4'3 1,0 SING THE WAY. 



had fled to Sechele ; as fugitives in this country are 

 always well received, and may even afterwards visit the 

 tribe from which they have escaped, Ramotobi was in no 

 danger, though doing that which he knew to be directly 

 opposed to the interests of his own chief and tribe. 



All around Serotli the country is perfectly flat, and 

 composed of soft white sand. There is a peculiar glare of 

 hright sunlight from a cloudless sky over the whole scene ; 

 and one clump of trees and bushes, with open spaces be- 

 tween, looks so exactly like another, that if you leave the 

 wells, and walk a quarter of a mile in any direction, it is 

 difficult to return. Oswell and Murray went out on one 

 occasion to get an eland, and were accompanied by one 

 of the Bakalahari. The perfect sameness of the country 

 caused even this son of the Desert to lose his way ; a 

 most puzzling conversation forthwith ensued between them 

 and their guide. One of the most common phrases of the 

 people is " Kia itumela," I thank you, or I am pleased ; 

 and the gentlemen were both quite familiar with it, and 

 with the word " Metse," water. But there is a word very 

 similar in sound, " Kia timela," I am wandering ; its 

 perfect is " Ki timetse," I have wandered. The party 

 had been roaming about, perfectly lost, till the sun 

 wrent down ; and, through their mistaking the verb 

 " wander," for "to be pleased," and " water," the 

 colloquy went on at intervals during the whole bitterly 

 cold night in somewhat the following style : — 



" Where are the waggons ? " 



Real answer. — " I don't know. I have wandered. I 

 never wandered before. I am quite lost." 



Supposed answer. — " I don't know. I want water. I 

 am glad, I am quite pleased. I am thankful to you." 



" Take us to the waggons, and you will get plenty of 

 w 7 ater. ' ' 



Real answer (looking vacantly around). — " How did I 

 wander ? Perhaps the well is there, perhaps not. I don't 

 know. I have wandered." 



Supposed answer. — " Something about thanks ; he says 

 lie is pleased, and mentions water again." The guide's 

 vacant stare, while trying to remember, is thought to 

 indicate mental imbecility, and the repeated thanks were 

 supposed to indicate a wish to deprecate their wrath. 



" Well, Livingstone has played us a pretty trick, giving 

 us in charge of an idiot. Catch us trusting him again. 



