34 DEPARTURE FROM K0L0BEN3. 



that the much-talked-of assault of the Boers might take 

 place during our absence, and blame be attached to me for 

 taking him away, I dissuaded him against it by saying that 

 he knew Mr. Oswell " would be as determined as himself 

 to get through the Desert." 



CHAPTEK III. 



DR. LIVINGSTONE DISCOVERS LAKE NGAMI. 



Just before the arrival of my companions, a party of tho 

 people of the lake came to Kolobeng, stating that they 

 were sent by Lechulatebe, the chief, to ask me to visit 

 that country. They brought such flaming accounts of the 

 quantities of ivory to be found there, (cattle-pens made of 

 elephants' tusks of enormous size, &c.,) that the guides of 

 the Bakwains were quite as eager to succeed in reaching 

 the lake as any one of us could desire. This was fortunate, 

 as we knew the way the strangers had come was impass- 

 able for wagons. 



Messrs. Oswell and Murray came at the end of May, and 

 we all made a fair start for the unknown region on the 1st 

 of June, 1849. Proceeding northward, and passing through 

 a range of tree-covered hills to Shokuane, formerly the re- 

 sidence of the Bakwains, we soon after entered on the high 

 road to the Bamangwato, which lies generally in the bed 

 of an ancient river or wady that must formerly have flowed 

 N. to S. 



Boatlanama, our next station, is a lovely spot in the 

 otherwise dry region. The wells from which we had to 

 lift out the water for our cattle are deep, but they were 

 well filled. A few villages of Bakalahari were found near 

 them, and great numbers of pallahs, springbucks, Guinea- 

 fowl, and small monkeys. 



Lopepe came next This place afforded another proof 



