HOW KAMA BECAME KING. 301 



Thirst Land, and arrived at his father's home just in 

 time to save the capital. 



An engagement was fought ; the Bechuanas, led by 

 their pet prince (I do not mean that he sat on a horse 

 on a hill and witnessed his men struggling through the 

 battle, but that he was actually at their head), attacked 

 the Matabeles, and utterly drove them over the face of 

 the country. 



For a time he was reinstated, but it was only for a 

 time ; Kamani, the younger brother, had the ear of the 

 old king, and again Kama's destruction was plotted. 

 His followers learned this and told him of it, and a 

 second time he retired, leaving the reins of government 

 in the hands of his father and his junior brother, 

 Kamani. 



Again the Bechuana country was threatened ; again 

 Kama came to its relief, and successfully did what he 

 had done before. At length the old king died, and 

 Kamani reigned in his stead. Still Soshong did not 

 prosper ; Kama was again called upon to save it, when 

 he deposed his brother and now is sovereign. 



After he had been established as monarch, Kamani, 

 who had taken refuge with Sechelle, tried to revolu- 

 tionise the country, but failed, and took shelter in one of 

 the traders' houses. Here he was surrounded, and 

 doubtless would have been killed; but he escaped 

 through a window, when the first man he met was 

 Kama, who, dismounting from his horse, assisted his 

 brother on its back, and advised him to fly, for, although 

 king, he could not control the feelings of animosity of 

 his people against one who was at once unpopular, and 

 had constantly brought the country into disgrace. 



