S44 
SOUTHERN AFRICA, 
siiuana, and received from him such an account 
of his country and nation as tempted them to 
proceed. Under his guidance they reached the 
frontier, and sent forward one of their guides to 
Leetakoo, the capital. He soon returned with 
four deputies from the king, who brought full 
assurance of a welcome reception. Next day 
four more arrived, one of whom was the brother 
of the king. They immediately, 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, con- 
taining 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 in- 
vited them to his house, and introduced them to 
his two wives. A very great measure of curio- 
sity, 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 suppos- 
ed 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 
