SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
337 
his guidance they reached the frontier, and sent 
forward one of their guides to Leetakoo, the capi- 
tal. He soon returned with four deputies from the 
king, who brought full assurance of a welcome re- 
ception. Next day, other four more arrived, one 
of whom was the brother of the king. They im- 
mediately, therefore, began their journey through 
a fertile and finely watered country, and, in a few 
days, arrived at Leetakoo. They were surprised 
to find it a large town, containing from two to 
three thousand houses, and from ten to fifteen 
thousand inhabitants. They were received in a 
most friendly manner by the king, a venerable old 
man, who immediately invited them to his house, 
and introduced them to his two wives. A very 
great measure of curiosity, as might be expected, 
was excited by their appearance, more particularly 
among the female inhabitants. The bag in which 
their hair was tied up caused peculiar wonder, and 
was supposed to be the tail of an animal fastened 
to the head. 
The Boshuanas display considerable ingenuity 
in the construction of their houses. Each is built 
within an enclosure, containing apartments for the 
different branches of the family. The ground is 
raised so that the water may escape out at the door ; 
and an open space in front being employed for 
cooking, the interior is kept free from the incon- 
venience of smoke. Coolness is maintained by a 
VOL. II. Y 
