NothingcouldbemoretryingWedugdowninthebedoftheriverdeeperanddeeperasthewaterreceded，strivingtogetalittletokeepthefruit-treesaliveforbettertimes，butinvain。
Needleslyingoutofdoorsformonthsdidnotrust；
andamixtureofsulphuricacidandwater，usedinagalvanicbattery，partedwithallitswatertotheair，insteadofimbibingmorefromit，asitwouldhavedoneinEnglandTheleavesofindigenoustreeswerealldrooping，soft，andshriveled，thoughnotdead；
andthoseofthemimosaewereclosedatmidday，thesameastheyareatnightInthemidstofthisdrearydrought，itwaswonderfultoseethosetinycreatures，theants，runningaboutwiththeiraccustomedvivacity。
Iputthebulbofathermometerthreeinchesunderthesoil，inthesun，atmidday，andfoundthemercurytostandat132Degto134Deg。；
andifcertainkindsofbeetleswereplacedonthesurface，theyranaboutafewsecondsandexpiredButthisbroilingheatonlyaugmentedtheactivityofthelong-leggedblackants：
theynevertire；theirorgansofmotionseemendowedwiththesamepowerasisascribedbyphysiologiststothemusclesofthehumanheart，bywhichthatpartoftheframeneverbecomesfatigued，andwhichmaybeimpartedtoallourbodilyorgansinthathigherspheretowhichwefondlyhopetoriseWheredotheseantsgettheirmoisture？
Ourhousewasbuiltonahardferruginousconglomerate，inordertobeoutofthewayofthewhiteant，buttheycameindespitetheprecaution；andnotonlywerethey，inthissultryweather，ableindividuallytomoistensoiltotheconsistencyofmortarfortheformationofgalleries，which，intheirwayofworking，isdonebynightsothattheyarescreenedfromtheobservationofbirdsbydayinpassingandrepassingtowardanyvegetablemattertheymaywishtodevour，but，whentheirinnerchamberswerelaidopen，thesewerealsosurprisinglyhumidYettherewasnodew，and，thehousebeingplacedonarock，theycouldhavenosubterraneanpassagetothebedoftheriver，whichranaboutthreehundredyardsbelowthehill。
Canitbethattheyhavethepowerofcombiningtheoxygenandhydrogenoftheirvegetablefoodbyvitalforcesoastoformwater？*
*WhenwecometoAngola，Ishalldescribeaninsecttherewhichdistillsseveralpintsofwatereverynight。
Rain，however，wouldnotfallTheBakwainsbelievedthatIhadboundSechelewithsomemagicspell，andIreceiveddeputations，intheevenings，oftheoldcounselors，entreatingmetoallowhimtomakeonlyafewshowers：
“Thecornwilldieifyourefuse，andweshallbecomescattered。
Onlylethimmakerainthisonce，andweshallall，men，women，andchildren，cometotheschool，andsingandprayaslongasyouplease。”
ItwasinvaintoprotestthatIwishedSecheletoactjustaccordingtohisownideasofwhatwasright，ashefoundthelawlaiddownintheBible，anditwasdistressingtoappearhard-heartedtothem。
Thecloudsoftencollectedpromisinglyoverus，androllingthunderseemedtoportendrefreshingshowers，butnextmorningthesunwouldriseinaclear，cloudlesssky；indeed，eventheseloweringappearanceswerelessfrequentbyfarthandaysofsunshineareinLondon。
Thenatives，findingitirksometositandwaithelplesslyuntilGodgivesthemrainfromheaven，entertainthemorecomfortableideathattheycanhelpthemselvesbyavarietyofpreparations，suchascharcoalmadeofburnedbats，inspissatedrenaldepositofthemountaincony
`Hyraxcapensis’which，bytheway，isused，intheformofpills，asagoodantispasmodic，underthenameof“stone-sweat“*，theinternalpartsofdifferentanimalsasjackals’livers，baboons’andlions’hearts，andhairycalculifromthebowelsofoldcows
serpents’skinsandvertebrae，andeverykindoftuber，bulb，root，andplanttobefoundinthecountryAlthoughyoudisbelievetheirefficacyincharmingthecloudstopourouttheirrefreshingtreasures，yet，consciousthatcivilityisusefuleverywhere，youkindlystatethatyouthinktheyaremistakenastotheirpowerTherain-doctorselectsaparticularbulbousroot，poundsit，andadministersacoldinfusiontoasheep，whichinfiveminutesafterwardexpiresinconvulsions。
Partofthesamebulbisconvertedintosmoke，andascendstowardthesky；
