LATER VISITS TO SOUTH AFRICA 125 



water, but I thought it worth while trying the experiment of 

 offering her beads and brass wire if she would guide us to some. 

 It succeeded. ' Well, if you won't kill me, I'll show you where 

 the elephants drink,' she replied ; I bade her go ahead, and 

 made her walk just in front. Never did any old lady step out 

 through prickly bush as did my dame. Her bare legs were 

 scratched by the thorns ; but what was that to her, expecting 

 instant death if she stopped a moment ? On she went. Pre- 

 sently we came upon an elephant. She suggested by signs that 

 I should kill it, but I answered, ' Water, then elephant.' We 

 entered a belt of high trees. I pressed even more closely on 

 her, lest she should dodge among them and escape ; my pony's 

 nose nearly touched her, and so we went through two miles of 

 wood. 



As we break into the open again, what do I see? The 

 Lake ! Can it be that I am the first to catch a glimpse of it ? 

 We had voted it mean to stand upon an ant-heap for the 

 chance of a first view, and here was I engaged on a work of 

 love for the public weal. I was the happy discoverer, and 

 under ' creditable circumstances.' As far as the eye could 

 reach, without limit rippled the bright blue water. Up went 

 my old wide-awake, and I shouted for joy ; down went the old 

 lady on her knees begging for dear life : she feared the hour 

 of sacrifice had struck. The Kafirs who were with me looked 

 astonished, and thought I had gone mad. ' What is it ; what 

 is it, Tlaga ? ' ' The lake ! ' I replied. ' Where ? ' ' Here 

 under our feet close by.' ' Why, that's only a chooi ! ' 

 and so it was. The low sun cast a slanting beam over the 

 incrustations of salt, and they looked like ripples indeed, a 

 moment before I would have sworn it was water. The bush- 

 woman showed us the usual spring by the side of the pan, 

 and we got water enough for the cattle ; she was bountifully 

 rewarded, but she bolted during the night. 



As the waggons came up I watched to see if Livingstone 

 would make the same mistake as I ; but one of the Kafirs 

 had told him the story before, so he posed as Solomon 



