N'gami, the principal portion of the
waters of the above rivers is lost in those extensive
swamps, and eventually falls into the Chobe. Natives
live on sorae of the islands and along their borders.
Very fine tiraber, particularly the baobab, grow along
these banks. The Zouga or Bot-let-le river, is the
outlet of the waters of Lake N'gami, but the flow of
water down the Tonga is not sufficient to keep even
the lake full, consequently there is little surface-water
to supply the Zouga. If there is at any time a great
rush into the lake, the surplus water is carried to the
Chobe, through the Mababe river, the southern por
tion of which is called the Tamahakan. The popu
lation is only to be found along the banks of the lake
and rivers. Batuana is a large town with several
traders who assisted me in many ways, and were very
kind. Mr. Skelton was doing an extensive business ;
he formerly kept a store at Secheles, but he is since
dead. The huts are circular, made of mud with high
thatched roofs. The greater portion of the people
dress in good English clothes. The father of Molemo,

234 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
Leshulitebes, was very fond of dressing well, and very
partial to patent leather boots and a tall hat.
Bell Valley is on the south-west of the lake,
where there are many large baobab-trees. Close to
Mamahahue, a kraal on the Walfish Bay road, is an
outspanning station. Beyond is Quarantine Vlei, Mok-
hokhotto, Sebubumpe, Konies, all within a radius of
ten miles, occupied by the Batuanas, a branch of the
Bakalahari tribe of the Bechuana family ; the same as
the Chief Khama who, sixty years ago, came and settled
here, subjugating the former people, and intermarried
with them. Twenty miles from Molemo's town, is Le-
satsilebes, another large kraal. Ma Tabbin, opposite
where the Mababe flows out of the Zouga. The
country north of the last-named river is intersected
with Laagte, large and small pans in every direction;
sand everywhere, but good grass in the rainy season.
On the south of the river the Nyabisani flats extend
a long way up to Goose Vleis, south of the Makapolo
hills, long open flats and thickly wooded in places,
palms and every other tropical tree grow. Game
of every kind is found in this region, but very
wild. I shot a gemsbok early in the morning. They
are pretty animals, rather larger than a zebra, nearly
the colour of a donkey, with black marks down the
back and along the flanks, whitish legs marked with
black band, light face with black down the front, long
black tail almost touching the ground, a stand-up

ROADS. 235
mane, and a long bunch of hair on the chest, horns
perfectly straight with sharp points, and this one
had horns three feet eight inches in length. They
have been known to transfix a lion, they being found
both dead together.
Roads from the lake branch off to Linyanti on the
Chobe, to the Victoria Faffs 320 miles, to Ba-Man
gwato 335 miles, to Secheles 350 miles, to Walfish Bay
680 miles, and to the Orange river 650 miles. The
country over which this chief rules is comprised in
the Kalahara Desert.
This country is on the south of the Zambese, the
eastern boundary joins up to the Chief Khama's, and
south by the Chief Molemo. The Chobe passes through
the central part, frora the west to where it enters the
Zambese, thirty-seven miles above the Victoria Falls.
It has often been a question which is the main stream
of the Zambese, the Chobe, or the more northern
branch. Between these two streams is the Barutsie
Valley, and on the north bank of the Chobe is a large
kraal, Linyanti, where the chief Skeletu resided.
For many years there have been continual wars
going on between the Makopolo or Makololo and the
Barutsie tribe, who lived on the north bank of the
northern branch of the Zambese, under the chief
Sesheke, fighting for the chieftainship. Skeletu is
dead, Wana Wana was killed, and Sesheke, or as sorae
spell his name, Sheheke, has been murdered by his

236 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
subjects for his cruelties. The country supports an
immense number of cattle, and it is also the elephant
country ; so no European has been allowed to hunt
in that region. The Makopolos or Makololos, once
the most powerful tribe in this part of Africa, has
been dispersed and destroyed, a few only escaping, and
they now live with the mixed races along the several
rivers. There are many kraals along the various
streams, and in the hill district of Ngwa, intersected
by many watercourses : Sekelula, Linyanti, are
some of the most noted. The Kabats HUl is on the
southern border. It is thickly wooded, with the Mapani
tree, palms, baobab, and nearly all kinds of tropical
plants, as also the wild grape. In the northern portion
of the Barutsie Valley, on the banks of the Zambese,
are also many important native kraals : Mosambo,
Nambewe, Konye, Nobombo, Nomite, and others.
As I have already stated, Shesheke lived on the north
bank, as also Sekhosi, thirty miles higher up the river.
This entire country is now under the chief of the
Barutsie tribe. There is also a large native location
higher up the Chobe beyond Linyanti, Matambaya,
and many villages on its bank.
Wild cotton is abundant all over this country, which
is suitable for its growth, and may be, if properly
cultivated, the finest cotton-field in the world. Wild
game of every description abounds in this extensive
and unhealthy portion of Africa.

CROCODILE AND BABY. 237
The Chobe was followed up to 16° 40", south latitude,
where two branches come down from the north. The
Chobe is a fine river with many rapids and falls, and
swarms with crocodiles and hippopotami, snakes and
iguana. The natives have many canoes and are great fisher
men, using a kind of harpoon for the larger fish. The
Mambo natives are very expert in this sport and lay
traps for them. Bows and arrows and spears are the
general weapons used, but many guns have been in
troduced into the country of late years. The arrows
are poisoned with the seed of a plant that is a runner,
very large, the petals long, flowers yellow, from which
the poison is extracted.
I met with several of the Wayeiye natives on the
Tonga, who hunt the hippopotamus and crocodile.
When at my station on that river, opposite Nakane
village, in 1867, a curious affair occurred, which shows
the wonderful amount of sense and affection croco
diles possess, A little below my waggon, a native
boy caught a young crocodile about a foot in length,
and took it up to the huts, and put it into an old
basket. About two hours af terwardst my driver called
out there was a large crocodile crawling up the bank,
and making for the hut where the young one was in
the basket, the natives running away. On looking
out of my waggon, sure enough, a large one, about
eleven feet in length, was up to the basket, when my

238 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
Kaffirs ran up with rifles and shot it. The distance
of the hut from the river was over 100 yards. Ifc was
impossible to say how the mother found out the where
abouts of her baby, it might have been by smell or
she might have seen the boy put it into the basket.
I have heard many similar statements from the natives,
of the old ones following their young when taken, but
put little faith in them until I absolutely saw for
myself the truth of these statements. Crocodiles are
also very tender over their eggs, they scratch a hole
in the sand, lay about a dozen, then cover them with
sand, and watch with great care until the young come
forth. The altitude of Linyanti above sea-level is 2813
feet, the same as the water-level of the Chobe, Lake
N'gami, River Zouga, and the large brak vlei Maka
rakara, showing the perfect level of these points.
This country is full of pans and vleis, dense bush,
sand everywhere, not a stone to be seen in all this
region. At a vlei called Sixteen Vlei, the road goes
to the Victoria Falls ; but with all its flatness, there
is an indescribable charm in travelling through it;
there are so many novel objects to take the attention
of an explorer, in addition to hunting, and sometimes
being hunted by the large game when stalking them
in the dense bush or under lofty trees, far away from
the human world. One may die and be forgotten, and
no one may ever hear how. My death has been re-

MY REPORTED DEATH. 239
-ported twice, at different times, to the Governor of
the Cape, once by the Rev. Mr. Thomas, of Shiloh in
Matabeleland, in 1869, that I had been killed by the
Makalakas, in Mashona country, my waggon destroyed,
and property taken, and my friends in the Colony in
duty bound were mourning my loss for several years,
as I had not been down south, having treked far in
beyond any white traders, and was never heard of.
I was pursuing ray work in blissful ignorance of the
many tears that had been shed for the lone traveller
in savage lands. When I came south, after being
buried three years, calmly treking along with my
waggon, oblivious of the scare I should create amongst
my friends, — so fully convinced were they that the
report of my death or murder was correct, that, on
presenting myself in the flesh, many of them could
not for some time realize they were looking upon a
mortal man. Inforraation was forwarded to his
Excellency the Governor, that I had turned up from
the far interior, in sound health and strength as man
could wish to be.
The other occasion was when I was in the North
Kalahara Desert, away for nearly three years, over all
those northern regions up to the Zambese, and in this
particular region. Natives came down and reported
to the missionary at Secheles, that the Karkabrio
bushmen had burnt my waggon, and that myself and
people had been speared. Again the report was sent

240 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
on to the Government at Cape Town, and again my
second resurrection took place, much to the delight
of my friends, who had given up all hope of my ever
returning from a country so entirely beyond the limit
of the hunter or the traveller. It is true, I have had
some very narrow escapes in passing through regions
where hostile tribes occupy the country ; particularly
in Damara and Ovampoland, and amongst the southern
bushmen who once infested the Cape Colony. Fever
and the perils of hunting were never thought of. To
avoid the former never take unboiled water ; weak cold
tea, if possible, or weak brandy and water, will in a
great measure prevent it, with an occasional dose of
quinine. Sunstroke can also be avoided by wearing a
very high-crowned, broad-brimmed felt hat, with several
holes as ventilators, with a light kerchief inside the
hat on the head, which cuts off the fierce rays of the
sun frora the brain. Though I have spent so many
years under a tropical sun, exposed daily and all day
long to its perpendicular rays, I have never once felt
the slightest indication of sunstroke, which I attribute
to the above precaution.

241

CHAPTER XII.
The Kalahara Desert.
THE NOETHEEN DIVISION IN THE ZAMBESE BASIN.
This region being the most extensive, and at the
same time occupying the greater portion of the
interior of South Central Africa, claims special
attention in connection with the surrounding native
tribes, all of whom claim a portion adjoining their
respective territories as their exclusive hunting-
ground. In exploring an unknown country and meeting so
many and such a variety of people whose languages
differ, it is not easy on making their first acquaintance
to grasp the different sounds that give meaning and
expression to their words. I noticed this particularly
with respect to the name of this desert region in con
nection with local names on its borders. In writing
down names from native pronunciation I wrote them
phonetically, using as few letters as possible.
The word Kalahara corresponds with Namaqualand,
Damaraland, on the west coast, Zahara Desert on the
VOL. I. B

242 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
north, Makarakara salt vlei, Makalakara pits, Kasaka
bushmen of the northern parts, and many others.
The boundary of this vast and interesting region
comes down south to the Orange river 29° S. lat.,
which is also the northern boundary of the Cape
Colony, and extends north to the 15° S. lat., the
extent of my exploration. The western boundary is
formed by Great Namaqua, Damara, and Ovampo lands.
On the east it is bounded bv the Zambese to the
Victoria Falls, then due south, skirts the eastern bank
of the great Makarakara salt vlei, where five streams
enter it from the watershed, viz. the Nata, Quabela,
Shuari, Mia, and Tua; thence the boundary runs
south to the Makalaka pits, a few miles to the west
of Ba-Mongwato, from these pits due south to Mola
pololo (but that portion of Khama's country south of
Mongwato down to Sechele's) to the Limpopo may be
included, on to Kanya and to Macebys Station on the
Molapo down that river to Conge, Honey vlei, on to
the north of Langberg range of mountains to Cowie,
and down that range to the Orange river, thirty miles
above Kheis.
The length from north to south, as far as I have
explored, is 970 miles ; but, from information obtained
from the Kasaka bushmen on the spot, it may extend
much further. The greatest breadth is about 500
railes from east to west, and contains within this area
280,000 square miles.

