108 NCIIOKOTSA— BITTEIi WATERS. Chap. VIII. 



of the Deity, he had only the idea of a chief. He was 

 referring to Sekomi, and his victims were a party of rebels 

 against whom he had been sent. 



Leaving Motlatsa on the 8th February, 1853, we passed 

 down the Mokoko, which, in the memory of persons now 

 living, was a flowing stream. Between Lotlakani and 

 Nchokotsa we passed the small well named Orapa ; and ten 

 miles to the north-east of Orapa is the saltpan Chuantsa, 

 having a cake of salt one inch and a half in thickness. The 

 deposit contains some bitter in addition, — probably the nitrate 

 of lime, — and the natives, to render it palatable, mix it with 

 the juice of a gummy plant, place it in the sand, and bake it 

 by making a fire over it. This renders the lime insoluble 

 and tasteless. 



The Bamangwato keep large flocks of sheep and goats at 

 various spots on this side of the Desert. They thrive wonder- 

 fully well wherever salt and bushes are to be found. The 

 milk of goats on account of its richness does not curdle with 

 facility ; but the natives have discovered that the infusion of 

 the fruit of a solanaceous plant, Toluane, quickly produces the 

 eifect. The Beehuanas put their milk into sacks made ot 

 untanned hide with the hair taken off. These they hang in 

 the sun. Their contents soon coagulate. The whey is drawn 

 off by a plug at the bottom, and fresh milk is added until the 

 sack is full of a thick sour curd : this when the palate gets 

 accustomed to it is delicious. The rich mix it in their meal 

 porridge, and, as the latter is thus rendered more nutritious, 

 the poor are sometimes called in scorn "mere water-porridge 

 men." 



The rainy season was delayed this year beyond the usual 

 time, and we found the thermometer at Nchokotsa stand at 

 96° in the shade. This temperature at Kolobeng alwaj's 

 portended rain at hand. At Kurumana it may be considered 

 near when the mercury rises above 84°, while farther north 

 it rises above 100° before the downfall can be expected. 

 Here the thermometer, when the bulb was placed two inches 

 beneath the soil, showed 128°. All around Nchokotsa the 

 country looked parched, and the glare from the white efflores- 

 cence which covers the extensive pans was most distressing 

 to the eyes. The water was bitter, and presented indication? 



