Chap. XVII. LOVE OF BALONDA FOE THEIE MOTHEES. 309 



months together. They were not flooded by the Leeba, for that 

 was still far within its- banks. Here and there, dotted over the 

 surface, are little islands, on which grow stunted date-bushes and 

 scraggy trees. The plains themselves are covered with a thick 

 sward of grass, which conceals the water, and makes the flats 

 appear like great pale yellow-coloured prairie-lands, with a clear 

 horizon, except where interrupted here and there by trees. The 

 clear rain-water must have stood some time among the grass, for 

 great numbers of lotus-flowers were seen in full blow ; and the 

 runs of water tortoises and crabs were observed ; other animals 

 also, which prey on the fish that find their way to the plains. 



The continual splashing of the oxen keeps the feet of the rider 

 constantly wet, and my men complain of the perpetual moisture 

 of the paths by which we have travelled in Londa, as softening 

 their horny soles. The only information we can glean is from 

 Intemese, who points out the different localities as we pass along, 

 and among the rest " Mokala a Mama," his " mama's home." 

 It was interesting to hear this tall grey-headed man recall the 

 memories of boyhood. All the Makalaka children cleave to the 

 mother in cases of separation, or removal from one part of the 

 country to another. This love for mothers does not argue 

 superior morality in other respects, or else Intemese has for- 

 gotten any injunctions his mama may have given him not to tell 

 lies. The respect, however, with which he spoke of her, was 

 quite characteristic of Ins race. The Bechuanas, on the con- 

 trary, care nothing for their mothers, but cling to their fathers, 

 especially if they have any expectation of becoming heirs to their 

 cattle. Our Bakwain guide to the lake, Backosi, told me that 

 his mother lived in the country of Sebituane, but, though a good 

 specimen of the Bechuanas, he laughed at the idea of going so 

 far as from the Lake Ngami to the Chobe, merely for the 

 purpose of seeing her. Had he been one of the Makalaka, he 

 never would have parted from her. 



We made our beds on one of the islands, and were wretchedly 

 supplied with firewood. The booths constructed by the men were 

 but sorry shelter, for the rain poured down without intermission 

 till mid-day. There is no drainage for the prodigious masses of 

 water on these plains, except slow percolation into the different 

 feeders of the Leeba, and into that river itself. The quantity of 



