A PIT-FALL. 
271 
and the river is the only water; every vley in the 
country is dried up. I cannot in any way account 
for it — it is one of Nature’s freaks. 
I am of Barnum’s opinion, that it is not so hard to 
make money, even here, where it is so scarce, as 
to keep it when made. The old wagon still holds 
together miraculously, by the aid of false lears, 
rheims, and greenhide, and I verily believe will see 
Natal yet with a few repairs, as the wood is well 
seasoned. Four days ahead lie the remains of an 
old wagon tumbled to pieces, with one good wheel, 
which I shall exchange wiih my worst, and other¬ 
wise fit her out as well as my tools will allow me. I 
think I have some 700 lbs. of ivory on the wagon, 
and she is loaded up to the roof with skins and 
rubbish of the Kaffirs, which must be thrown away, 
if I can only get ivory. Dubabe is the name of the 
Makuba chief living at the head of the Great Lake. 
This place offers no great inducement to come here 
again, unless from Walvish Bay, as the Kaffirs have 
got plenty of all they require. 
22 ncl .—This morning I came across a swarm of 
Kaffirs in great glee, having caught a bidl elephant 
in a pit-fall. They make these very well, and cover 
them over neatly with reeds, then a layer of grass, 
and then sprinkle them with sand and earth, so that 
they are very difficult to detect, and the elephant, 
sagacious as he is, falls a victim. This country is 
done for the sportsman ; there are too many Kaffirs, 
Bushmen, and Masaras, all hunters, and the pit-falls 
