NATURAL WELLS. 165 



those are only known to a few, they act on the principle 

 that it is best to let them all alone. The gloom of these 

 forests strengthens the superstitious feelings' of the people. 

 In other quarters, where they are not subjected to this 

 influence, I have heard the chiefs issue proclamations to 

 the effect that real witchcraft-medicines had been placed at 

 certain gardens from which produce had been stolen, the 

 thieves having risked the power of the ordinary charms 

 previously placed there. 



There was considerable pleasure, in spite of rain and 

 fever, in this new scenery. The deep gloom contrasted 

 strongly with the shadeless glare of the Kalahari, which 

 had left an indelible impression on my memory. Though 

 drenched day by day at this time, and for months after- 

 ward, it was long before I could believe that we were 

 getting too much of a good thing. Nor could I look at 

 water being thrown away without a slight, quick impres- 

 sion flitting across the mind that we were guilty of wast- 

 ing it. Every now and then we emerged from the deep 

 gloom into a pretty little valley, having a clamp portion in 

 the middle; which, though now filled with water, at other 

 times contains moisture enough for wells only. These wells 

 have shades put over them in the form of little huts. 



We crossed, in canoes, a little never-failing stream, which 

 passes by the name of Lefuje, or " the rapid." It comes 

 from a goodly high mountain, called Monakadzi, (the 

 Avoman,) which gladdened our eyes as it rose to our sight 

 about twenty or thirty miles to the east of our course. It 

 is of an oblong shape, and seemed at least eight hundred 

 feet above the plains. The Lefuje probably derives its 

 name from the rapid descent of the short course it has to 

 flow from Monakadzi to the Leeba. 



The number of little villages seemed about equal to tb?e 

 number of valleys. At some we stopped and rested, the 

 people becoming more liberal as we advanced. Others we 

 found deserted, a sudden panic having seized the inhabit- 

 ants, though the drum of Nanenko was kept beaten pretty 



