152 MORAI^A TREE. — BUSHMEN. 



struck by lightning than other trees, caution travellers 

 never to seek its shade when a thunder-storm is near — 

 " Lightning hates it ; " while another tree, the " Morala," 

 which has three spines opposite each other on the branches, 

 and has never been known to be touched by lightning, is 

 esteemed, even as far as Angola, a protection against the 

 electric fluid. Branches of it may be seen placed on the 

 houses of the Portuguese for the same purpose. The 

 natives, moreover, believe that a man is thoroughly pro- 

 tected from an enraged elephant, if he can get into the 

 shade of this tree. There may not be much in this, but 

 there is frequently some foundation of truth in their 

 observations. 



At Rapesh we came among our old friends the Bushmen, 

 under Horoye. This man, Horoye, a good specimen of 

 that tribe, and his son Mokantsa, and others, were at 

 least six feet high, and of a darker colour than the Bush- 

 men of the south. They have always plenty of food and 

 water ; and as they frequent the Zouga as often as the 

 game in company with which they live, their life is very 

 different from that of the inhabitants of the thirsty plains 

 of the Kalahari. The animal they refrain from eating is 

 the goat, which fact, taken in connection with the super- 

 stitious dread which exists in every tribe towards a 

 particular animal, is significant of their feelings to the 

 only animals they could have domesticated in their desert 

 home. They are a merry laughing set, and do not tell 

 lies wantonly. They have in their superstitious rites more 

 appearance of worship than the Bechuanas ; and at a 

 Bushman's grave we once came to on the Zouga, the 

 observances showed distinctly that they regarded the 

 dead as still in another state of being ; for they addressed 

 him, and requested him not to be offended, even though 

 they wished still to remain a little while longer in this 

 world. 



Those among whom we now were kill many elephants ; 

 and when the moon is full choose that time for the chase, 

 on account of its coolness. Hunting this animal is the 

 best test of courage this country affords. The Bushmen 

 choose the moment succeeding a charge, when the elephant 

 is out of breath, to run in and give him a stab with their 

 long-bladed spears. In this case the uncivilized have the 

 advantage over us, but I believe that with half their 

 training Englishmen would beat the Bushmen. Our 



