SEE TPE SOS Ae ee ee OT 
LATER VISITS TO SOUTH AFRICA 125 
E. 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 
oe had told him the story before, so he posed as Solomon 