LAKE NGAML 243
The northern and eastern portion is within the
Zambese basin, except that part drained by the
Notuane and its tributaries, which is in the Limpopo
basin, all the rest and central part is in the Orange
river basin.
The great watershed passes through, taking a dia
gonal course from the south-east corner to the north
west corner in Ovampoland. The greatest altitude
above sea-level being 6100 feet, near the source of
the Molapo, the lowest along the shed is 4000 feet,
and in Ovampoland 3880 feet.
The river system of South Central Africa has
already been described in a chapter to itself, so that the
configuration of the country should be more clearly
understood; but it is necessary to deal with them
again to a certain extent in describing the different
localities and native tribes within its boundary.
Lake N'gami is situated nearly in the centre of the
desert, to which two of the most important northern
rivers. Cubango and Quito, flow, uniting in one, the
Tonga, which enters the lake at the north-west corner
in 20° 25' S. lat., 24°45' E. long., at an altitude of
2813 feet above sea-level. The Cubango or Okavango
river, the source of which is much farther north than
my explorations extended, passes through a dense and
impenetrable bush, extending on both banks far away
in 15° S. lat., where there are several tributaries
falling in. Following the stream, which is broad and
E 2

244 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
in many places deep, with rapids and waterfalls at
different points, passing through forest and open
country with native kraals situated on its left banks,
occupied by various tribes who are great fishermen
and have canoes, and where the hippopotami and croco
dile abound, down to where the Quito enters it in
17° 10' S. lat. on to Dabele, a large native station,
where the river turns south, branching off into the
Chobe and Zambese. The other branch takes its
course to Lake N'gami and receives the Okayanka,
which rises in Ovampoland and flows east. All to
the north' of this river the country varies much in
character, the eastern portion is low with extensive
swamps covered with brush and fine timber, the
western portion rises in ridges with lofty plateaux
covered with rich tropical plants and trees, including
the giant baobab; there are also extensive plains,
with dry watercourses crossing them towards the east,
many of them have separate names under the general
name Omuramba.
The country to the west of the upper part of the
Cubango, which is also called the Okavango, is rich in
timber and fine grasses, and game of every description
known in South Central Africa ; this region is known
as Ombango, through which a road passes to the
Cubango, and to the north is the land of the Ambuelas,
where the tsetse fly is very common ; it is inhabited
by the Kasaka and Ombango Bushmen. At the bend

COUNTRY. 245
of the river, at 16° 20' S. lat., the country rises in
ridges towards the north considerably, causing many
rapids to be formed in the streara. Below, the country
is more level, until my station is reached, where there
is a hill on the right of the river, with many wherfs of
Bushmen, the altitude being 3370 feet above sea-level,
and on the opposite side of the river are many wherfs
of the Ovampo, Karakeri, Kororo, Ojego, and others,
each with their separate chiefs ; the most important is
the Ovakuenyami.
The river contains many varieties of fish, which the
natives are very expert in catching from their canoes
by spearing and setting traps, as also the hippopotami
and crocodile.
The large station of the Ovokangari tribe of the
Ovampo the chief or king Mpachi rules ; and lower
down is the Ovalmji tribe, ruled over by Queen
Kapongo, and opposite a dry watercourse falls in ;
another, Omuramba Omapu, which passes through
Ovambanquida country, under an Ovampo chief, and
where the Kuka Bushmen live on the bank of the
Omurambo and Sheshongo, and lower down come the
Ovambanquedos tribe, to the west 8f the chief of the
Ovampo tribe, as also Chikonga, who lives on the banks,
and above him the Ovampo chief Tjipangamore. To
the east of the Ovokangari or Ovaquangari are various
tribes, the Oyomboo and Bavickos at Libebe, who
deal largely in ivory, feathers, skins, and slaves

246 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
with the Portuguese traders. The Ovokangari cul
tivate the soil, grow corn, are good artificers, manu
facture arms, picks, utensils of many kinds for their
cooking, and ornaments for their woraen. They work
in iron and copper, and sell raany articles to the
traders who visit them from the Portuguese settle
ment on the west coast, and are a superior race to
those around them. North of Libebe the Amabomdi
and the Bavickos tribes reach as far north as the high
table-land which divides the Chobe and the Quito
rivers ; therefore the waters of Cubango, Quito, and
their tributaries have their outlet through the Chobe
to the Zambese and the large swamp which is con
nected with the Mababe and Chobe by the Tamienkie
and other streams. At the junction of the Quito and
Cubango the Osharabio tribe of Ovampos live on a
large island under a chief. Down the river is Debebe,
and on many islands the Bakuka, Bamalleros, Bakaa,
have large kraals, and on the north the Barico
Bushmen. The river at Debebe is broad and navi
gable. Below that kraal at the bend is the cataract
Nona and several rapids, and the stream continues
down to Lake N'gami under the name of .Tonga,
receiving in its course several watercourses, under
the names of Omaramba, Ovampa, Okayanka, She-
shonga, and others.
This extensive region in many parts along the
watercourses is thickly populated, and game abounds.

COUNTRY. 247
cotton is indigenous, and valuable products of various
kinds. A great trade could be carried on if a proper
system of communication were opened up through
Walfish Bay, Lake N'gami, and down the broad and
fine river Chobe to the English traders at all these
places, and a great market found for British merchan
dize. The natives are well disposed and quite alive to
the advantages of trade ; they are a well-made, strong
people. I was told at Lebebe that much further
north there were people of a yellowish-white colour,
and also a savage tribe who are nomadic. I believe
the former is a remnant of the white race that once
occupied the country on the south side of the lower
Zambese who have left so many of their works behind
them, and maybe a portion of this white race followed
the river up and became mixed with the native tribes.
There are also many scattered tribes living amongst
these tribes between the Tonga river and Ovampoland,
the Masara, Kaikaibio, Makololo, Papero, Ohiaongo,
Majambi, and others. The Bakalahara Bushraen were
once a powerful tribe who it appears gave the narae
to this desert. The lion, leopard, panther, and wolves
are met with daily. The leopani and panther are
more to be feared than the lion when in the thick
jungle after game, their form of attack is so cat-like in
approaching their prey, taking advantage of every
cover until the final spring is made. The many la
goons and swamps seem to be their favourite hunting-

248 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
ground. In all the waters of these rivers fish abound,
of many varieties. Crocodiles, hippopotami, iguanos,
otters and snakes are plentiful everywhere along the
streams. Unfortunately this region is very unhealthy.
The sickly season lasts from September to May ; the
other months of the year it is very healthy. The
malaria from the standing pools in the hot dry season
causes fever, which is very difficult to get rid of.
Down the Tonga the natives build their huts in
these island homes for safety ; they are circular mud
huts with high thatched roofs; they are similar to
those on the Upper Cubango, and they hunt the
hippopotami. On the lower part of the Quito I shot
one in the head, as he was poking his nose out of
the water. The skin we use for several purposes,
mostly for sjamboks. Large snakes seem to swarm
in every part, particularly the python. In a small
stream where I thought to be free from crocodiles, I
took a daily bath during my stay at ray station. On
one occasion I was enjoying a swim at the foot of a
small fall of beautiful clear water; hearing a great
splashing behind me, I turned and saw an enormous
snake passing me at great speed, lashing the water
into my face, and a few seconds after he was lost iu
the tall reeds below. Expecting one or two more
might follow, I was soon standing on the bank; but
before I could dress, down came four others, large,
and three small ones, and passed into the reeds below.

PYTHONS. 249
The largest appeared to be twenty feet in length, and
very large round the body ; their skin was dark brown
with dirty yellow marks. I knew them at once to be
the python. A few days after I shot one that
measured eighteen feet three inches in length, and
three feet round the body, and three feet from the tail
a large hook was fixed. I had a similar adventure
some time before in Bechuanaland with one which
measured sixteen feet two inches, and inside was a
steinbok. At night they make a great noise.
Every kind of game is found here. Elephants may
be seen in hundreds ; four kinds of rhinoceros : the
black borcH, with two horns of equal size ; another
black with one large and one small horn; a white
with two ; and another white with one long horn,
which is the most rare ; their native name is Chi-
kooroo. I made a knobkerry out of the horn, which
measured two feet eleven inches, from one I shot the
previous year. Buffaloes, giraffe, blaawbok, elands, gnu,
hartebeest, sassaybe, gemsbok, koodoos, pallah, and
others ; also wild boar which grow to a great size, wild
dogs and a host of smaller animals. The ostrich may
be seen on the plains in troops of* hundreds; but as
guns are now becoming more common with the natives,
they will soon be thinned out. There are also many
beautiful blue cranes, secretary-birds, mayhens, and
legions of ducks, geese, and beautiful small birds,
monkeys, and baboons everywhere, mostly in the fine

2 50 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
trees along the river-banks, and they are much hunted
by the leopards and panthers.
On returning to my camp one evening I had a very
narrow escape from one of the former ; walking along
under the trees on the shore of the Cubango, I saw
iramediately over my head one of these leopards on
the branch of the tree that overhung the river, not
twenty feet from me. It was the act of a moment ; I
up with my rifle and fired at his chest, when down he
fell a few paces frora rae ; he seemed to be in the act of
springing upon me — another second and I should have
been too late. This makes the fourth leopard I have
shot in this part. On all occasions I had narrow
escapes. In a country like this, where in every turn
in the thick bush we meet with one or other of these
animals, we have to keep a good look-out and make
our rifles our constant companions.
Next week will be Christmas — the height of summer.
Thermometer in the shade, under the trees, 107°; but I
do not think the heat so oppressive as it is down in the
colony, for the simple reason that we have a dense
bush, magnificent trees, and long grass that absorbs
the heat of the sun's rays and keeps the earth much
cooler by being in shade. In the colony it is open ;
no trees, scanty grass, and an immense open rocky
country, so that the stones become so hot that they
destroy the boots. I have frequently made my tea by
placing the kettle with water on a stone for half an

CO UNTR Y TRIBES. 251
hour ; then put in the tea, let it stand a few minutes,
and it is as strong and hot as can be wished.
Most of the natives have been very quiet, but some
of the Ovampo have been very troublesome, which
has shortened my stay in this part, more particularly
amongst the wherfs of the Ovokangari. My Bakuku
and Batuana guides were invaluable and took me
through without loss. Being the rainy season, water
was plentiful, but I had great difficulty in crossing
many of the watercourses, impeded by thick belts of
jungle, although extensive tracts of country are very
beautiful and park-like, lovely clumps of trees were so
grouped that art could not improve them. Travelling
for days without meeting with any native, on several
occasions I was closely beset by lions, which my guide
stated were the man-eating lions. Almost daily,
thunderstorms came up in the afternoon, many of
them terrific in violence ; the sunsets also are beyond
description for brilliancy of colour. The early morn
ing is generally cloudless ; clouds seldom gather before
midday in sumraer, but in the winter months they are
not visible ; this is the healthy season.
There are several roads from Lake N'gami crossing
this desert to Damara, Ovampo, and on to Lebebe, and
the other villages on the Cubango. Every day we
went out to hunt up the game to supply the people
with food, which I omit to describe as it becomes
monotonous.

