206 



ADVENTURES m SOUTH AFRICA. 



riders and a paok-horse. The country through which 

 we passed resembled a vast interminable park, being 

 adorned with a continued succession of picturesque 

 dwarfish forest-trees single and in groups. Such, with 

 the exception of a few grassy open plains, is the char- 

 aoter of the country from Siklagole, as far as the mount- 

 ains of Bakatla, which we reached on the 31st. Hav- 

 ing crossed these, we proceeded up a valley about three 

 miles, when we reached a gorge in the mountains 

 which connected this fine valley with the great strath 

 or vale of Bakatla. Through this gorge ran a stream 

 of the purest crystal water. Our road lay along the 

 margin of this stream, across large masses of stone and 

 ledges of rock, which threatened every moment the de- 

 struction of our wagons. 



Following the stream for half a mile, we arrived at 

 Mabotza, the kraal of Mosielely, king of the Bakatlas, 

 a tribe of Bechuanas. Here I was kindly received by 

 Dr. Livingstone, the resident missionary. The vale of 

 Bakatla, which I had now readied, is one of the most 

 beautiful spots in Africa. It is a broad and level strath, 

 extending from east to west, and bounded by picturesque 

 rooky mountains, beautifully wooded to their summits. 

 In parts the strath is adorned with groves and patches 

 of beautiful forest-trees of endless variety ; in others it 

 is open, carpeted with a goodly coating of luxuriant 

 grass. A large portion of the valley, opposite to the 

 town, is cultivated by the Bakatla women, and a suc- 

 cession of extensive corn-fields stretched away to the 

 northward of the kraal. These had lately been denuded 

 of their crops, but a goodly show of pumpkins and 

 water-melons still remained in the fields. The follow- 

 ing day was Sunday, and I attended Divine service in 

 a temporary place of worship that had been erected by 



