Chap. III. BANKS OF THE ZOUGA — PITFALLS. 69 



accompanied us, was then purchasing ivory at the rate of ten 

 good large tusks for a musket •worth thirteen shillings. They 

 were called " bones," and I myself saw eight instances in which 

 the tusks had been left to rot with the other bones where the 

 elephant fell. The Batauana never had a chance of a market 

 before ; but in less than two years after our discovery, not a man 

 of them could be found who was not keenly alive to the great 

 value of the article. 



On the day after our arrival at the lake, I applied to Lechu- 

 latebe for guides to Sebituane. As he was much afraid of that 

 chief, he objected, fearing lest other white men should go thither 

 also, and give Sebituane guns ; whereas, if the traders came to 

 him alone, the possession of firearms would give him such a supe- 

 riority, that Sebituane woidd be afraid of hini. It was in vain to 

 explain that I would inculcate peace between them — that Sebi- 

 tuane had been a father to him and Sechele, and was as anxious 

 to see me as he, Lechulatebe, had been. He offered to give me 

 as much ivory as I needed without going to that chief. But 

 when I refused to take any, he unwillingly consented to give me 

 guides. Next day, however, when Oswell and I were prepared 

 to start, with the horses only, we received a senseless refusal; 

 and like Sekomi, who had thrown obstacles in our way, he sent 

 men to the Bayeiye with orders to refuse us a passage across the 

 river. Trying hard to form a raft at a narrow part, I worked 

 many hours in the water, but the dry wood was so wormeaten it 

 would not bear the weight of a single person. I was not then 

 aware of the number of alligators which exist in the Zouga, and 

 never think of my labour in the water without feeling thankful 

 that I escaped their jaws. The season was now far advanced ; 

 and as Mr. Oswell, with his wonted generous feelings, volun- 

 teered on the spot to go down to the Cape and bring up a boat, 

 we resolved to make our way south again. 



Coming down the Zouga we had now time to look at its banks. 

 These are very beautiful, resembling closely many parts of the 

 river Clyde above Glasgow. The formation is soft calcareous 

 tufa, such as forms the bottom of all this basin. The banks are 

 perpendicular on the side to which the water swings, and sloping 

 and grassy on the other. The slopes are selected for the pitfalls 

 designed by the Bayeiye to entrap the animals as they come to 



