TheeggispossessedofverygreatvitalpowerOnekeptinaroomduringmorethanthreemonths，inatemperatureabout60Deg。，whenbrokenwasfoundtohaveapartially-developedlivechickinit。
TheBushmencarefullyavoidtouchingtheeggs，orleavingmarksofhumanfeetnearthem，whentheyfindanestTheygoupthewindtothespot，andwithalongstickremovesomeofthemoccasionally，and，bypreventinganysuspicion，keepthehenlayingonformonths，aswedowithfowlsTheeggshaveastrong，disagreeableflavor，whichonlythekeenappetiteoftheDesertcanreconcileoneto。
TheHottentotsusetheirtrowserstocarryhomethetwentyortwenty-fiveeggsusuallyfoundinanest；andithashappenedthatanEnglishman，intendingtoimitatethisknowingdodge，comestothewagonswithblisteredlegs，and，aftergreattoil，findsalltheeggsuneatable，fromhavingbeensometimesatuponOurcountrymeninvariablydobestwhentheycontinuetothink，speak，andactintheirownpropercharacter。
Thefoodoftheostrichconsistsofpodsandseedsofdifferentkindsofleguminousplants，withleavesofvariousplants；
and，astheseareoftenhardanddry，hepicksupagreatquantityofpebbles，manyofwhichareaslargeasmarblesHepicksupalsosomesmallbulbs，andoccasionallyawildmelontoaffordmoisture，foronewasfoundwithamelonwhichhadchokedhimbystickinginhisthroatItrequirestheutmostaddressoftheBushmen，crawlingformilesontheirstomachs，tostalkthemsuccessfully；yetthequantityoffeatherscollectedannuallyshowsthatthenumbersslainmustbeconsiderable，aseachbirdhasonlyafewinthewingsandtailThemalebirdisofajetblackglossycolor，withthesingleexceptionofthewhitefeathers，whichareobjectsoftrade。
NothingcanbefinerthantheadaptationofthoseflossyfeathersfortheclimateoftheKalahari，wherethesebirdsabound；
fortheyaffordaperfectshadetothebody，withfreeventilationbeneaththemThehenostrichisofadarkbrownish-graycolor，andsoarethehalf-growncocks。
Theorgansofvisioninthisbirdareplacedsohighthathecandetectanenemyatagreatdistance，butthelionsometimeskillshim。
Thefleshiswhiteandcoarse，though，wheningoodcondition，itresemblesinsomedegreethatofatoughturkeyItseekssafetyinflight；
butwhenpursuedbydogsitmaybeseentoturnuponthemandinflictakick，whichisvigorouslyapplied，andsometimesbreaksthedog’sback。
Chapter8。
EffectsofMissionaryEffortsBeliefintheDeity
IdeasoftheBakwainsonReligionDeparturefromtheirCountry
Salt-pansSourCurdNchokotsaBitterWaters
ThirstsufferedbythewildAnimalsWantonCrueltyinHunting
NtwetweMowana-treesTheirextraordinaryVitality
TheMopane-treeTheMoralaTheBushmenTheirSuperstitions
Elephant-huntingSuperiorityofcivilizedoverbarbarousSportsmen
TheChiefKaisaHisFearofResponsibilityBeautyoftheCountryatUnkuTheMohononoBushSevereLaborincuttingourWay
PartyseizedwithFeverEscapeofourCattle
BakwainModeofrecapturingthemVagariesofsickServants
Discoveryofgrape-bearingVinesAnAnt-eater
DifficultyofpassingthroughtheForestSicknessofmyCompanion
TheBushmenTheirModeofdestroyingLionsPoisons
ThesolitaryHillApicturesqueValleyBeautyoftheCountry
ArriveattheSanshurehRiverThefloodedPrairies
ApontooningExpeditionAnightBivouacTheChobe
ArriveattheVillageofMoremiSurpriseoftheMakololoatoursuddenAppearanceCrosstheChobeonourwaytoLinyanti。
