1 6 Seven Years m Ce^ttral Africa. [Mar. 
most primitive fashion ; the whole company will sleep in a little 
hollow in the ground under a bush ; they come round the 
waggon for any scraps of meat and offal thrown away. Growing 
no grain, they live on wild fruit, and on animals which they kill 
with their poisoned arrows. Their little children at once proved 
the connection of these people with the whole human race. 
Their ways at play and their sweet ringing laugh are the same 
as those of our own children at home. 
SHOSHONG. 
Shoshong, March i8//^, 1882. — Arrived here a week ago, after 
thirty-six days' travelling from Potchefstroom. Our journey was 
much protracted because of the long-continued drought, which 
compelled us to remain for a fortnight on the unhealthy banks 
of the Limpopo river, for the sake of water for the oxen ; heavy 
rains fell, however, enabling us to cross the dry desert country 
lying between the Limpopo and Shoshong. 
Shoshong is the capital of the Bamangwato, whose country lies 
north-west of the Transvaal Republic. It was here that a 
German Missionary Society began work some sixty years ago. 
They left the field, however, to the London Missionary Society, 
who are also working at Kuruman, and establishing stations all 
over Bechuanaland. During the time of Mr. Mackenzie's stay at 
Shoshong, Sekhome, the father of the present chief, was in 
power. The Christian church of that place was greatly enlarged, 
and Kama, the chief's son, was converted. He suffered much 
persecution at the hands of his father, and after an attempt had 
been made upon his life he fled to the Botletle river, with many 
young men from Shoshong, and other converts from the Bamang- 
wato tribe joined him. Owing, however, to the unhealthy nature 
of the country many of the men died, and Kama was compelled 
to return again to the neighbourhood of Shoshong, where he sought 
to be reconciled to his father, and asked permission for himself and 
those with him to return to their wives, and to take possession 
of their cattle. Sekhome unwisely resented these friendly over- 
tures and sent Kamane, his second son, to attack Kama, the 
rightful heir to the country. They met and had a sharp conflict ; 
but when Sekhome saw Kamane flee, he fled also, leaving the 
town and chieftainship to Kama. Kamane has made friends 
