vens,

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that the time has arrived, in the revolving year, when particular roots can be dug up for use, or when they may commence their labours of the field. This is their likhakologo, (turnings or revolvings,) or what we should call the spring time of the year. The Pleiades they call seleméla, which may be translated, cultivator, or the precursor of agriculture, from leméla, the relative verb to cultivate for ;* and se, a pronominal prefix, distinguishing them as the actors. Thus, when this constellation assumes a certain position in the heavens, it is the signal to commence cultivating their fields and gardens.† Thunder they supposed to be caused by a certain bird, which may be seen soaring very high during the storm, and which appeared to the natives as if it nestled among the forked lightnings. Some of these birds are not unfrequently killed, and their having been seen to descend to the earth may have given rise to this ludicrous notion. I have never had an opportunity of examining this bird, but presume it belongs to the vulture species.

Leaving these subjects for the present, we turn again to the mission, which, while it suffered much from the presence of the rain-maker, his absence did not appear to have produced any change on the minds of the natives, except that of mortification.

We could not help being sincerely thankful that there was no public prohibition made against attendance on divine worship; therefore, generally, a few came, though sometimes only such as were our dependents. A very large majority had never entered the chapel, being threatened by their superiors if they did; and others would not for their lives have set a foot within the threshold. At an early period, when the place of worship was built, a wooden Dutch clock had been fixed upon the wall, for the purpose of regulating the hours of worship. Immediately above the dial was a small box, in which were a couple of lilliputian soldiers, who strutted out when the clock struck. Conrad Buys, and others, had poisoned the minds of some of the

* This peculiarity in the Sechuana language will be explained in the chapter on its character.

+ Dr. Thomas Winterbottom, in his account of the native Africans in the neighbourhood of Sierra Leone, observes, in remarkable unison with this statement, that "the proper time for preparing the plantations is shown by the particular situation in the heavens of the Pleiades, called by the Bulloms, awarrang." In fact this notion prevails in almost all the nations of the interior of Africa with which we are acquainted, and forcibly illustrates the import of the interrogation, "Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades (spring)?"

leading men with the idea, that the missionaries were only the precursors of the Government, who would soon follow in their train, and make soldiers of every one of them. The little images in the clock were soon magnified into Goliaths, and the place of worship looked upon as an eintlu ea kholego, a house of bondage. It was necessary to take down the fairy-looking strangers, and cut a piece off their painted bodies, to convince the affrighted natives that the objects of their alarm were only bits of coloured wood, Many, however, thought themselves too wise to be thus easily deceived. Though perfectly convinced of the egregrious folly of believing that the little liséto, "carved ones," would one day seize them by the throat in the sanctuary, they nevertheless continued to suspect, that the motives of the missionary were anything but disinterested.

CHAPTER XXI.

FOR more than a year numerous and strange reports had at intervals reached us, some indeed of such a character as induced us to treat them as the reveries of a madman. It was said that a mighty woman, of the name of Mantatee, was at the head of an invincible army, numerous as the locusts, marching onward among the interior nations, carrying devastation and ruin wherever she went; that she nourished the army with her own milk, sent out hornets before it, and, in one word, was laying the world desolate. Concluding that these might be only rumours of a destructive war carrying on by Chaka, the tyrant of the Zoolus, and that he was at too great a distance from us to affect our operations, I resolved on a journey which I had been contemplating for some months. This was to visit Makaba, the chief of the Bauangketsi, a powerful tribe, situated upwards of two hundred miles north-east of Lithako. I had various reasons for taking this step. The Batlapis, and the neighbouring tribes were living in constant dread of an attack from so powerful an enemy, of whom they could never speak without stigmatizing him with the most oppro

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brious epithets. It was desirable to open up a friendly intercourse to prevent hostilities, and it seemed advisable for me to attend more exclusively to the acquirement of the language, by associating, for awhile, with the natives, when, at the same time, an opportunity was thus afforded of becoming better acquainted with the localities of the tribes, and, in addition to these objects, was the ultimate design of introducing the Gospel among that interesting people.

