LEAVE THE LIMPOPO. 207 



The old chief of these B-akalahari looked extremely 

 down-hearted when he saw ns preparing to depart, and 

 could hardly refrain from crying. I had come there 

 and found them starving; but ever since my arrival 

 they -had had more good flesh and fat than they could 

 eat. I had also employed the women to stamp my bar- 

 ley and Bechuana corn, and had always rewarded them 

 liberally with beads, which they made into native orna- 

 ments, and with which they adorned their persons. The 

 old chief was distinguished by a snake-skin, which he 

 wore round his head. I gave him some presents at 

 parting, and we then trekked, holding up the river, but 

 at a considerable distance from it, the Limpopo having 

 at this part a very considerable bend. In the evening 

 we came again upon the river, and halted at our old 

 kraal, where I had been troubled with lions on the 5th 

 of August. On the march I lost "Argyll," my best 

 dog, of whom I have often made mention in former ex- 

 peditions, he having weathered my two campaigns in 

 the Bamangwato country. He was strangled on the 

 trap of the wagon, where he was coupled along with 

 the other dogs. I now resolved to leave the Limpopo, 

 and explore the country in a northwesterly direction 

 I was accompanied by a large body of Sicomy's men. 

 These scoundrels would not give me any information 

 ^,her as to water or elephants, excepting in one direc- 

 tion which suited themselves, invariably answering my 

 questions with, " There is no water in that direction ; 

 there are no elephants there." Thus I was left en- 

 tirely in the dark how to proceed, and was obliged to 

 use my own discretion. About due northwest from 

 where we lay, a bold mountain range rose blue above 

 the forest. Thither in the morning I directed our course, 

 and in the evening we halted at a small vley, which I 



