52 WATER HIDDEN. Chap. II. 



One of the Bangwaketze chiefs, more wily than the rest, sent false 

 guides to lead them on a track where, for hundreds of miles, not 

 a drop of water could be found, and they perished in consequence. 

 Many Bakwains perished too. Their old men who could have 

 told us ancient stories perished in these flights. An intelligent 

 Mokwain related to me how the Bushmen effectually baulked a 

 party of his tribe which lighted on their village in a state of 

 burning thirst. Believing, as he said, that nothing human could 

 subsist without water, they demanded some, but were coolly told 

 by these Bushmen that they had none, and never drank any. 

 Expecting to find them out, they resolved to watch them night 

 and day. They persevered for some days, thinking that at last 

 the water must come forth ; but notwithstanding then watchful- 

 ness, kept alive by most tormenting thirst, the Bakwains were 

 compelled to exclaim, " Yak ! yak ! these are not men ; let us 

 go." Probably the Bushmen had been subsisting on a store 

 liidden under ground, which had eluded the vigilance of their 

 visitors. 