rainfollowsinadayortwoTheinferenceisobviousWereweasmuchharassedbydroughts，thelogicwouldbeirresistibleinEnglandin1857。
*Thenamearisesfromitsbeingalwaysvoidedononespot，inthemannerpracticedbyothersoftherhinocerontinefamily；
and，bytheactionofthesun，itbecomesablack，pitchysubstance。
AstheBakwainsbelievedthattheremustbesomeconnectionbetweenthepresenceof“God’sWord“intheirtownandthesesuccessiveanddistressingdroughts，theylookedwithnogoodwillatthechurchbell，butstilltheyinvariablytreateduswithkindnessandrespectIamnotawareofeverhavinghadanenemyinthetribeTheonlyavowedcauseofdislikewasexpressedbyaveryinfluentialandsensibleman，theuncleofSechele。
“Welikeyouaswellasifyouhadbeenbornamongus；
youaretheonlywhitemanwecanbecomefamiliarwiththoaela；
butwewishyoutogiveupthateverlastingpreachingandpraying；
wecannotbecomefamiliarwiththatatallYouseewenevergetrain，whilethosetribeswhoneverprayaswedoobtainabundance。”
Thiswasafact；andweoftensawitrainingonthehillstenmilesoff，whileitwouldnotlookatus“evenwithoneeye“IfthePrinceofthepoweroftheairhadnohandinscorchingusup，IfearIoftengavehimthecreditofdoingso。
Asfortherain-makers，theycarriedthesympathiesofthepeoplealongwiththem，andnotwithoutreasonWiththefollowingargumentstheywereallacquainted，andinordertounderstandtheirforce，wemustplaceourselvesintheirposition，andbelieve，astheydo，thatallmedicinesactbyamysteriouscharmThetermforcuremaybetranslated“charm“`alaha’。
MEDICALDOCTORHail，friend！Howverymanymedicinesyouhaveaboutyouthismorning！Why，youhaveeverymedicineinthecountryhere。
RAINDOCTORVerytrue，myfriend；andIought；forthewholecountryneedstherainwhichIammaking。
MDSoyoureallybelievethatyoucancommandtheclouds？
IthinkthatcanbedonebyGodalone。
RDWebothbelievetheverysamethingItisGodthatmakestherain，butIpraytohimbymeansofthesemedicines，and，theraincoming，ofcourseitisthenmineItwasIwhomadeitfortheBakwainsformanyyears，whentheywereatShokuane；throughmywisdom，too，theirwomenbecamefatandshiningAskthem；theywilltellyouthesameasIdo。
MDButwearedistinctlytoldinthepartingwordsofourSaviorthatwecanpraytoGodacceptablyinhisnamealone，andnotbymeansofmedicines。
RDTruly！butGodtoldusdifferentlyHemadeblackmenfirst，anddidnotloveusashedidthewhitemenHemadeyoubeautiful，andgaveyouclothing，andguns，andgunpowder，andhorses，andwagons，andmanyotherthingsaboutwhichweknownothingButtowardushehadnoheartHegaveusnothingexcepttheassegai，andcattle，andrain-making；andhedidnotgiveusheartslikeyours。
WeneverloveeachotherOthertribesplacemedicinesaboutourcountrytopreventtherain，sothatwemaybedispersedbyhunger，andgotothem，andaugmenttheirpowerWemustdissolvetheircharmsbyourmedicines。
Godhasgivenusonelittlething，whichyouknownothingof。
HehasgivenustheknowledgeofcertainmedicinesbywhichwecanmakerainWEdonotdespisethosethingswhichyoupossess，thoughweareignorantofthemWedon’tunderstandyourbook，yetwedon’tdespiseitYOUoughtnottodespiseourlittleknowledge，thoughyouareignorantofit。
MDIdon’tdespisewhatIamignorantof；Ionlythinkyouaremistakeninsayingthatyouhavemedicineswhichcaninfluencetherainatall。
RDThat’sjustthewaypeoplespeakwhentheytalkonasubjectofwhichtheyhavenoknowledgeWhenwefirstopenedoureyes，wefoundourforefathersmakingrain，andwefollowintheirfootsteps。
You，whosendtoKurumanforcorn，andirrigateyourgarden，maydowithoutrain；WEcannotmanageinthatwayIfwehadnorain，thecattlewouldhavenopasture，thecowsgivenomilk，ourchildrenbecomeleananddie，ourwivesrunawaytoothertribeswhodomakerainandhavecorn，andthewholetribebecomedispersedandlost；
ourfirewouldgoout。
MDIquiteagreewithyouastothevalueoftherain；butyoucannotcharmthecloudsbymedicinesYouwaittillyouseethecloudscome，thenyouuseyourmedicines，andtakethecreditwhichbelongstoGodonly。
