380 DEPARTUKE FEOM GHANZE SEARCH FOR WATER. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



Departure from Ghanze. — ^Nectar in the Desert. — Difficulty in finding 

 "Water. — Arrive at Abeglaan. — Unsuccessful Chase. — A " Charm." 

 — How to make the undrinkable drinkable. — An Elephant wounded 

 and killed. — Bold and courageous Dog. — Kobis. — Author seized 

 with a singular Malady. — Messengers dispatched to the Chief of the 

 Lake Ngami. — A large troop of Elephants. — Author kills a huge 

 Male. — Lions and Giraffe. — Author's hair-breadth Escapes : from a 

 black Rhinoceros ; from a white Rhinoceros ; from two troops of 

 Elephants ; he shoots a couple of his Adversaries. — Where to aim 

 at an Elephant. 



Having enjoyed a good deal of shooting, and feasted our- 

 selves and Bushmen on rhinoceros flesh to our hearts' content, 

 we left Ghanze on the 23d of June. The first portion of the 

 country through which our road led was very thorny ; but 

 the bush gradually opened, and we journeyed with more ease. 



In the early part of the day after our departure I caused 

 my horse to be saddled, and rode off to look for water. 

 About noon I reached a hollow, of a similar nature as 

 Ghanze', but on a smaller scale. I thought I perceived indi- 

 cations of the existence of water ; and having " hoppled" the 

 steed, went in search of it. The elephants, however, had so 

 trampled the place, that, though I could not doubt of water 

 being there, I soon found that it was only to be had by a 

 vast deal of labor. 



While reflecting on what was best to do, whether to re- 

 main and clear out the pit, or to push on in hopes of finding 

 another watering-place, I observed several small birds flying 

 in and out at a small crevice in the limestone rock. Run- 

 ning to the spot, I discovered a narrow circular aperture, 

 about two feet broad, and perhaps twice as much in depth, 



