296 



EXPEDITION INTO [Ch^p. XXXIII. 



not have fallen. About noon, lifting up my eyes 

 from the ground, on which they had vainly sought 

 for any indication of the party having passed, to 

 my unutterable joy and delight I recognised the 

 sedge-grown fountain at which we had breakfasted 

 on Christmas morning ! Vavdting into the saddle, 

 I eagerly dashed towards the spot, and instantly 

 hit upon the trail of our waggons, steadily following 

 up which, I shortly fell in with a party of Bechuana 

 of both sexes, who proved to be members of the 

 remnant of a tribe called Lihoya, and were engaged 

 in eating up a bles-buck that had been caught in one 

 of their pit-falls. Having, through the agency of 

 a broken cigar, negociated a treaty of alliance with 

 these terrified savages, who as usual had fled on 

 perceiving me, I pointed to the wheel-tracks, and 

 gave them by signs to imderstand that I was in 

 search of my waggons. They instantly understood 

 my meaning, and holding up both hands, pointed 

 to the western horizon. The ladies, although very 

 nervous at first, had in the mean time conceived a 

 violent attachment for the brass buttons of my 

 jacket — pointing to them, and repeatedly exclaiming 

 with dry mouths, " Tullana, Tullana .'"* Upon 

 my presenting these, together with a knife with 

 which their amputation had been performed, they 

 became perfectly insane, and declared their intention 

 of accompanying me in person for the purpose of 

 receiving further presents. Placing myself under 

 the willing guidance of this savage party, I struck 



* Jnglice, Buttons, buttons ! 



