422 HUMAN LIFE LITTLE VALUED BY LECHOLETEBL.. 



Having lately bought some horses, two Bushmen were or- 

 dered to take charge of them ; but, unfortunately, by their 

 neglect, one of the animals fell into a quagmire, and was suf- 

 focated. Being afraid to tell the truth, they reported to the 

 chief that the horse had died from the effects of the bite of a 

 snake. On hearing this, Lecholetebe questioned the men as 

 to the part of the body wounded by the reptile, and being- 

 told that it was in the head, he ordered the men to lead him 

 to the place, that he might see for himself On arriving at 

 the spot, he at once saw how the case stood, and told the 

 Bushmen that the animal had not died from the bite of a 

 snake, but was evidently choked in the mud, to which they 

 confessed, as there was no longer any chance of concealing 

 the truth. Without further question or remark, the chief or- 

 dered the halter of the dead horse to be loosened, and the 

 hands and feet of the Bushmen to be secured with it. This 

 being done, they were thrown into the mud alongside the 

 dead quadruped, where, of course, they soon miserably perish- 

 ed, Lecholetebe coolly exclaiming, " There, now mind the 

 horse!" 



Another instance of the little value he sets on human 

 (rather Bushman) life I have upon good authority. A Bush- 

 man lad, 'who had long been successfully engaged in sheep- 

 stealing, was at length detected, and, as a punishment for his 

 crimes, was tied to a tree, and practiced upon with guns at 

 the long distance of two hundred paces. 



The object I had now chiefly in view was to visit a place 

 called Libebe, situated considerably to the north of the Lake, 

 not so much to see the country as to collect information in 

 regard to the mighty waters (part of which are tributaries to 

 the Ngami) lately brought to light in tliat remote region, as 

 also to ascertain if any water communication existed with 

 the sea. But many difficulties were in the way. My people 

 refused almost to a man to accompany me ; and as our agree- 

 ment only bound them as far as the Ngami, I could not com- 



