Ourguide，Ramotobi，whohadspenthisyouthintheDesert，declaredthat，thoughappearanceswereagainstus，therewasplentyofwaterathand。
Wehadourmisgivings，forthespadesweresoonproduced；
butourguides，despisingsuchnew-fangledaid，beganingoodearnesttoscrapeoutthesandwiththeirhandsTheonlywaterwehadanypromiseofforthenextseventymilesthatis，forajourneyofthreedayswiththewagonswastobegothereBytheaidofbothspadesandfingerstwooftheholeswereclearedout，soastoformpitssixfeetdeepandaboutasmanybroadOurguideswereespeciallyearnestintheirinjunctionstousnottobreakthroughthehardstratumofsandatthebottom，becausetheyknew，ifitwerebrokenthrough，“thewaterwouldgoaway。”Theyarequitecorrect，forthewaterseemstolieonthisflooringofincipientsandstoneThevalueoftheadvicewasprovedinthecaseofanEnglishmanwhosewitswerenoneofthebrightest，who，disregardingit，dugthroughthesandystratuminthewellsatMohotluani：
thewaterimmediatelyflowedawaydownward，andthewellbecameuseless。
Whenwecametothestratum，wefoundthatthewaterflowedinonallsidesclosetothelinewherethesoftsandcameincontactwithit。
Allowingittocollect，wehadenoughforthehorsesthatevening；
butastherewasnotsufficientfortheoxen，wesentthembacktoLobotani，where，afterthirstingfourfulldaysninety-sixhours，theygotagoodsupplyThehorseswerekeptbyusasnecessarytoprocuregameforthesustenanceofournumerousparty。
Nextmorningwefoundthewaterhadflowedinfasterthanatfirst，asitinvariablydoesinthesereservoirs，owingtothepassageswideningbytheflowLargequantitiesofthesandcomeintothewellwiththewater，andinthecourseofafewdaysthesupply，whichmaybeequaltothewantsofafewmenonly，becomessufficientforoxenaswell。
Inthesesucking-placestheBakalaharigettheirsupplies；
andastheyaregenerallyinthehollowsofancientriver-beds，theyareprobablythedepositsfromrainsgravitatingthither；
insomecasestheymaybetheactualfountains，which，thoughformerlysupplyingtheriver’sflow，nownolongerrisetothesurface。
Here，thoughthewaterwasperfectlyinaccessibletoelands，largenumbersofthesefineanimalsfedaroundus；and，whenkilled，theywerenotonlyingoodcondition，buttheirstomachsactuallycontainedconsiderablequantitiesofwater。
Iexaminedcarefullythewholealimentarycanal，inordertoseeiftherewereanypeculiaritywhichmightaccountforthefactthatthisanimalcansubsistformonthstogetherwithoutdrinking，butfoundnothingOtheranimals，suchastheduiker`Cephalopusmergens’
orputioftheBechuanas，thesteinbuck`Tragulusrupestris’
orpuruhuru，thegemsbuck`Oryxcapensis’orkukama，andtheporcupine`Hystrixcristata’，areallabletosubsistwithoutwaterformanymonthsatatimebylivingonbulbsandtuberscontainingmoisture。
Theyhavesharp-pointedhoofswelladaptedfordigging，andthereislittledifficultyincomprehendingtheirmodeofsubsistence。
Someanimals，ontheotherhand，areneverseenbutinthevicinityofwater。
Thepresenceoftherhinoceros，ofthebuffaloandgnu`Catoblepasgnu’，ofthegiraffe，thezebra，andpallah`Antilopemelampus’，isalwaysacertainindicationofwaterbeingwithinadistanceofsevenoreightmiles；
butonemayseehundredsofelands`Boselaphusoreas’，gemsbuck，thetoloorkoodoo`Strepsiceroscapensis’，alsospringbucks`Gazellaeuchore’andostriches，withoutbeingwarrantedtherebyininferringthepresenceofwaterwithinthirtyorfortymilesIndeed，thesleek，fatconditionoftheelandinsuchcircumstanceswouldnotremovetheapprehensionofperishingbythirstfromthemindofevenanativeIbelieve，however，thattheseanimalscansubsistonlywherethereissomemoistureinthevegetationonwhichtheyfeed；forinoneyearofunusualdroughtwesawherdsofelandsandflocksofostrichescrowdingtotheZougafromtheDesert，andverymanyofthelatterwerekilledinpitfallsonthebanks。
Aslongasthereisanysapinthepasturagetheyseldomneedwater。
Butshouldatravelerseethe“spoor“ofarhinoceros，orbuffalo，orzebra，hewouldatoncefollowitup，wellassuredthatbeforehehadgonemanymileshewouldcertainlyreachwater。
IntheeveningofourseconddayatSerotli，ahyaena，appearingsuddenlyamongthegrass，succeededinraisingapanicamongourcattle。