RDIusemymedicines，andyouemployyours；wearebothdoctors，anddoctorsarenotdeceiversYougiveapatientmedicineSometimesGodispleasedtohealhimbymeansofyourmedicine；sometimesnothedies。
Whenheiscured，youtakethecreditofwhatGoddoesIdothesame。
SometimesGodgrantsusrain，sometimesnotWhenhedoes，wetakethecreditofthecharmWhenapatientdies，youdon’tgiveuptrustinyourmedicine，neitherdoIwhenrainfails。
Ifyouwishmetoleaveoffmymedicines，whycontinueyourown？
MDIgivemedicinetolivingcreatureswithinmyreach，andcanseetheeffects，thoughnocurefollows；youpretendtocharmtheclouds，whicharesofaraboveusthatyourmedicinesneverreachthem。
Thecloudsusuallylieinonedirection，andyoursmokegoesinanother。
GodalonecancommandthecloudsOnlytryandwaitpatiently；
Godwillgiveusrainwithoutyourmedicines。
RDMahala-ma-kapa-a-a！！Well，IalwaysthoughtwhitemenwerewisetillthismorningWhoeverthoughtofmakingtrialofstarvation？
Isdeathpleasant，then？
MDCouldyoumakeitrainononespotandnotonanother？
RDIwouldn’tthinkoftryingIliketoseethewholecountrygreen，andallthepeopleglad；thewomenclappingtheirhands，andgivingmetheirornamentsforthankfulness，andlullilooingforjoy。
MDIthinkyoudeceiveboththemandyourself。
RDWell，then，thereisapairofusmeaningbotharerogues。
Theaboveisonlyaspecimenoftheirwayofreasoning，inwhich，whenthelanguageiswellunderstood，theyareperceivedtoberemarkablyacuteTheseargumentsaregenerallyknown，andIneversucceededinconvincingasingleindividualoftheirfallacy，thoughItriedtodosoineverywayIcouldthinkofTheirfaithinmedicinesascharmsisunboundedThegeneraleffectofargumentistoproducetheimpressionthatyouarenotanxiousforrainatall；
anditisveryundesirabletoallowtheideatospreadthatyoudonottakeagenerousinterestintheirwelfare。
Anangryopponentofrain-makinginatribewouldbelookeduponasweresomeGreekmerchantsinEnglandduringtheRussianwar。
Theconductofthepeopleduringthislong-continueddroughtwasremarkablygoodThewomenpartedwithmostoftheirornamentstopurchasecornfrommorefortunatetribesThechildrenscouredthecountryinsearchofthenumerousbulbsandrootswhichcansustainlife，andthemenengagedinhuntingVerygreatnumbersofthelargegame，buffaloes，zebras，giraffes，tsessebes，kamasorhartebeests，kokongsorgnus，pallahs，rhinoceroses，etc。，congregatedatsomefountainsnearKolobeng，andthetrapcalled“hopo“wasconstructed，inthelandsadjacent，fortheirdestructionThehopoconsistsoftwohedgesintheformoftheletterV，whichareveryhighandthickneartheangle。
Insteadofthehedgesbeingjoinedthere，theyaremadetoformalaneofaboutfiftyyardsinlength，attheextremityofwhichapitisformed，sixoreightfeetdeep，andabouttwelveorfifteeninbreadthandlength。
Trunksoftreesarelaidacrossthemarginsofthepit，andmoreespeciallyoverthatnearestthelanewheretheanimalsareexpectedtoleapin，andoverthatfarthestfromthelanewhereitissupposedtheywillattempttoescapeaftertheyareinThetreesformanoverlappingborder，andrenderescapealmostimpossible。
Thewholeiscarefullydeckedwithshortgreenrushes，makingthepitlikeaconcealedpitfallAsthehedgesarefrequentlyaboutamilelong，andaboutasmuchapartattheirextremities，atribemakingacirclethreeorfourmilesroundthecountryadjacenttotheopening，andgraduallyclosingup，arealmostsuretoinclosealargebodyofgame。
Drivingitupwithshoutstothenarrowpartofthehopo，mensecretedtherethrowtheirjavelinsintotheaffrightedherds，andontheanimalsrushtotheopeningpresentedattheconverginghedges，andintothepit，tillthatisfullofalivingmassSomeescapebyrunningovertheothers，asaSmithfieldmarket-dogdoesoverthesheep’sbacks。
ItisafrightfulsceneThemen，wildwithexcitement，spearthelovelyanimalswithmaddelight；othersofthepoorcreatures，bornedownbytheweightoftheirdeadanddyingcompanions，everynowandthenmakethewholemassheaveintheirsmotheringagonies。