300 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



death. Romances may occur in Europe men there may 

 play for crowns and win or lose them, but they cannot 

 exceed the romance attached to the life of the present 

 Bechuana king. It would occupy too much space to 

 enter into all the particulars, but a short sketch of his 

 career may interest. 



When quite a lad his father became jealous of his 

 popularity, and attempted to take his life, but being 

 providentially warned, he eluded those employed to 

 assassinate him. He then called his regiment together 

 (for all children born in a town in the same year as a 

 prince become members of the regiment which the royal 

 child at maturity commands. All these, privates and 

 chiefs, go through the ceremonies attached to circum- 

 cision at one time, and this is supposed to bind them 

 firmly together for good or bad) and asked them to follow 

 him, and they did so to a man. With his numerous 

 attendants he travelled away north-west, to the Lake 

 and Mababe districts, where they lived by the chase, 

 and by degrees amassed considerable wealth in ostrich- 

 feathers and ivory. 



But old Sekomi, through his senility, had got his 

 country into war with the formidable Matabeles, who, 

 even now in their fights, fire their guns, and, throwing 

 them away, rush in upon their enemies with the assegai. 

 Everything seemed to go against the Bechuana cause ; 

 wherever they met the enemy they were vanquished, so 

 that at length Soshong was threatened, and the old 

 king was at his wit's end. At length, although very 

 distasteful to him, he thought of sending for Kama, and 

 he did so. Insulted, injured, and even his life sought 

 for, the brave young man at once responded, marched 

 day and night across the Kalahari Desert, the Great 



