HAMMAR GOES THE WRONG WAY 253 
the circle of its action into a veritable garden, for, spite of its 
sandy nature, the soil is rich. The climate itself, being pheno¬ 
menally dry, is perfectly healthy, and justly has healing 
qualities for phthisis ascribed to its influence. I personally 
know of cases of phthisis, already far gone, that had their 
course arrested by a trip through the Kalahari, in which the 
patients, hardly able to walk on their arrival, again became 
vigorous and active individuals, able to do a day’s march 
with their companions. 
In conclusion, let me remark that cattle ranching, with 
artesian wells to supply water for irrigating the pastures, would 
prove a most healthful and lucrative occupation for those 
whose existence is threatened by lung complications in the 
colder and damper climates of Europe. 
Heartily glad to be rid of Indala and his people we passed 
a pleasant night, and next morning, after marching three miles 
along the river, still in the same direction, found that its 
course made a bend towards the north-east. We cut across 
a sand-belt to avoid following the course of the river, and 
after going some miles, I shot some guinea-fowls : then, being 
some distance ahead of the column, I waited and roasted the 
fowls for breakfast, expecting Hammar to join me when he' 
came up. He, however, expressed himself dissatisfied with 
making a halt in the sand-belt without water and went on 
alone, while the boys were still far behind. How it came to 
pass, or what course of reasoning led him to the belief, I 
know not, but finding no one at the river three miles ahead, 
he, without recollecting that we were all behind, came to the 
conclusion that we had struck higher up, and consequently, 
without giving much thought to the matter, made out into 
the sand-belt to cross our tracks which, of course, never existed 
there. This was about eleven o’clock. 
As Hammar proceeded he was suddenly struck by the 
fear that the chronometer would run down, as this was the 
day to wind it up, a duty he himself performed so regularly 
