SOUTHERN AFRICA. 207 



by Img'g'ing' the baiik^ to avoid, the chance of passing- the 

 iiig-ht without water j and to g'uard as far as possible ag-ainst 

 other misfortunes, a new order of march was ordained — the 

 oxen^ horses^ and sheep, being- driven close to the wag'g'ons 

 en masse, and not suffered to strag'g'le as of 3'^ore. 



We had proceeded some ten miles in this fashion, when 

 two human figures were descried at a distance, accompanied 

 by several dog's. Immediately on perceiving" us, they con- 

 cealed themselves beneath a bush 5 and on our approach, 

 fled in the greatest consternation, sitting- g-loomily down as 

 " men without hope," when our horses were actually at their 

 heels. Expecting- nothing at our hands but instant death, 

 these miserable savages were not a little surprised at receiving 

 a liberal suppty of tobacco, and an invitation to the waggons, 

 where the}^ feasted so heartily, that although anxious to 

 accompan}' our party, they were utterl}- unable to keep pace. 

 Before losing sight of them Ave discovered that the}^ were 

 members of the Barapootsa tribe, acknowledging an inde- 

 pendent king named Bapootsa, and occupying the hills at 

 the head of the Likwa ; which river, they assured us, we 

 could not possibl}^ reach before the next night. In accord- 

 ance with African caprice, which assigns a parasol to the 

 male instead of to the female sex, these sons of the desert 

 were each provided with a long staff decorated with the 

 black body feathers of the ostrich. Besides affording pro- 

 tection from the sun's rays, these implements not unfrequently 

 prove serviceable in the chase : and being stuck into the 

 ground at the proper moment, divert the attention of a 

 charging lion from the object of his vengeance, and thus 

 enable the rest of the party to rush in and despatch him 

 with their assagais. 



By sunset, having- abandoned two of the sick oxen, and 

 accomplished twenty-five miles, our farther advance was 

 prevented by the pack-waggon sticking fast in a morass. It 



Q 2 