252 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
Very few inhabitants are scattered over this part
of the desert, few hills are to be seen, until we
arrive at Lake N'gami, when the Lubalo, Makkapola
and Makabana hills come into view, and it is round
the lake that the people under the chief Molemo Hve,
and at his kraal and others along the river-banks
of the Zouga or Bot-let-le. The people are composed
of Betuana, Barutsie, Makolo, Bushmen, and several
mixed races ; each tribe has a petty chief ruling over
them, but all subject to the chief Molemo as far as his
territory east goes, where the chief Khama joins. The
principal villages are Sebubumpie, Mokhokhotlo,
Mamakahuie, Mozelenza, Samaai, and numerous others
occupied by Bushmen.
The produce of the northern district is collected by
the Ovampo traders and brought down to the Walfish
Bay, and by Portuguese traders from the Portuguese
settlement at Benguela. The trade of Lake N'gami
and the Zambese region is carried on by English traders
from the Cape colony, having communication by roads
from Bamangwato, the chief Khama's station, and roads
from the lake to Walfish Bay, passing the Ghanze
chalkpits, situated on the watershed, where permanent
water is obtained. Many thousand Bushmen live in
the more unfrequented parts of the desert, having no
settled abode, but remove from water to water as it
becomes scarce; there are three separate tribes, the
Masara, Kasaka, and Kaikaibrio, and also some Ma-

SOUTH AND WEST DESERT. 253
kalakars. The greater portion of this part of the
Kalahara within the Zambese basin is Hmestone,
covered in places with deep sand, but vegetation is
very luxuriant — splendid grasses, and magnificent
timber. It is a good corn-growing country, a variety of
valuable herbs come to great perfection, every kind of
European plants and fruits thrive; water can be
obtained by digging, — a splendid country for imi-
gration.
THE SODTHERN AND WESTEEN POETION OF THE KALA-
HAEA, WITHIN THE OEANGE EIVBE BASIN, THE
WATEES OF WHICH FALL INTO THE SOUTH ATLANTIC
OCEAN.
The Orange river is the only outlet to the sea
to convey the water brought down by the ancient
river system that drains the south, the central, and
the western divisions of this extensive and important
portion of the Kalahara Desert. The Orange for
250 miles forms the southern boundary. The rivers
that drain the north-western and 4he central part of
the Kalahara, are the twin streams Nosop and Oup,
appropriately called twins, as the two join for twenty
miles and again separate, both running parallel to
each other within a short distance, entering the Mo
lapo close to the great bend, where that river takes the

254 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
name Hygap, and flows south, and enters the Orange at
Kakaman's drift. The Nosop rises in the Waterberg
of Damaraland in two head-waters called the Black
and White Nosop, which unite north of Westly Vale
and join the Oup at Narukus. The Oup rises in
Damaraland in lat. 22°, under the name Elephant
river, and gathering the waters of other small branches,
]Oins the Nosop at Narukus for twenty miles,
then becomes an independent stream and, as I have
stated, falls into the Molapo. Several shallow water
courses traverse the desert, but are not of sufficient
importance to merit a description. The other river
connected with the above system is the Molapo, which
rises on the west slope of the central watershed at an
altitude of 5350 feet, in 26° 5' S.lat., 26° 25' E. long.,
where a plentiful supply of pure water flows through
out the year, and takes a westerly course to the great
bend in lat. 25° 50' E., long. 21° 16', when it takes the
name Hygap, as already stated, receiving in its course
the small streams Moretsane and Sitlakooly. The
Kuruman river rises in the south of the Kuruman
mission-station, and with its small tributaries flows
west and enters the Hygap below the great bend.
The Back river commences in a range of the Brinus
moimtains, a beautiful and picturesque group, several
thousand feet in height, of granite formation, well
wooded in the kloofs and ravines. The peculiar

COUNTRY 255
feature of the river is that it has two outlets, one to
the east into the Hygap, the other to the west into
the Great Fish river. South of this river three moun
tain streams drain the southern Kalahara, viz. the
Nisbit, Aamo, and Keikab, which fall into the Orange
to the west of the Hygap. The Great Fish river,
which completes the river system of the Kalahara in
the Orange river basin, rises in the Awas mountain iu
Damaraland, 22° 40' S. lat., 17° 30' E. long., at an
altitude of 6400 feet, and flows south for 430 miles,
and enters the Orange river ninety miles from its
mouth. The country through which it flows is very
dry from the scarcity of rain. There are no impor
tant streams in the east, but on the west there are
many tributaries that drain the high mountain country.
The Chun rises in the Mitchell mountains, on the border
of Great Namaqualand, receiving the Kurick branch,
passing through a beautiful and wild country to the
south of Nababis station. The three small tributaries
of the Great Fish river to the north of the Chun in
22° 32' S. lat. are the Ganap, near Rehoboth station ;
the Houra and Manabis ; south of the Chun are the
Huntop, Koros, and the Amhup, all receiving their
water from the high lands of Great Namaqualand.
The principal stations on these rivers are the Amhup,
Bethany, Kachasa, Kawais, Reems, Hudenap, Brak-
hout, and a few others of recent date.

256 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
The inhabitants are of various tribes, called the
Namaquas, Veld-Scoondrawers, Bundelswaarts, Hot
tentots, Korannas, Kaffirs, Gobabies, and Bush
men; some of the former cultivate the soil, use
ploughs and keep cattle and sheep ; they live
near the small fountains and along the river-banks,
where they procure water by digging and permanent
pits. They live under petty captains. There are
several mission-stations. Copper is found in many
parts of the country, and copper-mines are worked in
the south near the Orange river. The geological
formation is granite gneiss, trap, and amygdaloid.
From the magnitude of this river, it is evident the
country ' at one time must have been well supplied
with rain, as it is a deep, broad, and stony stream,
showing how rapid must have been the flow of water
down it. Fine timber and bush grow in the kloofs
and along the banks ; many of the hills are very
picturesque, and the country produces, fine grasses for
cattle. The trade of the country is greatly improving and
is supplied by colonial traders from Port Nolloth on
the west coast in Little Namaqualand, which is in
the Cape colony; a railway from that port to the
copper-mines on the Orange river has been for many
years at work. In the Kalahara Desert on the east of
the Great Fish river, and the southern portion up to
the Hygap river and south of the Brinus mountain

COUNTRY. 257
and Back river, are many stations and kraals.
Nisbet or Barth is the most important, where many
Griquas are settled, also at Nabos, Luris, Akuris,
Blydver-Wagh, Aanis, Oribane, Ariam, and many
others. The Griquas cultivate the ground, and keep
large herds of cattle and sheep, and trade largely
with the Cape colony. Hottentots, Korannas,
Bushmen, Kaffirs, Namaquas, and small communities
of other tribes live on the banks of the Orange
and along the streams, with their cattle-posts,
which of late years has greatly added to their
wealth and enabled the people to trade largely
with the colony.
The bold outline of the lofty hills with their thickly-
wooded slopes and kloofs add greatly to the beauty of
the landscape, more particularly along the Orange
river, where the rich vegetation, fine timber and bush,
forming deep belts on both sides; the rugged and
perpendicular rocks of many colours, which form
its banks clothed with lovely creepers hanging down
in festoons with their scarlet pods, make the river
scenery very beautiful, and to add to its charm the
dense bush swarms with the grey monkey, baboons,
and every variety of the cat tribe, even to the
lion, pheasants, partridges, guinea-fowl, legions of
snipes, ducks, geese, moor-hen, plovers, eagles, vul
tures, and a variety of hawks, some of them of great
size, measuring from tip to tip eight feet ; also the
VOL. I. s

258 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
heron, crane, and stork, and a variety of others, in
addition to the smaller tribes of birds with brilliant
plumage. The otter is also very plentiful, the banks being
covered with their spoor, also the porcupine. There
are a great many islands, many of them large
and thickly wooded, and about 300 miles up the
stream the beautiful and picturesque waterfall, the
Aukrabies, which has a fall of over ninety feet, is a
grand sight when the flood-waters come down in
their annual flow, rising above their ordinary level
from twenty-five to thirty feet, bringing down large
trees that go rolling and crashing as they are carried
along by the rushing water.
I was outspanned on the north bank of this river
in 1871, with two waggons and a cart, for the pur
pose of making a new tent to one of the waggons
that had -capsized and rolled over into a sluit a few
days previously, and had sent the oxen, forty-eight, on
to a neighbouring island to graze early in the morn
ing, when the Griqua chief, living at his kraal not
far from my camp, came and informed me the river
was coming down. The herds were sent over imme
diately to bring them off, but before they could do so,
the river had risen fifteen feet, consequently the oxen
had to swim, passing down mid-stream with a small
portion of their heads and horns only visible, the
two herds swimming behind with blocks of wood

FLOODS. 259
under their arms, and they were carried down a mile
and a half before they were able to land, and in less
than two hours this river had risen thirty feet.
There are many beautiful stones and pebbles in the
river-bed, agate, soap-stone, petrified gum and wood,
which I have found of white, brown, black, and
red. Diamonds also are found occasionally mixed
up in the gravel that has been brought down by heavy
floods. On the north of the Back river and Brinus moun
tains, the country is more open, extensive grass plains.
and other portions well wooded. At Liefdotes, Tobas,
and Klopper vlei are large kraals, also at Swart and
Hoab, on the north of the Brinus. Up along the east
side of the Great Fish river to the Oup, the country
is very pretty, splendid grasses and timber, the hills
are well wooded, in some places to their summits.
Game abounds, ostriches I have seen in troops of 200.
Two hundred miles north of the Orange river and
fifty miles west of the Hygap, in 25° 50' S. lat.,
20° 42' E. long., is Hogskin, a large vlei, thirty-three
miles in length, and in some parts three miles in
width, the greater portion is dry :^r nine months of
the year. The road crosses it to the Griqua settle
ment at Meer, which is twenty miles to the north,
where there are extensive vleis, 2710 feet above sea-
level. Three rivers flow into the Hogskin vlei, viz. the
s 2

26o TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
Snake, the Moi, and the Knaas, After heavy rains
the vlei is full, and forms a fine sheet of water,
which it retains for some months ; wild fowl and
game frequent it at that time. These rivers rise
in a hilly country; the Knaas is the largest, and
retains water in portions of its bed through the
year, Quassam, a large Bushman kraal, is situated on
its banks ; these Bushmen are distinct from the Bush
men of the Desert ; they were, many years ago, driven
from the Cape colony, by Sir Walter Currie, on
account of their stealing the cattle, and robbing
travellers. They first took refuge' in the many
islands in the Orange river, but were driven out
and went north, where they settled at Quassam,
and where I nearly lost all my waggons, oxen,
and everything, being kept there for two days, and
the oxen without grass. Coche Africanda was their
captain, and 1 escaped only by threatening that if he
or any of his men moved to detain me whilst I in-
spanned, I would shoot him dead, holding my rifle
ready for action. There were nearly 100 well armed
with guns; seeing my determination, they remained
passive, and I left.
Eight miles below this kraal is a very pretty spot,
a valley surrounded by sandhills, with limestone be
tween and a spring of water, where several roads meet
going to Damara and Ovampo, Lake N'gami, Namaqua
land and the colony. The valley is about a mile in

