134 EXPEDITION INTO 



without wasting" a single g'rain^ by means of a long- tube 

 of wood^ the ends of which were respectively applied to 

 her nose and to the back of her hand on which the powder 

 was placed. 



The country throug-h which we passed this day was more 

 tliickl}' wooded than any we had seen since leaving- Kur- 

 richane : and I for the first time observed several pit-falls 

 constructed for the purpose of taking* the rhinoceros. They 

 differed from others in being- dug- sing-ly instead of in groups 

 — very deep and larg-e — at the extremity of a narrow path 

 cut throug-h the bushes^ and fenced outside with thorns — a 

 sharp turn leading- directly upon the trap^ so that an un- 

 wieldy animal^ being* driven furiously down the avenue^ 

 could have no chance of avoidhig' the snare. Many skulls 

 and bones of these hug-e beasts were lying- at the bottom of 

 the sepulchres that had swallowed them up alive. 



After travelling- upwards of fifteen miles^ and passing- 

 three or four very larg-e kraals^ we arrived at the Tolaan 

 Eiver^ a deep^ narrow^ and rocky channel^ containing- several 

 extensive pools — the hollowed banks bearing- testimony to 

 the depth and rapidity of the current at certain seasons. 

 The bed was perfectly dry where we crossed^ but covered 

 with hug-e fragments of granite^ which threw the wag-g-ons 

 from side to side wdth frig'htful violence — and^ added to 

 the almost perpendicular character of the banks^ rendered 

 the passag-e extremely perilous. We halted on an isthmus^ 

 formed by a double bend of the river ; a g-rove of larg-e 

 acacia trees proving- an ag-eeeable shelter^ and rendering* 

 the spot delightful. Here we were visited by Moselekatse's 

 son, an aristocratic and intellig'ent lad, fourteen or fifteen 

 years of age. His dress consisted of the usual g-irdle with 

 long- fur streamers, and a chaplet of white beads bound 

 about his forehead, to which were attached three tufts of 

 clipped quills, resembling- in size and shape the flower of 