TheBakalahari，wholiveatMotlatsawells，havealwaysbeenveryfriendlytous，andlistenattentivelytoinstructionconveyedtothemintheirowntongueItis，however，difficulttogiveanideatoaEuropeanofthelittleeffectteachingproduces，becausenoonecanrealizethedegradationtowhichtheirmindshavebeensunkbycenturiesofbarbarismandhardstrugglingforthenecessariesoflife：
likemostothers，theylistenwithrespectandattention，but，whenwekneeldownandaddressanunseenBeing，thepositionandtheactoftenappeartothemsoridiculousthattheycannotrefrainfromburstingintouncontrollablelaughterAfterafewservicestheygetoverthistendencyIwasoncepresentwhenamissionaryattemptedtosingamongawildheathentribeofBechuanas，whohadnomusicintheircomposition；theeffectontherisiblefacultiesoftheaudiencewassuchthatthetearsactuallyrandowntheircheeks。
Nearlyalltheirthoughtsaredirectedtothesupplyoftheirbodilywants，andthishasbeenthecasewiththeraceforagesIfasked，then，whateffectthepreachingoftheGospelhasatthecommencementonsuchindividuals，Iamunabletotell，exceptthatsomehaveconfessedlongafterwardthattheythenfirstbegantoprayinsecret。
Oftheeffectsofalong-continuedcourseofinstructiontherecanbenoreasonabledoubt，asmerenominalbeliefhasneverbeenconsideredsufficientproofofconversionbyanybodyofmissionaries；
and，afterthechangewhichhasbeenbroughtaboutbythisagency，wehavegoodreasontohopewellforthefuturethoseIhavemyselfwitnessedbehavinginthemannerdescribed，whenkindlytreatedinsicknessoftenutterimploringwordstoJesus，andIbelievesometimesreallydopraytohimintheirafflictionsAsthatgreatRedeemeroftheguiltyseekstosaveallhecan，wemayhopethattheyfindmercythroughHisblood，thoughlittleabletoappreciatethesacrificeHemade。
TheindirectandscarcelyappreciableblessingsofChristianmissionariesgoingaboutdoinggoodarethusprobablynotsodespicableassomemightimagine；thereisnonecessityforbeginningtotelleventhemostdegradedofthesepeopleoftheexistenceofaGodorofafuturestate，thefactsbeinguniversallyadmitted。
EverythingthatcannotbeaccountedforbycommoncausesisascribedtotheDeity，ascreation，suddendeath，etc。
“HowcuriouslyGodmadethesethings！”isacommonexpression；
asisalso，“Hewasnotkilledbydisease，hewaskilledbyGod。”
And，whenspeakingofthedepartedthoughthereisnaughtinthephysicalappearanceofthedeadtojustifytheexpression
theysay，“Hehasgonetothegods。”thephrasebeingidenticalwith“abiitadplures“。
OnquestioningintelligentmenamongtheBakwainsastotheirformerknowledgeofgoodandevil，ofGodandthefuturestate，theyhavescoutedtheideaofanyofthemeverhavingbeenwithoutatolerablyclearconceptiononallthesesubjects。
Respectingtheirsenseofrightandwrong，theyprofessthatnothingweindicateassineverappearedtothemasotherwise，exceptthestatementthatitwaswrongtohavemorewivesthanone；
andtheydeclarethattheyspokeinthesamewayofthedirectinfluenceexercisedbyGodingivingraininanswertoprayersoftherain-makers，andingrantingdeliverancesintimesofdanger，astheydonow，beforetheyeverheardofwhitemenThewant，however，ofanyformofpublicworship，orofidols，orofformalprayersorsacrifice，makebothCaffresandBechuanasappearasamongthemostgodlessracesofmortalsknownanywhereBut，thoughtheyallpossessadistinctknowledgeofadeityandofafuturestate，theyshowsolittlereverence，andfeelsolittleconnectionwitheither，thatitisnotsurprisingthatsomehavesupposedthementirelyignorantonthesubjectAtLotlakaniwemetanoldBushmanwhoatfirstseemedtohavenoconceptionofmoralitywhatever；