LIONS. 261
length, and half a mile in breadth, studded with very
fine kameel-doorn trees. The sand in these rivers
contains very fine particles of copper, and also garnet
dust. On the south side of Hogskin vlei are two
conical hills, which are very prominent objects, visible
sixty miles off, and as they stand alone, surrounded
by bush and the vleis, they add greatly to the beauty
of the landscape. The highest is 415 feet from the
base, the other measures 394 feet ; they are called base
kopts, A few miles south-west of them I procured
several specimens of coal, which cropped out in a
large sluit, and also from the side of a hill, and twenty
miles beyond. Slate and shale form the beds of the
rivers Snake and Moi.
Near Knaas river the formation in the valley is a
conglomerate of limestone, greenstone, and garnets.
This part of the desert is full of bush, kameel-doorns,
mimosa, and other trees, and is diversified by long low
ridges of sandstone, limestone, and many low hills of
granite. During the rainy season vegetation is splendid,
and the grass fine and beautiful, consequently game
is abundant ; it follows as a natural consequence that
lions, leopards, and many other speciies of feline animals
are numerous. This is truly the lion veldt; I have
counted at one time in a troop, great and small, twenty-
two, frequently six and seven in the middle of the
day, and within a short distance from my waggons.
The ostrich is becoming more scarce every day;

262 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
when I first visited this country, in 1864, the
Bushman would exchange a beautiful blood or
prime white feather for a piece of tobacco worth
sixpence, and less; now they are difficult to be
found. This desert has been considered a barren and unin
teresting region, but it is not so. There are portions,
it is true, that cannot be traversed during the dry
season, several who have attempted to penetrate it
having been obliged to come out and leave their wag
gons, their oxen all lost for want of water. But this
was in a great measure their own fault, for if they had
followed up the rivers and dug in their beds they
would have obtained it.
There are many miles of limestone flats, some ex-
tending ten miles in length, bounded by extensive
sand-dunes, and isolated koppies, with their pointed
summits covered with bush. These sand-dunes cover
an immense area, extending from east to west fifty
miles, and thirty miles over, and in altitude from fifty
to 200 feet. Their base is a dark limestone covered
with sand, which varies in thickness from four to ten
feet. Their sides are at an angle of about 30°, and
the topmost ridges so pointed that when a waggon
and span of eighteen oxen arrive towards their tops,
the whole span is descending on the other side as the
waggon reaches the summit, and the driver on the box
can only see the four after oxen ; but from the great

LIONS' DEN. 263
depth of sand in the road the waggon glides down with
ease. To illustrate more clearly the shape of these dunes
I can only compare them to a very stormy sea, with
gigantic waves instantly turned into sand ; many small
trees and bushes grow on their slopes, and also beau
tiful grasses. From six to eight miles a day with an
ox- waggon is considered a good trek. There are some
small fountains and vleis in some of the hollows, other
wise no one could pass that way, as the road over
these dunes from first entering them is thirty miles,
then a flat of eight miles over limestone and sand-
dunes again. There are also many isolated conical
granite hills, that rise from the level plains to an altitude
of 200 feet, formed of huge blocks ; they more resemble
artificial than natural monuments ; raany of them are so
overgrown with trees and bush that grow between the
blocks that scarcely any of the rock is to be seen. It
is dangerous to inspect them too closely, as they are
the lurking-places of lions, leopards, and other beasts
of prey,
I discovered this on ascending one of them at
Kanardas : when nearly half-way up, on looking into
one of the small caverns, of whiqji there are many,
I saw at the end two large bright eyes glaring at me
from the dark. After exchanging a good stare at
each other I quietly took my departure down : knowing
the nature of these animals, that they will not openly
follow or attack, if not disturbed, I felt pretty safe. As

264 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
to the nature of the beast I cannot say, but from the
great size of the bright red eyes I concluded he was a
lion, — at any rate, their expression did not appear very
amiable. A few lessons like this make an explorer
cautious before prying too closely into hidden and
secluded spots in a wild country like this desert.
On the east of Hogskin vlei is a large salt-pan or
vlei, twelve miles in length from north to south and
two broad. It is worked only by the Griquas living
at Meer. This settlement was established in 1870.
I was told by an old Bushman, that they took the bush
children and made them work, and would not give
them back. In 1871 Meer had become quite, a tidy
village, of about twenty-five houses, some of them
built of red brick. The chief was Dirk Falander, who
held a magistrate's court and tried prisoners ; it is a
little republic upon a small scale, not more than 100
all told, except the Bushmen slaves. There are close
to the village two large ponds or pans ; the banks on
their sides are seventy feet in height. The country
round is open grass veldt. Between Meer and Hog
skin vlei is a large pan, surrounded by high sand-
rocks, called Klein Meer, a very pretty and picturesque
lake, two miles in length, with fine bushes and grass
lining the banks ; five months of the year it is dry.
Sand-dunes are round it in every direction.
There is a considerable traffic and trade carried on
by the Griquas and the Cape colony. Roads cross the

COUNTRY. 265
Orange river at Koran drift, Kakaman's drift, and
Orlean drift ; the two latter meet at Kanardus, close
to extensive lime-pits, where water is obtained, by the
side of a dry river-bed, where there are some of the
prettiest trees I have seen in Africa, spread over the
veldt, park-like, and dense bush between lofty granite
hills, which in consequence of water is the general
outspanning place. I came here one evening after
dark and nearly lost many of my trek oxen, in their
eagerness to get at the water, which is twenty feet
from the surface. They were supplied by sending
my boys down with buckets, by that means filling a
hole dug out for the oxen to drink.
These pits are fifty miles north of Kakaman's drift,
and twenty-five miles on is Swaat Modder, in the bed
of the Hygap river, the road passing along its bed
between sand-cliffs 150 feet in height. Between these
two watering-places the Back river enters the Hygap ;
the sand in its bed is mostly composed of ruby sand,
which I believe would make a fine red glass.
At Swaat Modder the right side of the river has
cliffs 100 feet in height; the left bank has sand-dunes,
where I found several flint borers, many of them
in a finished state, for making holes in the shell of
the ostrich-egg to form beads. Under these cliffs,
in an old Bushman cave, I built a stone, house,
where we remained six weeks waiting for the
rains. All this country is under the Koranna chief

2 66 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
Puffadder, and his people are spread over the country
in small kraals. The road still continues north, past
other pits in^limestone at Bloemf ontein, and at Kebeum,
springbok, &c. ; Abequas pits, a large Koranna kraal ;
then passes over sand-dunes for thirty miles, and
arrives at Anaerogas, where there is another Kaffir
station, also a store kept by a Mr. Redman, of whom
I bought some tobacco for five bags of gunpowder,
and a medicine-chest, and a variety of goods I was
much in want of. A captain of the Bundelswaarts is
here, to give notice to the Bastards to clear out. Coal
abounds in this part, garnets are found in all the
river-beds, and in many parts mixed up in the sand
of the desert. Lions are so plentiful here that it is
dangerous to leave the waggon without your rifle. A
Koranna man was killed and eaten last night, a short
distance from the waggon. This station is 180 miles
north from Kakaman's drift, on the Orange river, and
three miles south of Hogskin vlei; here the roads
divide, one goes to the salt-pan, another to Meer
station, a third to Quassam on to Damaraland, a
fourth past Knaas, in a N.N.W. direction to Ovampo
land, and a fifth turns S.W., and leads to Barth,
where the Bundelswaarts people live, besides others
to different parts of the desert.
The other portion of the Kalahara takes in the
southern part from the Orange river to the Molapo
river, 190 miles to the north, and from the Hygap

COUNTRY 267
river to the Langberg range of mountains, which is
the eastern boundary of the desert, 100 miles in
width. The lower portion, near the Orange river,
is better adapted for farming, as there is good grass,
and the karroo bush, upon which sheep and bucks
get fat. I purchased of Klass Lucas, the chief, living
at his large kraal on the banks of the Orange, near
Orleans drift, a large Africander sheep, for 2 lbs. of
gunpowder. It weighed, without the tail, 62 lbs.,
and the tail produced 12 lbs. of pure fat.
Between this station and sixty miles to the north,
called Blue Busk Kalk, there is a fine fountain and
large vlei, with a stone koppie on the north side,
where the rocks stand out in grotesque forms of
granite formation ; there are in the intermediate dis
tance several very peculiar granitg koptjies; they
average about 200 feet in height and 600 feet in cir
cumference at the base, large masses of huge rocks,
piled one upon another, and without any vegetation ;
the country round is perfectly level ; they have the
appearance of ruined pyramids ; the highest I measured
was 275 feet.
The mountain, called Scheurbei^, is another pecu
liar range, with its many'^pointed peaks, with wood in
the valleys and kloof; fifty miles in length and twelve
in width, a road passing through the centre, a great
resort of lions, wolves, and other beasts of prey. The
continuation of the Orange river up from the junction

268 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
of the Hygap is particularly picturesque, and in many
places fearfully bold and rugged, with lofty and almost
perpendicular cliffs, with fine timber, beautiful bushes,
tree-ferns, and other subtropical plants, which add much
to the landscape.
It was at the point of the Langberg, close to the
river, where the berg seems split up into several mag
nificent hills, between which and the river is almost a
level but thickly wooded space of several hundred
yards in width, where we came to outspan, for the
purpose of making a new tent to my waggon. My
driver happened to capsize it into a sluit two days
before, and, to complete my misfortune, I lost four of
my best trek-oxen in the river by sinking in the mud.
The next day one died of the melt sickness, and I
had to shoot another from lung sickness.
The willow-trees along the bank gave us plenty
of wood, and in two days the tent was completed.
Mr. Staple, who was with me, suggested we should
make a boat of wicker-work, after our Welsh coracles,
which we soon completed, by small branches being
bent the proper shape, with cross-pieces, each tied
very carefully together, forming a strong and firm
framework, over which we stretched two raw bullock-
hides, well sewn together, and when dry painted it
red, — two seats, two paddles, a mast, and lug-sail;
the length was seven feet, and twenty inches
deep, in shape Hke half an egg cut through length-

?S>i|i^

\4 M'j^

'U

Ji

•¦¦¦ s

SKIN BOAT MADE. 369
ways. This little work occupied us a week. When
perfectly dry we took it down to the river to launch
it, not thinking of its lightness. As soon as it
was floated I brought it close to the rock, and put
one foot into the boat, and then made a spring
in, when I was no sooner in than I was out on the
other side into the water, a regular header — fortunately
it was deep water. However, on landing, I took off
my clothes to dry on the rocks, and Staples got some
Koranna girls who were sitting on the bank watching
our work, to bring stones to put in as ballast, which
took some time, as few were to be found.
I was better prepared for the second trial, being with
out clothes, but this time our boat was perfectly steady,
and no wonder, for we had at least 200 lbs. of stones in
the bottom as ballast. A fine breeze was blowing up
river, which was nearly a mile wide : fixing our little
mast and lug, we started on our first voyage, steering
by a paddle. This being the first boat that ever
floated on the Orange river, I consider it worthy
of recording. Our little craft acted splendidly. The
astonishment of the Bushmen, Korannas, and the
blood Kaffirs living on the bank, who came down to
see the white man's floating-house, was amusing ; they
shouted with delight as we sailed away up stream ; the
women in particular were the loudest in their admira
tion. After spending some hours sailing up and down,
exploring on the islands, shooting ducks and geese, we

