Ceap.VI. HOT WIND— ELECTRICITY. 83 



sand. It is so devoid of moisture as to cause tLe wood of the 

 best seasoned English boxes and furniture to shrink. The air 

 is full of electricity, and a bunch of ostrich-feathers held for a 

 few seconds against the wind becomes as strongly charged as 

 if attached to a powerful electrical machine. Even at other 

 times the movement of a native in his kaross will often 

 produce a stream of small sparks. The first time I noticed 

 this appearance was while a chief was travelling with me, 

 when the fur of his mantle, being slightly chafed by the 

 movement of the waggon, assumed a luminous appearance. I 

 rubbed it smartly with my hand, and it gave out bright 

 sparks, which were accompanied with a sharp crackling 

 sound. " Don't you see this?" said I. " The white men did 

 not show us this," he replied; "we had it long before white 

 men came into the country, we and our forefathers of old." 

 Otto von Guerrike is said to have been the first that ever 

 observed the phenomenon in Europe. It had been familiar to 

 the Bechuanas for ages, but nothing came of it. The human 

 mind has here remained stagnant in reference to the physical 

 operations of the universe. No science has been developed, 

 and few questions are discussed except those which have 

 connexion with the wants of the stomach. 



Large flocks of swifts (Cypselus apus) were observed flying 

 over the plains north of Kuruman. I counted a stream of 

 them which must have numbered upwards of four thousand. 

 Only a few of these birds breed in this country. I have 

 often observed that there was no appearance of pairing, nc 

 chasing of each other, nor any playing together. There are 

 several other birds which continue in flocks, and move about 

 during the breeding season, which happens in this country 

 between the cold and hot weather ; for cold acts here like the 

 genial warmth of spring in less sultry climes. Are these the 

 migratory birds of Europe, which return there to breed and 

 rear their young ? 



On the 31st December, 1852, we reached the town of Sechele, 

 which is called Litubaruba from the part of the range on 

 which it is situatad. Near the village there exists a cave 

 named Lepelole, which no one dared to enter, for it was the 

 common belief that it was the habitation of the Deity. I 

 proposed to explore it. The old men said that every one who 



