122 LEAVING THE BAKWAINS. 



times rose, previous to a fall of rain, up to 96 ° in the 

 coolest part of our house, — yet the atmosphere never has 

 that steamy feeling nor those debilitating effects so well 

 known in India and on the coast of Africa itself. In the 

 evenings the air becomes deliciously cool, and a pleasant 

 refreshing night follows the hottest day. The greatest heat 

 ever felt is not so oppressive as it is when there is much 

 humidity in the air ; and the great evaporation conse- 

 quent on a fall of rain makes the rainy season the most 

 agreeable for travelling. Nothing can exceed the balmy 

 feeling of the evenings and mornings during the whole year. 

 You wish for an increase neither of cold nor heat ; and you 

 can sit out of doors till midnight without ever thinking of 

 colds or rheumatism ; or you may sleep out at night, 

 looking up to the moon till you fall asleep, without a 

 thought or sign of moon-blindness. Indeed, during many 

 months there is scarcely any dew. 



CHAPTER VII. 



Having remained five days with the wretched Bakwains, 

 seeing the effects of war, of which only a very inadequate 

 idea can ever be formed by those who have not been eye- 

 witnesses of its miseries, we prepared to depart on the 

 15th January, 1853. Several dogs, in better condition by 

 far than any of the people, had taken up their residence 

 at the water. No one would own them ; there they had 

 remained, and, coming on the trail of the people, long 

 after their departure from the scene of conflict, it was plain 

 they had 



"Held o'er the dead their carnival." 



Hence the disgust with which they were viewed. • 



On our way from Khopong, along the ancient river-bed 

 which forms the pathway to Boatlanama, I found a species 

 of cactus, being the third I have seen in the country, — 

 namelv, one in the colony with a bright red flower, one at. 