270 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
returned to our landing and carried our boat to camp,
after taking out the ballast. As we were in a lovely
spot, well sheltered by trees, and only a short distance
from several small kraals, where we could obtain milk,
we determined to remain some time to explore the
neighbourhood, shoot and fish, and enjoy this wild,
independent, and delightful free and easy life.
There were several families of blood Kaffirs who
had permanently established themselves on the banks
of this river. They originally came from the Cape
Colony ; the men were perfectly naked, and the women
also, with the exception of a piece of skin round the
loins, which was of very little service as a covering ;
the Korannas and Bushmen the same. In the evening
we had two fires, one for us and one for our boys,
having two waggons, a cart, and many oxen and sheep,
to look after. We had eight servants, composed of
Hottentots, Korannas, Bushmen, and a Cape half-cast ;
consequently, when we were all assembled round
the fires, with the addition of our neighbours, who
never failed to visit us at feeding-time to come in for
snacks, v/e formed a large gathering of as romantic
and unique a party as could well be collected at any
picnic. The ladies present were of all colours, from
yellow to black ; many of them well-formed and good-
looking, others were of every type of ugliness.
The Kaffirs were models of symmetry, and a
much superior class to the others. Having an un-

DOWN THE ORANGE. 271
limited supply of wood, our fires lighted up the
trees, bush, and many of the near rocks, leaving the
lofty mountains in shadow, looking black and grim
against the sky, — a grand picture for a Turner. I
made an attempt to portray it on canvas, but my
humble efforts could not do justice to this beautiful and
wild scene.
So enjoyable was 'this mode of life, what with
sketching, exploring, fishing, and shooting, besides the
daily sail on the river, visiting the islands, and the
opposite shore, geologizing and reading under the
overhanging trees as the boat floated quietly with the
gentle current, I determined to waste three or four
months on its banks, as I was following the river
down for 300 miles, which would occupy that time to
thoroughly enjoy it, and give me ample opportunity
of indulging in this wild and free life. The boat was
fastened on to the back of my waggon, when treking
down by the river. When outspanned, it was taken
down to the water, sometimes crossing over to the
Colony side to visit the blood Kaffirs, to obtain milk
and purchase the large Africander sheep. The people
would come down to see where ^e came from, and
when they saw the boat and us getting into it and
paddling away with our two sheep, their shouts of
astonishment were amusing.
When travelling, it was always in the morning for a
couple of hours ; that was our day's work, the rest being

2 72 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
employed in various ways as described. At one outspan,
close to a small Koranna village, we as usual took the
boat down to the river that we might, in midstream,
enjoy our daily swim, and crossed over to some Kaffirs.
They were entirely naked, nothing whatever to cover
them ; the women brought us some thick milk. They
had heard that some white men were coming down, and
told us that the Korannas intended to stop us, and not
allow us to proceed. On returning to the waggons,
we found several of those people sitting round our
fires, evidently come to overhaul us, but they were \er^
civil ; they had been getting out what information they
could from our boys..
Forewarned is being forearmed; we looked up
our rifles and ammunition, to be ready for any sur
prise, as we intended to fight our way down stream
if opposed. But there was no sign of opposition on
their part. They were much amused at a sketch
I had been making of them as they were sitting-
round the fire in their half-naked state. They each
wanted me to take them individually. Many I did,
for practice, and to embellish my journal, for we do
not meet with such picturesque groups every day, I
therefore made the best use of my opportunity. Both
sexes are great swimmers, and would follow me some
distance. As I sailed from the shore, I took one or
two out occasionally for a sail in the boat and to help
me in fishing and other work, when my own people

CO UNTR Y— TIGERS— B USHMEN. 2 7 3
were out hunting up game to keep my larder full. So
that, from being shy at first, they became almost too
friendly, which, under existing circumstances, I per
mitted. Their primitive mode of living is very simple.
They marry at twelve years of age, if living together
as long as it suits them is called marriage. No divorce-
courts are needed in these parts, everything is very
primitive. Our next trek was to avoid the high mountain which
terminated on the river bank in enormous cliffs. We
therefore had to go round through the gorges and
over steep and stony hills — no roads in this wild
country — and outspanned for the night close to a
mountain stream surrounded by lofty hills, covered
with bush. As night advanced, the different wild
animals began to move about, the red cat, a kind
of panther, the wolf-jackals, and porcupine were very
plentiful. At night when the camp fires have burnt
nearly out, and all the boys are rolled up in their
blankets fast asleep, every sound is distinctly heard.
The mountains contained many leopards, and they are
very dangerous and will not hesitate to attack if you
are alone. *
These hills were the home of the wild Bushmen, who
war on all living things. They differ from other Bush
men ; they are of a reddish-black colour, and stand four
feet four inches in height. They live in the caves
amongst most inaccessible parts of these mountains.
VOL. I. '^

2 74 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
They use the bow and arrow. Few are now left, as far
as we know, for they never show themselves, and keep
as much away from mankind as the beast of the forest.
Travelling on through mountain passes, we arrived
at a native station where the chief, Klas Lucas, lived,
who claimed all the country north, to the Kuruman
river, which is a wild district, having several isolated
hills, and being scarce of water, particularly towards
the Kuruman and Molapo rivers. Large pans are dis
tributed over this waste, but water is seldom found in
them, except in the rainy season, from January to
May, Large herds of game, and also the ostrich, are
occasionally to be seen, but are difficult to approach,
as they are constantly being hunted by the Korannas,
Bushmen, Griquas, living at the kraals near the Hygap
and Orange rivers, and along the mountains of
Scheurberg, Limestone and granite are the only
rocks to be found over this extensive region.
The Kalahara, to the north of the Molapo, up to a
short distance of Lake N'gami, the Langberg range of
mountains continues northwards in broken and de
tached hills through a wild country, unfrequented,
except by native hunters, who visit it from the
Bechuana side on the east, and those living in the
desert and the Bastards at Meer. The ostrich is less
hunted here, and consequently more plentiful. Lions
seem to have it all their own way, for they are more
numerous here than in any part I have seen ; not only

LIONS— ONE SHOT ON AN OX. 275
at night, but in broad day, they make an attack on
your oxen. One full-grown male lion seized one of
my black oxen, not 300 yards from the waggon, in
some' low bush at midday. Our attention was called
to the bellowing of the ox and the rush of the others
towards us. The lion was on the ox, having seized
him by the back of the neck; one hind-foot of the
lion had torn open the flank, and the other across the
back, when the ox dropped. In a few minutes
I was at his side with my double-barrel rifle, and sent
two bullets into his heart, when he rolled on the
ground quite dead. The ox had to be shot also, for
his bowels were protruding from his side ; he was one
of my best oxen. We saw several others a short dis
tance off, but they disappeared after a few shots were
fired at them. As we treked over the veldt, we saw
several remains of game and their horns on the
ground, which the lions had killed and eaten.
There are many beautiful plants and flowers in these
parts. We were frequently crossed by border tribes
who go in to hunt, but they do not remain. They
may be seen occasionally in small parties traversing
the desert, with one or two pack-Cxen loaded with
dried game and such feathers as they may have
obtained by the rifle or stolen from the Bushmen they
may have surprised. If they catch a Bushman, they
conclude he has feathers, — if not with him, he has them
hid in the sand. They take from him what he has,
T 2

276 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
and then, to make him give up what they believe he
has concealed, they torture the poor wretch by putting
a finger or a toe in the fire until the pain is so great
he tells where he has hidden them. If he has none,
they believe he is telling them false, and go to such
extremes, that they will burn the hand or foot until they
are consumed, believing the victim is obstinate and
will not tell where they are.
I have a Bushman I engaged to look after the waggon
with one foot entirely burnt off, and a Bush boy with
four fingers of the right hand served in the same way.
The man came to me and asked to be employed, and said
he would show me the waters. He brought his two
daughters wdth him, their mother was dead. The
girls' ages, as well as I could guess, were fourteen and
sixteen. I employed them on various duties about the
waggons, and found them very willing to learn. I had
now a large family to provide for, my own two boys
and seventeen Bushmen, including six women and
girls, which was a great help, as they took me to
watering-places unknown to hunters, and were my
guides to places I should not otherwise have visited.
I found if you treat these people well, they are wiUing
to assist in any way. They are a very small race,
seldom exceeding four feet ten inches in height. When
old, which- is at the age of forty, they are very ugly.
Their food consists of game, which they kill with
their bows and arrows, eggs, roots, mice, locusts.

HORRIBLE CRUELTIES TO THE BUSHMEN. 277
insects, frogs, land-turtle, and anything they may
pick up.
When I was in the desert in 1872, I had one of the
chief Bushman captains engaged with many of his
people to hunt for me. Hearing of the atrocities
committed on these Bushmen by the border tribes, I
told him to collect a few of the injured ones, and bring
them to my waggon, that I might see them. In a
week he collected fourteen, all, more or less, having
lost a hand or fingers, a foot or a greater part of
it. One Bushman had a red-hot iron ramrod forced
through his body under the armpit and it carae out on
the other side. I saw the skeleton a few days after it
occurred. Some are shot down, and the children
stolen and taken for slaves. They are also tied to
stakes and burnt to death, and I was taken to the
places where these crimes had been committed and
saw the remains and the site of the fire. Having
satisfied myself as to the correctness of all these state
ments from personal inspection and from more than
fifty Bushmen who told me of others equally horrible,
all of which I noted in my journal, I was frequently
importuned by these people to become their chief,
which I declined. I was then asked to write to the
Great Mother (the Queen) to solicit her Majesty's
protection, and take them over as her children. This
I saw, was impracticable. I then told the chief head
men to call all , the Bushman families together near

278 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
at hand, at a drift where I had had the bad luck
to get my waggon capsized, and where there was
plenty of water, and to meet me there at the full
moon a fortnight hence.
True to the appointment seventy-seven of the head
men and their families were there,f orming a large camp,
and as quiet and orderly as any assemblage of people
could be. I took down the probable nuraber there would
be within a radius of seventy miles, from Klasson, the
chief spokesman, which numbered 3986.
They stated, if the Great Mother could not be written
to, would I write to the Great Chief at the Cape ? This
I agreed to, and told them I would write out a petition
which they would sign, and I would forward it with a
letter explaining the circumstances under which it was
sent to his Excellency Sir Henry Barkly, detaihng the
atrocities, and praying to be taken under English pro
tection, which was in due course forwarded, and some
months afterwards I received a reply from his Excel
lency stating " he had received the petition and my
letter, but as the Kalahara Desert was so far removed
from the Cape Colony, he could not see how it could
be done at present, but at some future time it might
be considered." And from that time these peacefully-
disposed people have been left to the tender mercy of
the border tribes. His Excellency, it appears, did not
know that the Kalahara Desert joined the northern
border of the Cape Colony, which shows how little

