START FOR BAMANGWATO. 209 



is the invariable policy of A.frican chiefs to prevent all 

 travelers from penetrating beyond themselves. 



Baraangwato is distant upward of two hundred miles 

 to the northward of Bakatla, from which it is separated 

 by rugged and apparently impassable mountain ranges, 

 extensive sandy deserts, which are destitute of water, 

 and vast and trackless forests. Isaac, my interpreter, 

 already began to lose heart, and raised a thousand ob- 

 jections to my proceeding to so distant a country. He 

 recommended my rather hunting in the territory of 

 " Sichely," the paramount chief of the Baquaines, sit- 

 uated about fifty miles to the north of Bakatla, where 

 he assured me we should find elephants. Perceiving 

 that his remonstrances did not avail, and that I was in- 

 exorable, he proposed resigning his commission, and 

 was with difficulty prevailed on by Dr. Livingstone to 

 agree to accompany me further. 



On the 3d I took leave of my kind friend Dr. Liv- 

 ingstone, and started for Bamangwato. I was accom- 

 panied by a large party of the Bakatla men and two 

 Baquaines. They followed me in the hope of obtain- 

 ing flesh, a report having spread through the tribe that 

 I was a successful hunter. The Bechuanas are ex- 

 tremely fond of flesh, which they consider the only food 

 befitting men. Corn and milk they reckon the food of 

 women. Having no flesh at home, a-nd being seldom 

 able to kill large game for themselves, they entertain 

 great respect for those who kill plenty of venison for 

 them, and they will travel to very great distances for 

 the purpose of obtaining it. We proceeded in a west- 

 erly course, and held up the lovely valley of Bakatla, 

 through open glades and patches of ancient forests. 



I had ridden only a short distance across the valley 

 when I fell in v/ith a troop of blue wildebeests, one of 



