58 CEOSS PURPOSES. Chap. III. 



puzzling conversation forthwith ensued between them and their 

 guide. One of the most common phrases of the people is " Kia 

 itumela," I thank you, or I am pleased ; and the gentlemen were 

 both quite familiar with it, and with the word " metse," water. 

 But there is a word very similar in sound, " Kia thneda," I am 

 wandering ; its perfect is " Ki timetse," I have wandered. The 

 party had been roaming about, perfectly lost, till the sun went 

 down ; and, through their mistaking the verb " wander," for " to 

 be pleased," and "water," the colloquy went on at intervals 

 during the whole bitterly cold night in somewhat the following 

 style : — 



" Where are the waggons ? " 



Real answer. — " I don't know. I have wandered. I never 

 wandered before. I am quite lost." 



/Supposed answer. — " I don't know. I want water. I am glad, 

 I am quite pleased. I am thankful to you." 



" Take us to the waggons, and you will get plenty of water." 



Heal answer (looking vacantly around). — " How did I wander ? 

 Perhaps the w T ell is there, perhaps not. I don't know. I have 

 wandered." 



Supposed answer. — " Something about thanks ; he says he is 

 pleased, and mentions water again." The guide's vacant stare, 

 while trying to remember, is thought to indicate mental imbe- 

 cility, and the repeated thanks were supposed to indicate a wish 

 to deprecate their wrath. 



" Well, Livingstone has played us a pretty trick, giving us in 

 charge of an idiot. Catch us trusting him again. What can 

 this fellow mean by his thanks and talk about water ? O, you 

 born fool ! take us to the waggons, and you will get both meat 

 and water. Wouldn't a thrashing bring him to his senses again ?" 

 " No, no, for then he will run away, and we shall be worse off 

 than we are now." 



The hunters regained the waggons next day by their own 

 sagacity, which becomes wonderfully quickened by a sojourn in 

 the Desert ; and we enjoyed a hearty laugh on the explanation of 

 their midnight colloquies. Frequent mistakes of this kind occur. 

 A man may tell his interpreter to say that he is a member of the 

 family of the chief of the white men ; " Yes, you speak like a chief" 

 is the reply ; meaning, as they explain it, that a chief may talk 