ThisfalsemodeofattackistheplanwhichthiscowardlyanimalalwaysadoptsHiscourageresemblescloselythatofaturkey-cock。
Hewillbite，ifananimalisrunningaway；butiftheanimalstandstill，sodoesheSeventeenofourdraughtoxenranaway，andintheirflightwentrightintothehandsofSekomi，whom，fromhisbeingunfriendlytooursuccess，wehadnoparticularwishtoseeCattle-stealing，suchasinthecircumstancesmighthaveoccurredinCaffraria，ishereunknown；soSekomisentbackouroxen，andamessagestronglydissuadingusagainstattemptingtheDesert。
“Whereareyougoing？Youwillbekilledbythesunandthirst，andthenallthewhitemenwillblamemefornotsavingyou。”
Thiswasbackedbyaprivatemessagefromhismother“Whydoyoupassme？
Ialwaysmadethepeoplecollecttohearthewordthatyouhavegot。
WhatguilthaveI，thatyoupasswithoutlookingatme？”Werepliedbyassuringthemessengersthatthewhitemenwouldattributeourdeathstoourownstupidityand“hard-headedness“tlogo，ethata，“aswedidnotintendtoallowourcompanionsandguidestoreturntilltheyhadputusintoourgraves。”WesentahandsomepresenttoSekomi，andapromisethat，ifheallowedtheBakalaharitokeepthewellsopenforus，wewouldrepeatthegiftonourreturn。
Afterexhaustingallhiseloquenceinfruitlessattemptstopersuadeustoreturn，theunder-chief，whoheadedthepartyofSekomi’smessengers，inquired，“Whoistakingthem？”Lookinground，heexclaimed，withafaceexpressiveofthemostunfeigneddisgust，“ItisRamotobi！”
OurguidebelongedtoSekomi’stribe，buthadfledtoSechele；
asfugitivesinthiscountryarealwayswellreceived，andmayevenafterwardvisitthetribefromwhichtheyhadescaped，Ramotobiwasinnodanger，thoughdoingthatwhichheknewtobedirectlyopposedtotheinterestsofhisownchiefandtribe。
AllaroundSerotlithecountryisperfectlyflat，andcomposedofsoftwhitesandThereisapeculiarglareofbrightsunlightfromacloudlessskyoverthewholescene；andoneclumpoftreesandbushes，withopenspacesbetween，lookssoexactlylikeanother，thatifyouleavethewells，andwalkaquarterofamileinanydirection，itisdifficulttoreturnOswellandMurraywentoutononeoccasiontogetaneland，andwereaccompaniedbyoneoftheBakalahari。
TheperfectsamenessofthecountrycausedeventhissonoftheDeserttolosehisway；amostpuzzlingconversationforthwithensuedbetweenthemandtheirguideOneofthemostcommonphrasesofthepeopleis“Kiaitumela“，Ithankyou，orIampleased；andthegentlemenwerebothquitefamiliarwithit，andwiththeword“metse“，water。
Butthereisawordverysimilarinsound，“Kiatimela“，Iamwandering；
itsperfectis“Kitimetse“，IhavewanderedThepartyhadbeenroamingabout，perfectlylost，tillthesunwentdown；and，throughtheirmistakingtheverb“wander“for“tobepleased“，and“water“，thecolloquywentonatintervalsduringthewholebitterlycoldnightinsomewhatthefollowingstyle：
“Wherearethewagons？”
REALANSWER“Idon’tknowIhavewanderedIneverwanderedbefore。
Iamquitelost。”
SUPPOSEDANSWER“Idon’tknowIwantwaterIamglad，IamquitepleasedIamthankfultoyou。”
“Takeustothewagons，andyouwillgetplentyofwater。”
REALANSWERlookingvacantlyaround“HowdidIwander？
Perhapsthewellisthere，perhapsnotIdon’tknowIhavewandered。”
SUPPOSEDANSWER“Somethingaboutthanks；hesaysheispleased，andmentionswateragain。”Theguide’svacantstarewhiletryingtorememberisthoughttoindicatementalimbecility，andtherepeatedthanksweresupposedtoindicateawishtodeprecatetheirwrath。
“Well，LivingstoneHASplayedusaprettytrick，givingusinchargeofanidiotCatchustrustinghimagainWhatcanthisfellowmeanbyhisthanksandtalkaboutwater？Oh，youbornfool！takeustothewagons，andyouwillgetbothmeatandwaterWouldn’tathrashingbringhimtohissensesagain？”“No，no，forthenhewillrunaway，andweshallbeworseoffthanwearenow。”
Thehuntersregainedthewagonsnextdaybytheirownsagacity，whichbecomeswonderfullyquickenedbyasojournintheDesert；
andweenjoyedaheartylaughontheexplanationoftheirmidnightcolloquies。
FrequentmistakesofthiskindoccurAmanmaytellhisinterpretertosaythatheisamemberofthefamilyofthechiefofthewhitemen；
“YES，YOUSPEAKLIKEACHIEF。”isthereply，meaning，astheyexplainit，thatachiefmaytalknonsensewithoutanyonedaringtocontradicthim。
