LAND TORTOISES. 123 



Lake Ngami, the flower of which was liver-coloured, and 

 the present one, flower unknown. That the plant is 

 uncommon may be inferred from the fact that the Bakwains 

 find so much difficulty in recognising the plant again after 

 having once seen it, that they believe it has the power of 

 changing its locality. 



On the 2 1st J anuary we reached the wells of Boatlanama, 

 and found them for the first time empty. Lopepe, which I 

 had formerly seen a stream running from a large reedy pool, 

 was also dry. The hot salt spring of Serinane, east of 

 Lopepe, being undrinkable, we pushed on to Mashiie for its 

 delicious waters. In travelling through this country, the 

 olfactory nerves are frequently excited by a strong dis- 

 agreeable odour. This is caused by a large jet-black ant 

 named " Leshonya." It is nearly an inch in length, and 

 emits a pungent smell when alarmed, in the same manner 

 as the skunk. The scent must be as volatile as ether, for 

 on irritating the insect with a stick six feet long, the odour 

 is instantly perceptible. 



Occasionally we lighted upon land tortoises, which, with 

 their unlaid eggs, make a very agreeable dish. We saw 

 many of their trails leading to the salt fountain ; they must 

 have come great distances for this health-giving article. 

 In lieu thereof they often devour wood-ashes. It is won- 

 derful how this reptile holds its place in the country. 

 When seen, it never escapes. The young are taken for the 

 sake of their shells ; these are made into boxes, which, 

 filled with sweet-smelling roots, the women hang around 

 their persons. When older it is used as food, and the shell 

 converted into a rude basin to hold food or water. It owes 

 its continuance neither to speed nor cunning. Its colour, 

 yellow and dark-brown, is well adapted, by its similarity 

 to the surrounding grass and brushwood, to render it indis- 

 tinguishable ; and, though it makes an awkward attempt 

 to run on the approach ofman, its trust is in its bony cover- 

 ing, from which even the teeth of a hyaena glance off foiled. 

 When this long-lived creature is about to deposit her eggs, 

 she lets herself into the ground by throwing the earth up 

 round her shell, until only the top is visible ; then covering 

 up the eggs, she leaves them until the rains begin to fall 

 and the. fresh herbage appears ; the young ones then come 

 out, their shells still quite soft, and, unattended by their 

 dam, begin the world for themselves. Their food is tender 

 grass and a plant named thotona, and they frequently 



