CHAPTER XIX 



HOW 1 SPENT CHRISTMAS DAY 1 879 



Travelling through the desert — Large number of bullocks — Long 

 distances between permanent waters — Heavy sand — Start for 

 Mahakabi — Intense heat — Sufferings of the poor oxen — No 

 water at Mahakabi — Search for water with Bushmen guides — 

 Another disappointment — Ride all night — Reach the Luali 

 river — Bullocks lost — Dick's account of the catastrophe — Fear 

 the worst — Ride to Shoshong for assistance — Return to Klabala 

 — Meet waggons. 



Travelling south through the desert countries lying 

 between the Mababi river and Khama's old town of 

 Shoshong, during the month of December 1879, we 

 had found water plentiful as far as the Botletlie. 

 Farther south, however, but little rain appeared to 

 have fallen, and it was not without difficulty that we 

 crossed the desert stretch between that river and 

 the wells of Tlakani. 



Our party was a large one, as we were travelling 

 in company with a number of Khama's people who 

 had been hunting in the Mababi country during the 

 past season, and with whom we were on very good 

 terms. These people were under the command of 

 Tinkarn, one of Khama's most trusted chiefs, a man 

 who had been a hunter from his youth upwards, and 

 who from the life he had led had always been closely 

 associated with the wild Bushmen of the desert, 

 whose language he spoke fluently, and over whom 

 he exercised a strong influence. 



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