THB nOPO. 
21 
other things they snowod more intelligence than is to be 
mot with in our own uneducated peasantry. They are 
remarkably accurate in their knowledge of cattle, sheep, 
and goats, knowing exactly tho kind of pasturago suited 
to each; and thoy select with groat judgment tho varieties 
of soil best suited to different kinds of grain. Thoy are 
also familiar with tho habits of wild animals, and in 
general aro well up in tho maxims which embody their 
ideas of political wisdom. 
Tho place where wo first sottlod with the Bakwains is 
called Chonuanc, and it happened to bo visited, during tho 
first year of our residence thoro, by one of those droughts 
which occur from time to timo in oven tho most favored 
districts of Africa. 
Tho conduct of the people during this long-continued 
drought was remarkably good. The women parted with 
most of their ornaments to purchase corn from moro for- 
tunate tribes. Tho children scoured the oountry in search 
of the numerous bulbs and roots which can sustain life, 
and the men engaged in hunting. Very great numbers of 
tho large game, buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, tsessebes, karnas 
or hartebccsts, kokongs or gnus, pallahs, rhinoceroses, Ac., 
congregated at some fountains near Kolobeng, and the trap 
called “ hopo ” was constructed, in the lands adjacent, for 
their destruction. The bopo consists of two hedges in tho 
form of the letter V, which aro very high and thick near 
tho angle. Instead of the hodgos being joined thero, they 
aro made to form a lane of about fifty yards in lengtn, at 
tho extremity of which a pit is formed, six or oight feet 
deep, and about twelve or fifteen in breadth and length 
Trunks of trees are laid across the margin of the pit, and 
more especially over that nearest tho lane whore tho ani- 
mals aro expected to leap in, and over that farthest from 
the lano whore it is supposed they' will attempt to escape 
after thoy aro in. Tho trees form an overlapping border 
•tod render escape almost impossible. Tho whole is care- 
RiUy decked with short green rushos making tho pit like 
