CUNNING OF LECHOLETEBE KETUKN TO NAMAQUA-LAND. 507 



the chief for his treachery, and had resolved to assume an 

 angry and dissatisfied air ; but a glance at his smooth, sly, 

 smiling face was sufficient to mollify every feeling of resent- 

 ment ; and when, with the most innocent look, he inquired 

 if I had seen Libebe, and if I felt satisfied with the trip in 

 general, my anger was turned into mirth, and I burst into a 

 hearty laugh. This was all my cunning friend wanted : he 

 seemed like one resting completely on a profound sense of his 

 own merits, and waiting to receive the thanks and praises 

 which he felt to be his due. 



When stopped so unexpectedly in my exploring career by 

 the artifices of Lecholetebe, I made up my mind to return 

 forthwith to the Cape, partly for the purpose of obtaining a 

 fresh outfit, and partly to procure boats suitable to navigate 

 the Ngami and its water-sheds, and then return to the Lake 

 to follow up my discoveries. But it was not to be. 



As the reader will probably remember, I reached the 

 Ngami by means of pack-and-ride oxen ; but I had found 

 this mode of traveling so exceedingly inconvenient that I al- 

 most dreaded a renewal of it. Moreover, my collection of 

 ivory, specimens of natural history, curiosities, &c., had by 

 this time so increased that I found my few remaining half- 

 broken-in cattle altogether inadequate to the task of convey- 

 ing me and my stores to the Cape. A wagon had become 

 absolutely necessary, and the only possible way of obtaining 

 one was to return to Namaqua-land, where, should my man 

 Eyebrecht not have such a vehicle at my disposal, I was in 

 hope of being able to borrow one from the natives. To in- 

 sure dispatch, although I stood sadly in need of rest and 

 quiet, I determined on undertaking the journey. 



After about a week's stay at Batoana-town, I set out for 

 Namaqua-land on the 10th of September, accompanied by 

 only one man, leaving Timbo in charge of the camp in my 

 absence. 



Before I returned to the Lake, and was fairly on my way 



