MERCHANTS OF SOSHONG. 299 



place consists in being able to keep an enemy from 

 obtaining water. 



The Bechuanas are well aware of this, and as they 

 are now fairly armed, and far from destitute of courage, 

 it would take a very strong and very determined force 

 to obtain possession of the spring, for it is flanked on 

 both sides with ridges of high ground, so formed by 

 nature that a hundred skirmishers would be able to keep 

 a division at bay. From the town branch off the two 

 great highroads of commerce the one passing round 

 the east end of the Bamanwatto Hills, goes to the 

 Matabele country, and the districts adjoining the 

 Zambesi; the other, following the west face of the 

 hills, leads to Lake N'gami, the Zouga and Linyanti 

 districts. But the whole trade of these immense 

 countries is in the hands of five or six people, who 

 frequently are absent two and even three years, and from 

 the date of their departure till their return no one 

 knows whether they still live or not. Their life is a 

 hazardous one ; unfriendly natives, savage beasts, 

 venomous reptiles, and malignant fevers have all to be 

 faced, so that if they do sometimes accomplish the task 

 of making a little money, they have well earned it. 



About half a mile from Soshong proper is a similar 

 kloof, which contains about half the number of huts, 

 and may be considered a suburb, the total population of 

 the two being close upon 15,000 souls. 



Kama, meaning hartebeest, is king here ; he is the 

 eldest son of Sekomi, who ruled this land when Dr. 

 Livingstone visited it. By Bechuana law the eldest son 

 does not succeed his father, thus Kama would not now 

 be monarch but for the effeteness of his brother and the 

 vacillating, weak policy of old Sekomi previous to his 



