THE ZOUQA.. 
with every one, two of the Bamangwato, who had been 
sent on before us by Sekomi to drive away all llvo Bushmen 
and Bakalahari from our path, so that they should not 
assist or guide us, came and sat down by our tire. Wo had 
seen their footsteps fresh in the way, and they had watched 
our slow movements forward, and wondered to see how wo, 
without any Bushmen, found our way to the waters. This 
was the first time they had seon liamotobi. “ You have 
reached the river now,” said they; and we, quite disposed 
to laugh at having won the game, felt no ill-will to any one. 
They seemed to feel no enmity to us, either; but, after an 
apparently friendly conversation, proceeded to fulfil to the 
last the instructions of their chief. Ascending the Zouga 
in our front, they circulated the report that our object was 
to plunder all the tribes living on the river and lake; but 
when they had got h^lf-way up the river, the principal man 
sickenod of fever, Turned back some distance, and died- 
His death had a good otteet, for the villagers connected it 
with the injury he was attempting to do us. They all saw 
through Sekomi s reasons for wishing us to fail in our at- 
tempt; and, though they came to us at first armed, kind 
and fair treatment soon produced perfect confidence. 
When we had gone up the bai.k of this beautiful river 
about ninety-six miles from the point whore wo first struck 
it, and understood that we were still a considerable distance 
rom the Ngami, wo loft all the oxen and wagons, except 
Mr. Oswell s, which was the smallest, and one team, at 
Ngabisane, in the hopo that they would bo rocruitedfor the 
homo journey, while we made a push for the lake. The 
Bechuana chief of the Lake region, who had sent men to 
Boehele, now sent orders to all the people on tho river to 
assist us, and we were received by the Bakobn, whose lan- 
guage clearly shows that they bear an affinity to the tribes in 
the north. They call themselves Bayoiye, i.e men ; but tho 
Bechuanas call them Bakoba, which contains somewhat of 
the ldoa of slaves. They have never been known to fight, 
and, indeed, have a tradition that their forefather*, in th«i> 