PETITION TO THE GOVERNOR. 279
interest was taken to ascertain the true position of the
country from which the petition was forwarded.
The country to the west of this region up to Damara
land, 200 miles, up to the mountain regions of that
country and Great Namaqualand, is undulating, with
vast stretches of wood and open plains ; isolated hills
of granite and limestone in other portions. One ex
tensive district was covered with water-worn pebbles,
garnets, agates, and other beautiful stones, also large
broken pieces of stone of a rich crimson colour. When
broken small cubes of iron pyrites like gold are em
bedded. The grain is very fine, and it would make
splendid vases, cups, plates, or any other ornaments.
I had been foolish enough to collect specimens
of every kind of stone, until my waggon became so full
and heavy that I had to throw them away. I made a
collection of 3000 agates of every variety of colour
and shape, which had to be abandoned. Many cairns
or graves are seen with heavy stones surrounding them.
Not far from them are several ancient stone huts, built
upon a small hill, that must have belonged to a former
race, and close to a dried-up river. Some of the stones
are six feet in length, two feet wide, and one and a
half thick. They were placed on end and covered in.
None of them would hold more than four persons.
They are in small clusters of seven and eight together,
and some less. They were covered in with large
stones, that have long since fallen. No account can

28o TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
be obtained of them frora the Bushraen, Their huts
are a few sticks stuck up with grass thrown over.
Several fresh Bushmen and women came to my
camp this morning. Some of the young girls were
very good-looking, and with a profusion of native or
naments upon them made entirely of ostrich eggs.
A perfect set comprised a tiara, three inches in width,
for the head ; a broad necklace, six bracelets on each
arm, and eight anklets or bangles to each leg, and
finally, a rope of beads of sufficient length to go round
the loins twice and fastened in front with a piece of
rimpey. These constituted the entire dress of one of
the girls. She looked like a young African queen, and
it had the effect of making her look half pretty.
I bought two sets for six yards of print each. I think
there cannot be less than 8000 beads in each set,
between each bead a piece of leather of the same size,
which becomes black, so that they look like black and
white beads, which has a good effect upon their black
skin. They were delighted with the exchange. When
disrobed of their ornaments, they threw the print over
their shoulders like a mantle. The ornament had the
appearanceof having been handed downfrom generation
to generation. At Narukus, on the Nosop river, I came
upon a family of Bushmen, ten in number, of a dif
ferent type to those I had in my service, evidently a
lower caste. They have no forehead, the wool on
their heads comes close down to the eyes, and the head

LOWEST TYPE OF BUSHMEN. 281
fahing back like the baboon ; projecting mouth, small
nose, a sort of hair or wool all over the chest, arms,
and legs ; their eyes are small and restless, watching
every movement that is going on ; the tallest man did
not exceed four feet four ; their skin was of a reddish-
brown. A few old skins, broken ostrich eggs, and
bows and arrows, seemed all they possessed of worldly
goods. . They would have decamped and hid in the bush,
but I sent some of my Bushmen and brought them
back. I asked my own boys, if they were their
brothers, meaning of the same race ; they repudiated
the idea, and said they were monkeys not men, and
told me there were very few ever seen, it was very
seldom they ever came upon any; they eat carrion.
They are evidently a distinct race from the
Masara Bushmen who are largely distributed over
the desert. One of the women had a baby not much
bigger than a half-grown kitten ; all of them were
destitute of clothing.
The country through which the Oup and Nosop
pass, in many places is very pretty and picturesque.
At a fountain on the branch of th#Oup, I remained
several days to hunt, to supply so many people with
food, 24^^ February, 1873, — A terrific thunderstorm broke
over us soon after midnight, and continued until six
this morning, striking and spHtting up some large

282 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
trees a short distance from our camp, and it rent into
three a large rock which stood out alone from the
base of the hill. The country was swamped with water,
the oxen at one time standing half knee-deep in it.
My escort of Bushmen and their families for once in
their lives had a good shower-bath. The baboons
also in the hills must have felt its effects, for they
could be heard far and near, with their half-human
grunts. My Bushman with the stump foot told me he
could understand the baboon language, when they
are frightened or hungry, or are to meet together to
defend themselves against an enemy, or to meet to
play, and he knew well what they said and could talk
to them. The old ones beat the young baboons with
sticks if they do anything wrong, such as stealing the
food from others. The Bushman's language has a
great many grunts in it similar to these aniraals,
I find there are four types of Bushmen in this
desert ; the lowest is the one already described with
no forehead and half wool and hair on their bodies
and legs. The second is the wild Bushmen, who live
in the mountains near the Orange river, also mentioned,
who war on all men, but they are of good form,
without hair. The third is the Masara Bush family,
also of good proportions and of gentle dispositions,
inoffensive and harmless, ready to help or do anything,
and they make good servants . It was this tribe I had with

BUSHMEN. 283
me in my wanderings. The two girls I took in charge,
made good cooks, washed the clothes, and mended
them. The fourth is much taller and well-formed,
great rascals, who cannot be trusted with anything ;
they inhabit the eastern portion of the desert, and down
by Langberg, A similar tribe were those Sir Walter
Currie drove out of the colony, sorae of whom I fell
in with at Quassam under Coche Africanda, The
Bushmen of the northern Kalahara are much the
same as the Masara, every one of them quite distinct
from the Drakensberg Bushmen, whose form and
colour differ entirely from the others, which I believe
to be a distinct race, and which I described in the first
chapter. One amusing circumstance I omitted to mention
in connection, with one of these wild Bushman
boys, when at Swaart-Modder in the Hygap river,
where we had built a stone house under the cliff to
keep our goods during our stay there, A young Bush
boy came in the evening to the camp and made him
self comfortable by the fire. After some time my
boys asked him where he came from, but he would
give no reply. At last they got frotn him that he
had run away from his people, because his mother
had burnt his fingers for stealing, and he came to
get something to eat. This was his second visit,
and as he had been well fed before, he came again,
but managed at the same time to steal some of my

284 TWENTYFIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
boys' food. On this evening, we had a young man
from the colony to drive the cart and look after the
boys, and as our stone house was infested with large
mice, this young Hancock was catching them in an
iron pot,, and throwing them out amongst the boys
for amusement. As one by one, up to seven, were
thrown, this Bush boy picked them up, put them into
the red-hot ashes to cook, and, when half-done, ate
them as they were. Thinking he must be awfully
hungry, I told my cook to put on a pot and cook
some Boer meal, which is wheat ground but unsifted ;
two pints of this were cooked in water, and when ready
it was set before him, and soon disposed of.
After all the people were asleep, he stole the food they
had left, and in the middle of the night, sucked three of
my goats dry. The following morning he was not to
be found, and for nearly a month we did not see him
again ; when we had travelled 100 miles north, and
were outspanned, he presented himself again, as if it
were his first visit. We found out he had lived in the
bush, existing on a wild water-melon, called shama or
kongive, and had kept us in sight as we travelled.
I tried to tame him, but it was of no use ; his age was
about eleven years. He kept with us off and on for
three months, then disappeared altogether ; the lions
would not let him remain long, without making a
meal of him.
We were now travelling through a very pretty part

LIONS AND WOLVES. 285
of the desert, open glades and timbsr-trees, lofty
pyramidal hills, partly covered with bush, fine grass,
with white feathery tops, no inhabitants ; a wild and
picturesque region, crossing open plains, then gentle
rises with low bush ; in the distance, mountains with
their lofty peaks fading away into nothing. The
perfect calm and silence that pervades everything
around, the variety of game quietly grazing in all
directions, the very loneliness of my position, being
many hundred miles from any white man, surrounded
only by my own Bushmen, and those who accompany
me, Hving in all their natural innocence as their fore
fathers lived in prehistoric ages, add imraensely to
the pleasure one feels in viewing a scene so novel and
so seldom to be enjoyed.
The country as we approach Damaraland, becomes
more wild and broken, lofty mountains come into view
as we advance westward. We were nightly visited by
lions and wolves, which kept us constantly on the watch,
and our fires kept lighted. It is an anxious time,
particularly when in -the stillness of the night we hear
tljeir roar at no great distance, in answer to others
far away. The roar of a lion in the^till evening can
be heard miles away.
One morning about eleven o'clock, as we were out-
spanned in an open plain about 300 yards from a
small pool of water, our oxen, horse, and a few goats
grazing on the opposite side of the waggons, several

2 86 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
of my boys asleep, the Bushmen and the women cook
ing some flesh in the hot embers, we saw seven lions
leisurely walking up to the water. After drinking,
they went to a small rise, bare of grass and sandy,
and commenced playing, some lying down, others
jumping over them, growling in their deep bass voice,
acting the same as cats at play. This lasted twenty
minutes, when they as leisurely walked away, taking
no notice of us whatever. If I had fired and
wounded any, they might have come at us, which
would have been dangerous to our oxen, by dispersing.
When an ox or a horse smells a lion, they will bolt
away anywhere, and some might have been lost, there
fore we left them alone and enjoyed so unusual a sight,
watching the movements of these beautiful but dan
gerous kings of the forest, in their wild and natural
state in the wilds of Africa.
The Kalahara, that portion, on the borders of
Damara and Ovampo lands for 300 miles, becomes
much more densely wooded and hilly. Some of the
mountains attain a height of 8000 feet, in which lead,
copper, iron, and coal, also limestone, both white and
dark grey, crop up everywhere. Granite forms the
hills. The Black and White Nosop and the Elephant
river, and their several branches, drain all this region.
The country is very dry, rain seldom falls, and when
it does, it comes down with a rush, which soon passes
away ; but the vegetation is excellent, fine timber and

CO UNTR Y— ELEPHANT. 287
thick bush predominate over this vast but little in
habited country. The road from Walfish Bay on the
west coast passes through, in an easterly direction,
to Lake N'gami, Zambese, Ba-Mangwato, and other
territories on the east. The road is difficult to travel
for want of water, but when the country is more
opened up, means will be found for procuring it by
well-sinking and pumps, to make it as easy to travel
as any part of Africa. There are several permanent
watering-places now along this route. In the dry
season it is three and four days' trek between them,
but as it is limestone nearly all the way, water can
be procured by digging wells. The country is sub
ject to drought, more particularly in the southern
portion of the desert, consequently there is more game
to be found in the northern region. Elephants are
seen in troops of two or three hundred, also the zebra,
and the various antelopes, giraffes, rhinoceros, wild
boar, and others.
The country is very favourable for rearing cattle ;
large numbers of horses are yearly taken through the
desert from the Orange River Free State to Damaraland,
and exchanged for Damara oxen, wiiich are found to
make the best trek oxen, having small hoofs and being
nimble on their feet ; they are compact and strong.
Another advantage is that they are bred on sour
grass ; when they arrive in the colony it is sweet,
which improves their condition.

288 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
April Both. — At Omdra, a lovely, calm morning,
after a heavy rain last night, at a vlei ; there are
several large ones in this open grass country that
contain water at this time of year, being the rainy
season. This station is on the desert-track from the
lake to Ovampoland.
Outspanned under a large tree; boys employed
skinning a koodoo, killed early this morning by
one of my Bushmen guides with his poisoned
arrow. The arrow-head is of bone, very small, the
shaft two feet in length, and the bow two feet six
inches. The shaft, close to the head for four inches,
is covered over with their poison, which, in pene
trating the flesh, paralyzes the animal ; the flesh killed
in this manner is very good, and has no bad effect on
those who partake of it. Several Bush people have
come to our camp begging for food ; they look poor
and miserable, their only covering being a few
pieces of ragged skins thrown over their shoulders.
Several of the grown-up boys and girls had not even
that to cover them. They are complete wanderers
in the desert ; no home or fixed abode, but live on
roots, berries, insects, and anything they may by chance
shoot : I gave them some flesh, and a fire to cook it.
The hot winds, which are very oppressive, come in
waves, and are very enervating, more particularly in
the dry season, when they dry up everything. The
wood-work of the waggons shrinks to such an extent.

