52 PREPARING TO CROSS THE DESERT. 



the Bakwain tribe, next to Sechele, was sent with an ox for both 

 Sekomi and his mother. This, too, was met by refusal. It was 

 said, " The Matebele, the mortal enemies of the Bechuanas, are in 

 the direction of the lake, and, should they kill the white man, we 

 shall incur great blame from all his nation." 



The exact position of the Lake Ngami had; for half a century 

 at least, been correctly pointed out by the natives, who had visit- 

 ed it when rains were more copious in the Desert than in more 

 recent times, and many attempts had been made to reach it by 

 passing through the Desert in the direction indicated ; but it was 

 found impossible, even for Griquas, who, having some Bushman 

 blood in them, may be supposed more capable of enduring thirst 

 than Europeans. It was clear, then, that our only chance of 

 success was by going round, instead of through, the Desert. 

 The best time for the attempt would have been about the end 

 of the rainy season, in March or April, for then we should have 

 been likely to meet with pools of rain-water, which always dry 

 up during the rainless winter. I communicated my intention to 

 an African traveler, Colonel Steele, then aid-de-camp to the Mar- 

 quis of Tweedale at Madras, and he made it known to two oth- 

 er gentlemen, whose friendship we had gained during their Afri- 

 can travel, namely, Major Vardon and Mr. Oswell. All of these 

 gentlemen were so enamored with African hunting and African 

 discovery that the two former must have envied the latter his 

 good fortune in being able to leave India to undertake afresh the 

 pleasures and pains of desert life. I believe Mr. Oswell came 

 from his high position at a very considerable pecuniary sacrifice, 

 and with no other end in view but to extend the boundaries of 

 geographical knowledge. Before I knew of his coming, I had ar- 

 ranged that the payment for the guides furnished by Sechele 

 should be the loan of my wagon, to bring back whatever ivory 

 he might obtain from the chief at the lake. When, at last, Mr. 

 Oswell came, bringing Mr. Murray with him, he undertook to de- 

 fray the entire expenses of the guides, and fully executed his gen- 

 erous intention. 



Sechele himself would have come with us, but, fearing that 

 the much-talked-of assault of the Boers might take place dur- 

 ing our absence, and blame be attached to me for taking him 

 away, I dissuaded him against it by saying that he knew 



