86 SCARCITY OF WATER. 



one shot could be followed : it has never been tried in 

 Africa. 



Advancing to some wells beyond Letloche, at a spot 

 named Kanne, we found them carefully hedged round by 

 the people of a Bakalahari village situated near the spot. 

 We had then sixty miles of country in front without water, 

 and very distressing for the oxen, as it is generally deep 

 soft sand. There is one sucking-place, around which were 

 congregated great numbers of Bushwomen with their egg- 

 shells and reeds. Mathuluane now contained no water, and 

 Motlatsa only a small supply ; so we sent the oxen across 

 the country to the deep well Nkauane, and half were lost 

 on the way. When found at last, they had been five whole 

 days without water. Very large numbers of elands were 

 met with, as usual, though they seldom can get a sip of 

 drink. Many of the plains here have large expanses of 

 grass without trees ; but you seldom see a treeless horizon. 



CHAPTEE VIII. 



DR. LIVINGSTONE REACHES THE COUNTRY OP THE MAKOLOLO 



The Bakalahari, who live at Motlatsa Wells, have always 

 been very friendly to us, and listen attentively to instruc- 

 tion conveyed to them in their own tongue. It is, how- 

 ever, difficult to give an idea to a European of the little 

 effect teaching produces; because no one can realize the 

 degradation to which their minds have been sunk by cen- 

 turies of barbarism and hard struggling for the necessaries 

 of life : like most others, they listen with respect and 

 attention j but, when we kneel down and address an 

 unseen Being, the position and the act often appear to 

 them so ridiculous that they cannot refrain from bursting 

 into uncontrollable laughter. After a few services thev 



