290 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



was proposed by Livingstone, which suggestion was received 

 with general satisfaction, though some were doubtful if any 

 success could be had with the "drought-maker" among the 

 hunters. Nevertheless, a hunt was organized. Some miles from 

 Mabotsa there was a small creek not yet quite dry, which Living- 

 stone knew must be resorted to by numbers of wild animals, and 

 in this neighborhood he had the natives construct what they call 

 a " hopo." The hopo consists of two brush hedges in the form 

 of an open-ended V, which are high and thick near the angle. 

 Instead of the hedges being joined, they are made to form a lane 

 about fifty yards in length, at the extremity of which is a pit 

 eight feet deep and fifteen feet in breadth and length. Trees Rre 

 laid carefully about the borders so as to overlap the edge of the 

 pit to prevent entrapped animals from leaping out. The entire 

 pit is carefully covered over with green rushes, to make it appear 

 like a roadway, thoroughly disguising the pitfall. 



As the hedge-wings are generally a mile or more in length and 

 as broad at the entrance, by beating up the adjacent covert, a 

 large amount of game is driven into the hopo, particularly as two 

 or three hundred hunters make a great circuit and by loud shouts 

 drive in the game from an immense district of country. 



In the hunt which Livingstone organized, an unusually large 

 quantity of game was beat up, consisting of rhinoceri, antelopes, 

 hartebeests and lions, so that the pit was not only filled, but 

 hundreds escaped over the bodies of the less fortunate. The 

 natives destroyed those that were entrapped with spears and 

 javelins, while Livingstone added much to the store of meat by 

 shooting several antelopes that would have otherwise escaped. 

 A great feast followed and enough food was secured to last until 

 the rains came to freshen vegetation again. 



O C 



CROSSING AN AFRICAN DESERT. 



AFTER a residence of eight years at Mabotsa, Livingstone had 

 thoroughly established the Christian doctrine and had so far 

 educated many of the Bakwains that they were qualified to continue 

 the schools. Two English sportsmen, named Murray and 

 Oswell, who had penetrated to Lattakoo, hearing of Livingstone 



