GUIDES OBTAINED FROM LECHULATEBE. 45 



proach; but, when that was not the case, we could blame 

 no one on finding an established custom of the country 

 inimical to our interests. On approaching the confluence 

 of the Tamunak'le we were informed that the fly called 

 tsetse* abounded on its banks. This was a barrier we 

 never expected to meet; and, as it might have brought 

 our wagons to a complete stand-still in a wilderness, 

 where no supplies for the children could be obtained, 

 we were reluctantly compelled to recross the Zouga. 



From the Bayeiye we learned that a party of English- 

 men, who had come to the lake in search of ivory, were 

 all laid low by fever; so we travelled hastily down about 

 sixty miles to render what aid was in our power. We 

 were grieved to find, as we came near, that Mr. Alfred 

 Eider, an enterprising young artist who had come to 

 make sketches of this country and of the lake immediately 

 after its discovery, had died of fever before our arrival ; 

 but, by the aid of medicines and such comforts as could be 

 made by the only English lady who ever visited the lake, 

 the others happily recovered. 



Sechele used all his powers of eloquence with Lechula- 

 tebe to induce him to furnish guides, that I might be able 

 to visit Sebituane on ox-back, while Mrs. Livingstone and 

 the children remained at Lake Ngami. He yielded at 

 last. I had a veiy superior London-made gun, the gift of 

 Lieutenant Arkwright, on which I placed the greatest 

 value, both on account of the donor and the impossibility 

 of my replacing it. Lechulatebe fell violently in love with 

 it, and offered whatever number of elephants' tusks I might 

 ask for it. I too was enamored with Sebituane ; and, as he 

 promised in addition that he would furnish Mrs. Living- 

 stone with meat all the time of my absence, his argu- 

 ments made me part with the gun. Though he had no 

 ivory at the time to pay me, I felt the piece would be well 



* Gloisina morsitans, the first specimens of which were brought to 

 England in 1848 by my friend Major Vardon, from the banks of tha 

 Limpopo. 



