LAKE NGAMI. 
265 
received several messages from the Captain to make 
haste and be the first wagon at his State ; since which 
time we have been haggling and wrangling about 
the price of two horses, till my interpreter and I 
were utterly exhausted, the former drinking half 
my cask of sherry to keep his throat moist, till to¬ 
day I gave in and let the Captain have them for 
thirteen teeth of ivory, and a saddle and bridle into 
the bargain. I only gave 9/. for one nag, and the 
ivory I got for him is worth at least 60/., so that it 
was worth a little patience. 
I have just returned from seeing the Great Lake, 
the nearest point of which is about two hours and a 
half on horseback from here. The country all around 
appears to be a perfect flat, very unhealthy and unin¬ 
teresting, with a lot of rubbishy reeds at this end, but 
it is wooded to the banks on the- other side, and most 
of the way round. I gather from the natives that it 
is a three days’ ride round the lake, but that the tsetse 
render it impossible for horses. The natives are afraid 
to cross in their frail canoes, as when a wind rises the 
water is very rough. Three canoes were swamped 
not long since, and their crews drowned. Not far 
from the southern point, the road the wagons take 
to Walvish Bay, there is a high ridge of rocks, 
Lechulatebe’s stronghold, in case of an attack from 
Sebituane. These Kaffirs are always at war, cattle 
being the prime object. I could only get a very bad 
view of one end of the lake, but I must confess that 
I was disappointed in it. The chief went with me, 