WHIRL WINDS. 2 8 9
that the wheels are kept together by ropes of raw hide
bound round them ; and your own system becomes
so dried up, that the natural functions of your
body partly cease to act ; to remedy this, fat is abso
lutely necessary, and nature craves after it. You will
see the desire after fat in the native tribes, not only to
grease their skin, to protect it from the sun, but to use
as medicine.
When treking, some days afterwards, we were over
taken by one of those gigantic whirlwinds so common
in all tropical countries. We were entirely enveloped
in it ; everything that is loose in the way of clothes
is carried up hundreds of yards. One of my boys
had his hat taken by the current, and- it fell nearly
a quarter of a mile from where he lost it. Many
of these whirlwinds may be seen at one time passing
over the desert.
At this outspan, late in the afternoon, sitting
on my camp-stool where my boys were skinning a
buffalo I had shot, I saw in the distance a Bushman
coming. When near enough to distinguish, I saw
it was a Bush girl, tall and well made, and for a
wonder quite fat ; she was marked 0¥er every part of
her body — face, legs, and arms — with white stripes,
like the stripes of the zebra, and had nothing else
on. She came up, holding out an old piece of leopard-
skin. My Bushmen spoke to her, but could get no
answer. I gave her some tobacco, when, dropping
VOL. I. u

290 TWENTY.FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
the skin, she walked to the fire and sat down. We
gave her a piece of cooked meat, iHinking she might
be hungry, which she took, and after remaining some
ten minutes, got up and walked away in the same
direction she came ; but no word could we get from
her. She was even strange to tcij Bushman. It was
a strange visit, and a strange mode of decorating
herself. The only other occasion on which I fell in
with Bushmen so marked was more to the east, nearly
300 miles, when nearly a dozen came to my waggon,
to tell me I had that day ridden over a grave where a
few days before they had buried one of their people.
The stripes may have something to do with death, but
the Bushmen I have spoken to know nothing of such
custom. One of the vleis, which was full of water, appeared
to be full of frogs, from the noise they made at
night; going down, next morning, I found several
small ones, having a peculiar appearance. Catching
one, which was very narrow in its body compared to
its length, and having a short tail, I concluded at once
from its general shape that it was half -lizard and half-
frog. It had all the action of the frog in its long leaps,
without any attempt at running ; all the others were
of the same form, and with tails. I brought it to the
waggon to take its measure, viz. frora front of head
to coramencement of tail one and a half inch, length
of tail three-quarters of an inch, beautifully marked

OSTRICHEGGS. 291
with green and light-yellow spots. Not having any
means of preserving it, I took it back to the vlei, where
there were hundreds sitting on the bank ; as I neared
them they jumped into the water and disappeared.
The Bushman brought in to-day several ostrich-eggs,
quite fresh from the nest, which we had cooked in our
large iron pots, mixed with a little flour — a kind of
omelet ; one is sufficient for three persons. The
Bushman took me to a nest that the old birds had
been sitting on for some time ; there were eighteen in
the centre, and fourteen on the outside, formed into a
circle round them, which are kept for food for the
young birds, which lasts them a few days when
hatched ; the hen bird then takes and teaches the
chicks to eat grass.
Thursday, 18th. — Our camp was visited by a party
of traders and Korannas on their way from Meer- down
South — the chief Puffadder, old Mr. Ryland, from
Kopie's farm and Low Blaat, four waggons, and a lot
of cattle, horses, and sheep. They remained the after
noon and night, and started early the next day for
Kebeum. They told me a trader on the border of
Great Namaqualand, going down to Walfish Bay, had
been shot, and his waggon and everything seized by
the Gobabis Hottentots for plunder, and that the
country was in a fearful state of tribal wars. I
told them of my little affair with the Bushman Hotten
tot at Quassam; they said I was most fortunate to
u 2

292 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
escape as I did, particularly with all ray belongings,
as they are noted as a nest of thieves, and have robbed
traders of -everything.
I left them for Abequis pits, which are in limestone ;
it is a Koranna station, under the chief Puffadder.
The country is open and flat ; the grass in many
places was up to my chin with white feathery
flowers ; at a distance it looks like snow. The road
is very good for waggon travelling, and around
Springbok fountain the scenery is very pretty. At
Abequis pits the Korannas have many huts, and seem
to be doing well ; they have flocks of goats, and a few
Africander sheep. They brought me some very good
feathers, which I took in exchange for powder and
caps ; many of them have the old flint gun, which
would be a curiosity now in England.
The winters here are warm ; it is now mid-winter,
thermoraeter in the shade 68°. The men wear old
leather trousers, which constitute their dress, the
women an old blanket thrown over the left shoulder,
and brought round and held in front by the hand.
Over-modesty is not a failing with them. They were
very civil, supplied my people with goats' milk, and
I gave thera what they ranch needed, tobacco, as the
women are great smokers. Dozens of thera will sit or
be lying round my fire, having only two or three bone
pipes between them, each taking a few puffs and
passing it on to the next, until all have had a turn ;

SAND-DUNES. 293
then they begin again, the old ones keeping a pipe
to themselves. My maids, Topsey and Nina, the
daughters of my Piet, knew these people, therefore I
got on very well, Piet also lived once with them.
The country towards the south and west was a level
plain as far as the eye could see.
The next morning after the second day, started to
the northwards ; we passed a large vlei on the left,
six miles frora the Koranna station, which is the
commencement of the sand-dunes. The dunes are
small until sixteen miles of country are passed, then
they assurae great proportions. A mile to the left
is another vlei, where we filled our water-casks and
gave the oxen water, and remained the night, to have
a clear day to pass over them. There were three
Griquas' waggons outspanned, each waggon was full
of women and children, each Jack had his Jill, and
each a baby, plenty of little naked children of both
sexes. They told me they were on the trek to the
Orange river. These people are always quiet and
civil, they exchanged a fat sheep for some, tobacco.
All the country, including the sand-dunes, is lime
stone with sand above, and full of 'low bush, many
large and small land-shells are mixed up in the sand.
July 17th. — The Griquas left early in the morning,
and we started to cross the sand-dunes. A fearful
road, their sides are about at an angle of thirty, and
every time we ascend one, we have to put two spans

294 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
of twenty-eight oxen in, to pull one waggon up at a
tirae, which causes much delay shifting them back
wards and forwards, as each dune rises from 150 to
200 feet in height, with deep sand in the road, the
wheels sinking nine inches into ifc. After struggling
over these for five' hours, the oxen were done up, and
we outspanned for the day at another large dry vlei,
but on the bank a small spring of water was issuing,
sufficient for the oxen and ourselves, a grand dis
covery, as we did not expect to find any until we
had got clear of this heavy road. A short distance
from the water were several families of Bushmen,
sitting round a large fire ; some of them had most ex
traordinary figures, thin calfless legs, prominent chests
and abdomen, altogether different from the other
Bushmen of the desert, and the colour of their skin
was much lighter. A thin band of leather round their
loins, and a skin over their shoulders was their only
covering ; long bundles of skins rolled up with several
spears were lying on the ground. The food they
live on in a great measure gives them this peculiar
formation. They had the short bow and arrow, and
quivers made of skins, full of arrows, cleverly made
with bone heads, all smeared with poison. They
appear to be half-Bushman, half-Koranna.
I started the next morning, and after toiling for
several hours, rested, and again went on, crossing
those lofty ridges until dark, outspanned for the

SAND.DUNES. 295
night in a deep hollow, where there was plenty of
good grass, and trees, and dead wood for fire. Our
trek this day was about eight miles ; two great fires
were made, and our little party of twenty-six all told,
made themselves comfortable over their supper, and
at ten all were fast asleep. But we did not get
much rest, the lions kept round the camp making
a great noise, and being surrounded by these hills
and thick bush, we were the greater part of the
night obliged to keep a sharp look-out that none
of our animals were taken. Early the next morning
I took my rifle and mounted one of these sand-dunes
before inspanning, and found from the base to the
summit registered 204 feet. But what a sight when I
looked round ; as far as the eye could see, nothing
but these immense sand-dunes in every direction,
here and there open patches of yellow sand and
bush, a wild, rugged, and howling wilderness, that
appeared interminable, the fit abode for savage man
and more savage beast, and here we find them, man
in primitive nature, as low a type as the world can
produce, little removed from the beast, for it is here
I have met those wild men which i have described
elsewhere ; they are partly covered with short woolly
hair, and have no forehead, the scant wool reach
ing the eyes. They are rarely now seen, even by
the Bushmen of the desert, as they have repeatedly
told me, and here they may find a home for many

296 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
years to come, for no other living man will fix his
residence in such a region of desolation, —
" A wilderness howling and drear,
Forsaken by man from famine or fear." Pringle.
On our trek we started many head of game, which
are easily killed by the Bushman arrow, and with
these and the many wild fruits they manage to
exist. It has taken four days to cross this wild and
hilly region which extends over an area as far as I have
explored it, fifty miles from east to west, and nearly
forty north to south : the home of the leopard and a
legion of wild tiger-cats, that are spotted or striped, —
their skins make beautiful karoses. On leaving these
dunes we come upon a level plain of limestone, which
we have ten miles to cross, where there are several
watering-places, fountains they may be called, and
enter sand-dunes again for some fifteen miles, and
then come upon 'a bush country, with gentle rises and
low wooded hills with isolated conical hills of granite.
Close to the hills, I outspanned near a swamp ; the
noise from the bull-frog kept us from sleep. They
are monsters, a foot across the back and quite black.
The Bushmen eat them ; they would form a fine dish
for our French neighbours.
The weather is very fine, like an English spring day,
everything seems springing into Hfe. Clouds begin to

BUSHMEN. 297
collect on the horizon, and the sunsets are most brilHant,
purple and gold, forming celestial landscapes of the
most gorgeous hues. There are many ostriches to be
seen on the flats, but the country is so full of holes,
partly covered.with grass, that it is dangerous to
follow them. Far and wide in every direction the
character of the country is the same, which we pass
through up to Meer, the Bastard station.
We passed several small Bushmen kraals ; the women
and children as we approached hid themselves in the
bush, but when they found we were friendly, and
giving presents to the men, they came forward. At
one we remained a few days to buy feathers, during
the time my Bushmen and the girls soon made
friends with them, and dancing went on in their
fashion every evening. These women daub their faces
and bodies with black stripes, which they consider
ornamental. Their natural colour is half black, con
sequently these stripes show out prominently; they
are a mild, timid race, very good-natured, willing to do
anything, and, if left alone by the border tribes and
the Bastards, their lives would be happy ; their wants
are few and easily supplied, clothes they do not require,
the climate at all seasons of the year is seldom colder
than our English summer, and, as these children of the
desert are constantly shifting their locations, huts are
not required, or only of the most primitive kind, a
few sticks stuck in the ground, and the long grass