Theyprobablyhaveascertained，fromthatsameinterpreter，thatthisrelativeofthewhitechiefisverypoor，havingscarcelyanythinginhiswagon。
Isometimesfeltannoyedatthelowestimationinwhichsomeofmyhuntingfriendswereheld；for，believingthatthechaseiseminentlyconducivetotheformationofabraveandnoblecharacter，andthatthecontestwithwildbeastsiswelladaptedforfosteringthatcoolnessinemergencies，andactivepresenceofmind，whichwealladmire，Iwasnaturallyanxiousthatahigherestimateofmycountrymenshouldbeformedinthenativemind“Havethesehunters，whocomesofarandworksohard，nomeatathome？”“Why，thesemenarerich，andcouldslaughteroxeneverydayoftheirlives。”“Andyettheycomehere，andenduresomuchthirstforthesakeofthisdrymeat，noneofwhichisequaltobeef？”“Yes，itisforthesakeofplaybesides“
theideaofsportnotbeinginthelanguageThisproducesalaugh，asmuchastosay，“Ah！youknowbetter；“or，“Yourfriendsarefools。”
Whentheycangetamantokilllargequantitiesofgameforthem，whateverHEmaythinkofhimselforofhisachievements，THEYpridethemselvesinhavingadroitlyturnedtogoodaccountthefollyofanitinerantbutcher。
Thewaterhavingatlastflowedintothewellswehadduginsufficientquantitytoallowagooddrinktoallourcattle，wedepartedfromSerotliintheafternoon；butasthesun，eveninwinter，whichitnowwas，isalwaysverypowerfulbyday，thewagonsweredraggedbutslowlythroughthedeep，heavysand，andweadvancedonlysixmilesbeforesunsetWecouldonlytravelinthemorningsandevenings，asasingledayinthehotsunandheavysandwouldhaveknockeduptheoxen。
NextdaywepassedPepacheuwhitetufa，ahollowlinedwithtufa，inwhichwatersometimesstands，butitwasnowdry；andatnightourtrocheamer*showedthatwehadmadebuttwenty-fivemilesfromSerotli。
*Thisisaninstrumentwhich，whenfastenedonthewagon-wheel，recordsthenumberofrevolutionsmadeBymultiplyingthisnumberbythecircumferenceofthewheel，theactualdistancetraveledoverisatonceascertained。
Ramotobiwasangryattheslownessofourprogress，andtoldusthat，asthenextwaterwasthreedaysinfront，ifwetraveledsoslowlyweshouldnevergetthereatallTheutmostendeavorsoftheservants，crackingtheirwhips，screamingandbeating，gotonlynineteenmilesoutofthepoorbeastsWehadthusproceededforty-fourmilesfromSerotli；
andtheoxenweremoreexhaustedbythesoftnatureofthecountry，andthethirst，thaniftheyhadtraveleddoublethedistanceoverahardroadcontainingsuppliesofwater：wehad，asfaraswecouldjudge，stillthirtymilesmoreofthesamedryworkbeforeusAtthisseasonthegrassbecomessodryastocrumbletopowderinthehands；
sothepoorbeastsstoodwearilychewing，withouttakingasinglefreshmouthful，andlowingpainfullyatthesmellofwaterinourvesselsinthewagonsWewerealldeterminedtosucceed；
soweendeavoredtosavethehorsesbysendingthemforwardwiththeguide，asameansofmakingadesperateeffortincasetheoxenshouldfail。
Murraywentforwardwiththem，whileOswellandIremainedtobringthewagonsontheirtrailasfarasthecattlecoulddragthem，intendingthentosendtheoxenforwardtoo。
Thehorseswalkedquicklyawayfromus；but，onthemorningofthethirdday，whenweimaginedthesteedsmustbenearthewater，wediscoveredthemjustalongsidethewagonsTheguide，havingcomeacrossthefreshfootprintsofsomeBushmenwhohadgoneinanoppositedirectiontothatwhichwewishedtogo，turnedasidetofollowthem。
AnantelopehadbeenensnaredinoneoftheBushmen’spitfalls。
MurrayfollowedRamotobimosttrustinglyalongtheBushmen’sspoor，thoughthatledthemawayfromthewaterwewereinsearchof；
witnessedtheoperationofslaughtering，skinning，andcuttinguptheantelope；andthen，afterahardday’stoil，foundhimselfcloseuponthewagons！TheknowledgestillretainedbyRamotobiofthetracklesswasteofscrub，throughwhichwewerenowpassing，seemedadmirableForsixtyorseventymilesbeyondSerotli，oneclumpofbushesandtreesseemedexactlylikeanother；
but，aswewalkedtogetherthismorning，heremarked，“WhenwecometothathollowweshalllightuponthehighwayofSekomi；
andbeyondthatagainliestheRiverMokoko；“which，thoughwepassedalongit，Icouldnotperceivetobeariver-bedatall。