THE BAYEIYE TRIBE. 77 



" A large party of Griquas, in about thirty waggons, made many and 

 persevering efforts at two different points last year ; but though inured to the 

 climate, and stimulated by the prospect of much gain from the ivory they 

 expected to procure, want of water compelled them to retreat. 



" Two gentlemen, to whom I had communicated my intention of pro- 

 ceeding to the oft-reported lake beyond the Desert, came from England for 

 the express purpose of being present at the discovery, and to their liberal and 

 zealous co-operation we are especially indebted for the success with which that 

 and other objects have been accomplished. While waiting for their arrival 

 seven men came to me from the Batavana, a tribe living on the banks of the 

 lake, with an earnest request from their chief for a visit. But the path by 

 which they had come to Kolobeng was impracticable for waggons ; so, 

 declining their guidance, I selected the more circuitous route by which the 

 Bermangueato usually pass, and having Bakwains for guides, their self- 

 interest in our success was secured by my promising to carry any ivory they 

 might procure for their chiefs in my waggon; and right faithfully they 

 performed their task. 



" When Sekomi, the Bermangueato chief, became aware of our inten- 

 tion to pass into the regions beyond him, with true native inhumanity he 

 sent men before us to drive away all the Bushmen and Bakalahari from our 

 route, in order that, being deprived of their assistance in the search for water, 

 we might, like the Griquas above mentioned, be compelled to return. This 

 measure deprived me of the opportunity of holding the intercourse with these 

 poor outcasts I might otherwise have enjoyed. But through the good pro- 

 vidence of God, after tiavelling about three hundred miles from Kolobeng, we 

 struck on a magnificent river on the 4th of July, and without further difficulty, 

 in so far as water was concerned, by winding along its banks nearly three 

 hundred miles more, we reached the Batavana, on the Lake Ngami, by the 

 beginning of August. 



" Previous to leaving this beautiful river on my return home, and com- 

 mencing our route across the Desert, I feel anxious to furnish you with the 

 impressions produced on my mind by it and its inhabitants, the Bakoba or 

 Bayeiye. They are a totally distinct race from the Bechuanas. They call 

 themselves Bayeiye (or men), while the term Bakoba (the name has somewhat 

 of the meaning of ' slaves ') is applied to them by the Bechuanas. Their 

 complexion is darker than that of the Bechuanas, and of 300 words I collected 

 of their language, only 21 bear any resemblance to Sichuana. They paddle 

 along the rivers and lake in canoes hollowed out of the trunks of single trees ; 

 take fish in nets made of a weed which abounds on the banks ; and kill 

 hippopotami with harpoons attached to ropes. We greatly admired the 

 frank manly bearing of these inland sailors. Many of them spoke Sichuana 

 fluently, and while the waggon went along the bank I greatly enjoyed follow- 



