May.] ingenuity OF THE MATCIIAPPEES. 283 
At three p. m. we reached the banks of the 
Moloppo, where we intended haltmg until Monday. 
All were soon employed in felling young trees 
for making inclosures round the fires to protect 
themselves from the cold night-winds. In little 
more than an hour the place assumed the appear- 
ance of a village, from the temporary huts as 
well as the inclosures they had erected, and from 
the number of fires they had kindled. The Hot- 
tentots having caught the spirit of the Matchap- 
pees, also erected fences around them to increase 
their comfort, a custom unknown to their nation, 
and never before done by those who journeyed 
with me. A Hottentot would creep under a bush 
to sleep in a cold night, but to cut down bushes 
to render himself comfortable either never oc- 
cured to his mind, or else was an effort which he 
had not sufficient resolution to make, rather pre- 
ferring to endure cold or wet the whole night, 
15th. Being the Sabbath we rested and had 
different meetings with the people for worship. 
Having gone down to the river to drink of its 
pure water, a lion shortly afterwards occupied 
the same ground I had left, 
16th, Pelangye, Munameets and Maketzee 
came for the first time into the tent, to ask a few 
questions, in order to obtain information, but the 
Bootshuana interpreter being out of the way, 