298 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
thrown over them. This is a portion of the central
part of the Kalahara.
When we arrived at Meer, all the people were out
ostrich-hunting close round the village, a great ex
citement, the birds running in all directions, and the
Bastards after them on their horses ; they managed to
shoot seven, the others, about fifty, made their escape.
Meer is a straggling village, the soil is rich and
grows good crops of corn, the two pans supply the
people with water. Dirk Falander, the head-man, is
supreme over the people. They possess several
waggons and have large herds of cattle, and live very
comfortably, sending down to the colony for what
supplies they require. Coffee and sugar are in great
demand. After a delay of two days, I left for Chuane pits,
distant one hundred miles ; as the rains were very
early, there was plenty of water to be had. This
occupied me eleven days. I remained some time on
the Oup and Nosop rivers, hunting, and it was necessary
for one or two guns to be out every day to supply my
little family with food, and as there was plenty of
large game about, we had no difficulty in procuring
it. The wild aspect of the country, bush here, open plains
there, with long ridges of low hills, no living soul to
be seen until we arrived at the pits, and there we
found a small family, who on our approach ran into

BUSHMEN. 299
the bush, but my own Bushmen called them back ;
they came very reluctantly, but soon became friends,
some fifteen in all, a little dahka and a few beads as
presents soon restored confidence amongst them.
I am much interested in the Bushmen of the desert,
and also in the white Bushraen of the Drakensberg.
mountains, because they appear from their isolation
from the outer world, and cut off as they have been
from the tribes that now occupy the regions around
them, to be the descendants of the people who occupied
the lower end of this ancient continent before the
tribes from the north came down, and pushed their
way south, bringing with them their Asiatic and
Hebrew customs, which all without exception now
practise more or less, evidently proving from what
regions they had migrated. Eventually they nearly
penetrated to Cape Town. Not so with the white
Bushmen of the Drakensberg, the Hottentots, or
Bushmen of Cape Colony, and the Bushmen of the
Kalahara Desert, each retaining up to the present
tirae distinctive physical formations and distinctive
dialects, so entirely different from those tribes that
come down south and overrun the s«uthern peninsula
of the African continent. These ancient aborigines
of South Africa are comparatively pigmy races to
those above referred to, who are as tall, robust, well-
formed specimens of the human race as can be found
in any part of the world. Then again their language,

300 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
if it can be called such, is entirely different from any
other known tongue, their thoughts are described by
certain clicks, four in number, the white Bushmen of
the Drakensberg have only these clicks, the Hottentots
or Bushmen of the Cape have, in addition to the
clicks, sounds which accompany the clicks which come
from the throat like grunts. The Bushmen of the
desert have also these clicks, showing, I think con
clusively, that these early people were in existence
before languages, — what we understand by language,
words formed by the mouth, tongue, and lips, as the
nations of the world now converse and talk. Some of
the South African missionaries have committed to
paper these clicks, and they state it is a most beau
tiful and expressive language. At any rate, my behef
is, that the earliest formed language of man was by
sounds such as clicks and grunts before they advanced
so far as to express their ideas by forming words,
and language has been progressive as man advanced
in civilization. In travelling over South Africa and
listening to the sounds of the baboons as they move
about the rocks above you, you can detect a great
similarity in their guttural sounds and the Bushman
language, and I could quite understand when my
Bushman told me he could converse with, and knew
-much of what these said, showing a connecting link
between them. Therefore I take much interest in
watching their characteristic qualities, in connection

DESERT.

301

with the general run of mankind. Anthropological
study naturally embraces the study of their early im
plements, where, and how found, their artistic
quahties, and for what purpose made, for peace or war,
and this desert is particularly rich in these interesting
relics of past ages.
The desert on the east and south of these Chuana
pits, extends up to the chiefs Sechele, Montsioa, and
Gaseitive, that join on the eastern boundary 230 railes,
unbroken by rivers or native towns, one iramense tract
of wood and. plains, long flats, and in other parts un
dulating, with the exception of the detached mountain
ranges, which run north and south — the continuation
of the Langberg range — and they terminate 100 miles
south of Lake N'gami. They are beautiful, picturesque
and lofty hiUs, rising from their base 3000 feet ; many
of their sides and deep kloofs are thickly wooded with
fine timber of great value, and in the extensive ravines
are ancient caves, some of them now used by the
Bushman tribe. This range is distant from these pits
about twenty miles on the east. Game of every kind
is plentiful ; lions, also, we hear for hours every even
ing. Hawks, kites, vultures, eagles^ locust-birds are
almost always seen on the wing.
As there was good water at these pits, in conse
quence of several heavy thunderstorms having passed
over the last few days, I have remained here to have
a little exploration of the country and provide a good

302 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
supply of dried meat, which is called biltong, for my
people ; and in the evenings, when all work is over,
they amuse themselves dancing, singing, and shooting
at targets with their arrows for small presents, which
causes great fun ; they are the most happy people in
the world. To amuse them I made a kite about three
feet in length, and with some string sent it flying, to
the astonishment and dehght of all.
Spring was now advancing fast, everything spring
ing into life. The little, happy African lark flying
up some thirty feet, where it remains a few seconds,
then down it comes with such a sweet plaintive
voice, and this is repeated every few minutes, and as
there are many of them about, their little notes are con
stantly heard. Thunderstorms are now coming almost-
daily, and the evening sunsets are the most brilliant
and gorgeous that can be imagined, portraying golden
lakes, mountains and waterfalls, rivers and islands,
with noble castles, and everything to perfect a land
scape, and this remains long without alteration. It
has been a source of much pleasure in this lonely
region to endeavour to convey the like on canvas.
As we had now plenty of water and could go any-
where, I struck north, leaving these pits on the 30th
October; but a few days previous to my leaving, I
found several small quartz reefs of the right sort for
gold. After spending three days with pickaxe and
hammer, digging and breaking off nearly a ton of

SEARCH FOR GOLD. 303
quartz, I was rewarded with one Httle speck of gold,
finding, so far as I could see, that these reefs were
not rich ; and if they were, the distance is too great
to make it pay to work them. On leaving, my friends,
whom I found in possession of the pits, wanted to join
my party. Treking due north, keeping west of these
mountains, I outspanned, after four hours, close to one
of the highest of the range for the night, as I wanted
to make an excursion to the top the next day, to see
the country and take observations, altitude, and get
the difference in temperature at the highest part.
The night passed off very quietly, except hearing in
the stillness of the night an occasional roar of a lion
and other wild beasts, to give us warning not to sleep
too sound. The sun rose the next morning in a
magnificent glow of crimson light. After breakfast I
started with my driver and five Bushmen, each with a
rifle and ammunition, all on foot, leaving the waggon
at 6 a.m. I soon reached the foot of the mountain,
when the difficult part of the journey commenced,
passing round projecting rocks, crossing deep kloofs,
thick with bush, where we had to keep a good look
out, having only one dog to tell if any lions were near.
I managed, after three hours' labour, to reach the
highest summit about 10 a.m., a clear lovely morning,
without a cloud. The view from this elevated position
was grand. In all my wanderings I have never seen
anything to equal it, no lofty hills to break the view

304 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
for 150 miles. The outlook from this point extended
both east and west over 200 miles ; the lofty hills near
Secheles could only be distinguished with the tele
scope, and then like a pale lavender cloud, the country
between thickly wooded, and long stretches of open
country, apparently a waterless region; the same on
the western side, excepting that the country was more
open, and the ancient river system could be distinctly
traced by the trees and bushes that grew on their
banks. The game in the open looked like ants. One
of my Bushmen called the attention of the others to
something they went to look at behind some bushes.
Going to see what they were examining, I found the
remains of four fires that had recently been alight, and
several pieces of bone broken near some stones to
extract the marrow, but nothing else could be dis
covered. Evidently there were Bushmen in these
mountains, but no sign of them could we see. After
exploring the ins and outs of the topmost ridges, I
selected a good position for taking observation, after
which we disposed ourselves for lunch ; the walk up
and pure air gave an edge to our appetites. Cold tea
and a dash of brandy, which gives the tea the flavour
of wine, was served to all alike, and they then disposed
theraselves on the grass for a smoke. I found the
elevation at this point above sea-level to be 6470
feet, and from the base of the mountain to where we
were 2795 feet.

BUSHMEN. 305
At 3 p.m. we made a start for the return journey to
camp, taking a different route down, which was much
more difficult, the mountain being broken up into
many almost perpendicular ravines, and gigantic rocks
projecting in all directions. Half-way down my Bush
men called out in an excited tone that there were several
Bushmen on a projecting spur making for cover. We
counted eleven; how many more we could not tell.
I told my boys to call to them to come, but they paid
no attention, and suggested that some should go and
bring them, but they refused, being afraid they should
be shot by the poisoned arrows ; and they informed
me they were monkeys, not men, meaning they were
of the same type as those I have mentioned previously
as having woolly hair on their body, legs, and arms.
As we wound round the mountain, it being too steep
to come straight, we came suddenly upon three, more,
a man, a woman and child, quite naked, and of
a reddish-brown colour. My Bushmen called to them
in their language of clicks to stop, we were friends,
but they seemed much alarmed. A present of beads
to the woman gave them confidence. They appeared
very young, not more than seventeen. ^ The height of
the man was about four feet two inches, large bodies
for their size, thin legs, and small receding head, and
disgustingly ugly.
Passing round one of the overhanging rocks, I came
upon several caves, none of any great extent, but
VOL. I. ^

3o6 TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN A WAGGON.
evidently made use of as dwellings from the numerous
remains of fires in them and the smoked appearance
of the roofs and sides, and heaps of broken bones
lying about, but no one was in them. If I had had
the means of sending this little family down to the
colony, I should have done so. After a delay of
nearly an hour looking about, we continued our
downward movements, and reached camp soon after
sundown. During our absence one of our Bush girls went out
with two other little ones to dig up inches, a small
bulb growing in the veldt — good to eat — when a lion
seized and carried her off. The screams of the girl
and the two little ones brought several of the Bush
men with guns, but no trace of the girl could be found.
This occurred just before our arrival, when I formed
a party of seven and went to look for her, but night
coming on and very dark, it was impossible to follow
up the spoor. Early next morning by break of day
all that could be spared started, but nothing could be
seen, the bush being so thick. Many of the Bush
people are carried off in this way. All last night
the roar at intervals could be heard far and near;
the man-eating lions are the only ones these people
greatly fear.
To go through my daily routine from place to place,
the same duty daily, would become too tedious. We
therefore, after leaving this place, visited various

VALUABLE FIELD FOR EMIGRATION. 307
localities. My Bushmen knew that water could be
found at Hoodedoon, and the dry river where we
managed to capsize the waggon. We reached Reitfon-
tain and Wahlberg, my old station, at a pan situated
at the north end of that mountain range I had
left five weeks back, and encamped once more for
a rest. I call this my station in 22° 10' S. lat.,
22° 12' E. long. The whole of the country is high,
3880 ; at my pan the mountain registers 6880 above
sea-level. After a stay of ten days I left for Lake
N'gami. The importance of this desert cannot be over
estimated in connection with our interior trade.
Whatever nation secures it, secures all the trade to
the Zambese, which would be an immense loss to
England and the Cape Colony, It is capable of great
improvement, and under a proper government will
become a most valuable field for emigration.

END OF VOL. I.

GILBERT ANI) KIVINGTOK, LTD., SI. JOHM's HOUSE, CIEKKEHWELI. BOIP, LONBOK.

3 9002 08837 8659