About this time receiving an invitation from Makaba, the path of duty was plain; but Mothibi, and indeed all the people, were greatly opposed to my design. Every thing injurious to the character of the Bauangketsi was raked up and placed before me. All the imaginary and real murders Makaba had ever committed were set in array, and every one swore by their king and their fathers, that if I went my doom was fixed, for I should never return, and therefore Ma-Mary and the two children might leave and return to our friends in England, for she would never see me again. We, with Mr. Hamilton, had deliberated together, and prayed over the subject, and were not dismayed by their representations. When the day arrived for my departure, Mothibi, finding he could not prevail by arguments, positively forbade those under his control to accompany me. Feeling no inclination to give up my intention, I started with such men as I had. On reaching Old Lithako, on the third day, I found the reports about the Mantatees somewhat revived, and the natives strongly advised me to proceed no farther than Nokaneng, about twenty miles distant. The reports being such as we had heard before, and knowing that they wished, by every means, to intimidate me, I proceeded on the following day, after having preached to a great number of the natives. On arriving at Nokaneng, I found that rumours had reached that place that the Barolongs, at Kunuana, about one hundred miles off, had been also attacked, and the towns were in the hands of the marauders; but as spies had been sent out to ascertain the truth, I remained, employing every opportunity afforded to impart instruction. The spies returning without having heard anything of the reported invaders, I proceeded, with my small company, towards the Bauangketsi tribes. After travelling four days over a dry and trackless part of the country, occasionally meeting with a few of the poor Bechuanas, we came to a fine valley, Mosite, in which were some pools, and plenty of game, especially the rhinoceros. Having shot one of these ponderous animals, we halted a day to prepare the meat, by

cutting it up into slices, and hanging it in the sun to dry. One would have been more than sufficient for our company; and it was only at the urgent request of the poor people that a couple more were shot, as they very rarely succeed in killing such animals, except it be in a pit-fall.

During our stay at this place a circumstance occurred which may throw some light on the habits of these people, and confirms the old adage, "that the one-half of the world does not know how the other half lives." It was at noonday when a fine large hartebeest (khama of the Bechuanas,) the swiftest of the antelope species,* darted close past the wagon, and descended towards the extensive valley. Startled by so unusual an occurrence, one of the natives called out, "It is the wild dogs;" and presently the whole pack made their appearance, following their leader, which was pursu ing the antelope. We seized our guns to attack them as beasts of prey. The poor people who were sitting around their flesh-pots started up and followed, begging of us most earnestly not to kill the wild dogs, for they were their providers. We of course laid down our guns again, and directed our attention to the khama, which was soon overtaken and seized by the hind leg. It turned round to defend itself, and then started off till again seized by the wild dog. As we had in a measure retarded the speed of the pack, about thirty in number, the single dog was engaged baiting the khama looked round and gave a piteous howl for his companions to come to his assistance. When they overtook the poor animal they fell upon it with one accord, and instantly brought it to the ground. One of my men ran off in order to secure a piece of the skin of which he wanted to make shoes, but by the time he reached the spot, nothing remained but bones, and those well picked. These the poor people afterwards collected for the sake of the marrow. On farther inquiry, I found that these people are in the habit, when they see an antelope, or even an ostrich, pursued by the wild dogs, of endeavouring to frighten them away, that they may come in for a share of the prey. One of the men, with much feeling for himself and companions, said, patting his hand

"The hartebeest is one of the finest animals of the antelope family; it is fleet, and graceful in its gait. The male is about seven feet long, and five feet high, with handsome recurvated horns growing from approximated bases. The female is of a smaller size. The flesh is good, and bears a considerable resemblance to beef."-Pringle. There are immense herds of these animals in the interior, and generally of a larger size than the above.

on his stomach, "Oh, I am glad you did not shoot the dogs, for they often find us a meal."

At another place the poor people were very glad, on the same account, that we had not killed the lion, which had been troublesome to us during the night. These children of the desert very promptly described the manner of the wilddog chase, which I have since had opportunities of witnessing. When the dogs approach a troop of antelopes, they select one, no matter how it may mingle with others on the dusty plain; the dog that starts never loses scent, or, if he does, it is soon discovered by the pack, which follow after, as they spread themselves the more readily to regain it. While the single dog who takes the lead has occasion to make angles in pursuit of his prey, the others, who hear his cry or short howl, avoid a circuitous course, and by this means easily come up again, when a fresh dog resumes the chase, and the other turns into the pack. In this way they relieve each other till they have caught the animal, which they rarely fail to accomplish, though sometimes after a very long run. Should they in their course happen to pass other game much nearer than the one in pursuit, they take no notice of it. These dogs, of which there are two species, never attack man, but are very destructive to sheep and goats, and even to cows, when they come in their way.

While these things were going on we were on the alert, and made inquiries of every stranger we met about the invaders, but could learn nothing, although we were not more than fifteen miles from the town, of which it was reported the enemy were in possession. We saw, on a distant height, some men who were evidently looking our way, and their not approaching our wagons was so unusual with hungry natives, that we thought they must be strangers from a great distance, or some of the Mantatees. Two days passed over, and on the next, when we were about to start for the Bauangketsi, two Barolongs passing by, informed us of the fact that the Mantatees were in possession of the town, which lay rather in our rear, behind some heights, which we distinctly saw. As one of these men had narrowly escaped with his life in the conflict with that people, no doubt was left in our minds as to the propriety of returning immediately to the place whence we had come, particularly as there was a probability that our course might be intercepted, some prisoners who had escaped having reported that the enemy were about to start for Lithako. We lost no time in returning to Nokaneng, and were met there by individuals who authenticated