3i8 Men, Mines, AND Animals in South Africa. 



what became of tlie other animals. The journey 

 from Macloutsie to Palapye occupied four days. 

 The country traversed was in parts most attractive, 

 but the mid-day heat, the swarms of flies, and the 

 heavy sand through which we had to labour were 

 found exhausting to the teams as well as to the 

 travellers. The last thirty miles of road into 

 Palapye is mostly of a temble character. The 

 wheels of the carriages sink into the sand up to 

 the axles, while the road is obstructed by boulders 

 and rocks of every description and size, many of 

 which, concealed by the sand, cannot be avoided, 

 and the consequent jolting and straining, and peril 

 to springs and wheels, is great. Some hours of 

 this journeying on a very hot day took it out of 

 us all. When Palapye was reached about five 

 o'clock in the afternoon of the 13th Novemlier, 

 the mules in the teams of either carriage could 

 scarcely stir a limb. A twenty-foui* hours' rest 

 was imperative. Palapye, the capital of Kliama, 

 chief of the Bangmangwato, and paramount chief 

 in the Protectorate, stands on an elevated plateau. 

 It is probably the most thickly populated native 

 to^vn in South Africa. Groups of native huts, 

 closely packed, built without order or alignment, 

 sheltering upwards of thirty-five thousand souls, 

 straggle away in every direction as far as the eye 

 can reach. A large patch of gi'een sward, sur- 

 rounded by lofty trees and covered with animals, 

 poultry and children, reminds one strangely of an 

 English village green. The inhabitants are all 

 well-clothed, ^A-ear a prosperous appearance, and 



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