92 THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



fill after mouthful from below ; and thus the whole stock of 

 water passes through her mouth as a pump, and when taken 

 home is carefully buried to prevent its loss by evaporation. A 

 short stay among the thiisty Bakalaharis might teach us better 

 to appreciate the blessings of an abundant supply of water. 



These poor people generally attach themselves to influential 

 men in the different Bechuana tribes near to their desert home, 

 in order to obtain supplies of spears, knives, tobacco, and dogs, 

 in exchange for the skins of animals which they kill. These are 

 small carnivora of the feline race, including two species of 

 jackal, the dark and the golden, the former of which has the 

 warmest fur the country yields, while the latter is very hand- 

 some when made into the skin-mantle called harass. Next in 

 value follow the small ocelot, the lynx, the wild and the spotted 

 cat. Great numbers of duiker and steinbuck skins are also 

 obtained, besides those of lions, panthers, and hyaenas. 



The Bakalahari are a timid race, and in bodily development 

 frequently resemble the aborigines of Australia. They have 

 thin legs and arms, and large protruding abdomens, caused by the 

 coarse indigestible food they eat. Their children's eyes have no 

 lustre, and such is their want of the animation so natural at that 

 age that Dr. Livingstone never saw them at play. 



A Bechuana may meet a troop of Bakalahari, and domineer 

 over the whole with impunity ; but when he meets a Bushman 

 he is fain to adopt a more humble tone, well knowing that if the 

 request for tobacco is refused, the free son of the desert may 

 endeavour to obtain it by a poisoned arrow. 



