Welcome at Macloutsie. 315 



jDrepared lis for another day's journey. So for the 

 best part of three weeks we travelled, and hard 

 travelling I found it to be. Sleep during the day- 

 time the flies never for an instant permitted. Our 

 two servants were worked to death ; the constant 

 unloading of the carriages for food or dressing for 

 the nitrht, the constant hllinir and rcfillinii of the 

 waterbuckets, sometimes from half a mile to a mile 

 having to be traversed for this purpose, made the 

 day's toil A'ery heavy for them. Moreover at 

 every outspan the horses and mules were a subject 

 of anxious care and observation. If, on being re- 

 leased from the harness, they at once rubbed them- 

 selves heartily in the dust or sand and commenced 

 to graze, then all ^vas well, but if they stood about 

 or lay down, and were disinclined to feed, then 

 well-grounded fears of a breakdown without a 

 chance of assistance prevented us from lieing at all 

 happy or cheerful. Before our arrival at Palla 

 camp we had several bad half hours on this 

 account. 



At Macloutsie we experienced the most hospi- 

 table welcome and entertainment from the officers 

 of the Bechuanaland Border Police who have their 

 headquarters here. The situation has been skil- 

 fully selected both as regards strategic or sanitary 

 conditions. The camjD occupies a small elevated 

 plateau, and overlooks and commands the surround- 

 ing bush. No traveller can fail to be struck by 

 the exceeding cleanliness and order, as well as by 

 the excellent construction of the quarters of the 

 officers and men. It would be difficult to speak 



