46 
PREPARING TO CROSS THE DESERT. 
Chap. II. 
man in the Bakwain tribe, next to Sechele, was sent with an ox 
for both Sekomi and his mother. Tliis, too, was met by refusal. 
It was said, “ The Matebele, the mortal enemies of the Bechn- 
anas, are in the direction of the lake, and, should they kdl 
the white man, we shall incur great blame from all his nation.” 
The exact position of the Lake Ngami had, for half a century 
at least, been correctly pointed out by the natives, who had 
visited it when rains were more copious in the Desert than in 
more recent times, and many attempts had been made to reach 
it by passing through the Desert in the direction indicated; but 
it was found impossible, even for Griqiias, who, having some 
Bushman blood in them, may be supposed more capable of 
enduring thirst than Europeans. It was clear, then, that our 
only chance of success was by going round, mstead of through, 
the Desert, The best time for the attempt would have been 
about the end of the rainy season, in March or April, for then 
we should have been likely to meet with pools of rain-w^ater, 
which always dry up during the rainless winter. I communicated 
my intention to an African traveller. Colonel Steele, then aide- 
de-camp to the Marquis of Tweedale, at Madras, and he made it 
known to two other gentlemen, whose friendship we had gained 
during their African travel, namely. Major Vardon and Mr. 
Oswell. All of these gentlemen were so enamoured with Airican 
hunting and African discovery, that the two former must have 
envied the latter his good fortune in being able to leave India to 
undertake afresh the pleasures and pains of desert life. I believe 
Mr. Oswell came from his liigh position, at a very considerable 
pecuniary sacrifice, and with no other end in view but to extend 
the boundaries of geographical knowledge. Before I knew of his 
coming I had arranged that the payment for the guides furnished 
by Sechele should be the loan of my waggon, to bring back what¬ 
ever ivory he might obtain from the chief at the lake. When 
at last Mr. Oswell came, bringing Mr. Murray with him, lie 
undertook to defray the entire expenses of the guides, and fully 
executed his generous intention. 
Sechele himself would have come with us, but, fearing that 
the much-talked-of assault of the Boers might take place dur¬ 
ing our absence, and blame be attaclied to me for taking him 
away, I dissuaded him against it by saying that he knew 
