124 
FLOCKS OF SWIFT&—SACKED CAVE. 
Chap. VI. 
human mind has remained here as stagnant to the present day, 
in reference to the physical operations of the universe, as it once 
did in England. No science has been developed, and few ques¬ 
tions are ever discussed except those which have an intimate 
connexion with the wants of the stomach. 
Very large flocks of swifts {Cypselus apiis) were observed flying 
over the plains north of Kuruman. I counted a stream of them, 
which, by the time it took to pass towards the reeds of that valley, 
must have numbered upwards of four thousand. Only a few of 
these bhds breed at any time in this country. I have often ob¬ 
served them, and noticed that there was no appearance of their 
having pahed; there was no chasing of each other, nor any play¬ 
ing together. There are several other bhds wliich continue in 
flocks, and move about hke wandering gipsies, even during the 
breeding season, which in this country happens ui the intervals 
between the cold and hot seasons, cold acting somewhat in the 
same way here as the genial warmth of spring does in Europe. 
Are these the migratory birds of Europe, wliich return there to 
breed and rear their young ? 
On the 31st December, 1852, we reached the tovm of Sechele, 
called, from the part of the range on which it is situated, Litii- 
baruba. Near the village there exists a cave named Lepelole; 
it is an interesting evidence of the former existence of a gushing 
fountain. No one dared to enter the Lohaheng, or cave, for it 
was the common belief that it was the habitation of the Deity. 
As we never had a holiday from January to December, and our 
Sundays were the periods of our gveatest exertions in teaching, 
I projected an excursion into the cave on a week-day to see the 
god of the Bakwains. The old men said that every one who 
went in remained there for ever, adding, “ If the teacher is so 
mad as to kill liimself, let liim do so alone, we shall not be to 
blame.” The declaration of Sechele, that he would follow where 
I led, produced the greatest consternation. It is curious that in 
all their pretended di-eams or visions of their god he has always 
a crooked leg, hke the Egyptian Thau. Supposing that those 
who were reported to have perished in this cave had fallen over 
some precipice, we went weU provided with lights, ladder, hnes, 
&c.; but it turned out to be only an open cave, with an entrance 
about ten feet square, which contracts into two water-worn 
