XIX A HOT AND WEARY TRAMP 319 



scarcely touched. Should the vley spoken of by 

 the Bushmen prove to contain a good supply of 

 water, I told Miller I would rest the oxen there 

 until after midday on the 26th, and drive them back 

 to the waggons, after they had had a good drink, on 

 the afternoon of that day, in time to start for Klabala 

 the same evening. Should I not turn up by that 

 time, however, I told him not to expect me for at 

 least another twenty-four hours, as he would then 

 know I had had to go on to Luali. 



Having bade good-bye to Miller, I started Dick 

 (who was mounted) and all our boys with our cattle 

 on the track of those belonging to Tinkarn and his 

 people, who had already set off eastwards under the 

 guidance of the Bushmen. After a very hot and 

 weary tramp, we at last reached the vley where our 

 guides had hoped to be able to show us water. As 

 in the pools of Mahakabi, so here there were still 

 a few gallons of liquid left, but not enough, un- 

 fortunately, to be of any use, as the thirsty oxen 

 just rushed into it and trampled it into mud 

 immediately. 



There was now nothing for it but to push on for 

 Luali as speedily as possible during the cool of the 

 night. Soon the scorching sun once more went 

 down, but as the moon was near the full, we had 

 no difficulty in keeping a good line through the 

 open thorn scrub, and got on at a good quick 

 walk, as our thirsty cattle stepped out briskly, and 

 weary though they must have been, showed no 

 signs now of flagging. About midnight we called 

 a halt, and off-saddling the horses — about six of 

 Khama's headmen were mounted — lit fires, round 

 about which the oxen were collected in two herds, 

 the one composed of those belonging to the Mang- 

 watos, from which I kept ours a little separate. We 

 rested for about an hour, during which time I sat 

 talking with Tinkarn. My boys had all lain down 