whenhisheartwaswarmedbyourpresentsofmeat，hesatbythefirerelatinghisearlyadventures：amongthesewaskillingfiveotherBushmen。
“Two。”saidhe，countingonhisfingers，“werefemales，oneamale，andtheothertwocalves。”“Whatavillainyouare，toboastofkillingwomenandchildrenofyourownnation！whatwillGodsaywhenyouappearbeforehim？”“Hewillsay。”repliedhe，“thatIwasaverycleverfellow。”
Thismannowappearedtomeaswithoutanyconscience，and，ofcourse，responsibility；but，ontryingtoenlightenhimbyfurtherconversation，Idiscoveredthat，thoughhewasemployingthewordthatisusedamongtheBakwainswhenspeakingoftheDeity，hehadonlytheideaofachief，andwasallthewhilereferringtoSekomi，whilehisvictimswereapartyofrebelBushmenagainstwhomhehadbeensent。
IfIhadknownthenameofGodintheBushmantonguethemistakecouldscarcelyhaveoccurredItmust，however，berecollected，whilereflectingonthedegradationofthenativesofSouthAfrica，thatthefarthernorth，themoredistinctdothenativeideasonreligioussubjectsbecome，andIhavenothadanyintercoursewitheitherCaffresorBushmenintheirowntongues。
LeavingMotlatsaonthe8thofFebruary，1853，wepasseddowntheMokoko，which，inthememoryofpersonsnowliving，wasaflowingstream。
Weourselvesoncesawaheavythunder-showermakeitassumeitsancientappearanceofrunningtothenorthBetweenLotlakaniandNchokotsawepassedthesmallwellnamedOrapa；andanothercalledThutsalayalittletoourrightitswaterissaltandpurgative；
thesalt-panChuantsa，havingacakeofsaltoneinchandahalfinthickness，isabouttenmilestothenortheastofOrapaThisdepositcontainsabittersaltinaddition，probablythenitrateoflime；
thenatives，inordertorenderitpalatableandwholesome，mixthesaltwiththejuiceofagummyplant，thenplaceitinthesandandbakeitbymakingafireoverit；thelimethenbecomesinsolubleandtasteless。
TheBamangwatokeeplargeflocksofsheepandgoatsatvariousspotsonthissideoftheDesertTheythrivewonderfullywellwhereversaltandbushesaretobefoundThemilkofgoatsdoesnotcoagulatewithfacility，likethatofcows，onaccountofitsrichness；butthenativeshavediscoveredthattheinfusionofthefruitofasolanaceousplant，Toluane，quicklyproducestheeffectTheBechuanasputtheirmilkintosacksmadeofuntannedhide，withthehairtakenoffHunginthesun，itsooncoagulates；thewheyisthendrawnoffbyaplugatthebottom，andfreshmilkadded，untilthesackisfullofathick，sourcurd，which，whenonebecomesusedtoit，isdeliciousTherichmixthisintheporridgeintowhichtheyconverttheirmeal，and，asitisthusrenderednutritiousandstrength-giving，anexpressionofscornissometimesheardrespectingthepoororweak，totheeffectthat“theyarewater-porridgemen。”
Itoccupiestheplaceofourroastbeef。
AtNchokotsa，therainyseasonhavingthisyearbeendelayedbeyondtheusualtime，wefoundduringthedaythethermometerstandat96DeginthecoolestpossibleshadeThisheightatKolobengalwaysportendedrainathandAtKuruman，whenitrisesabove84Deg。，thesamephenomenonmaybeconsiderednear；whilefarthernorthitrisesabove100DegbeforethecoolinginfluenceoftheevaporationfromrainmaybeexpectedHerethebulbofthethermometer，placedtwoinchesbeneaththesoil，stoodat128DegAllaroundNchokotsathecountrylookedparched，andtheglarefromthewhiteefflorescencewhichcoverstheextensivepansonallsideswasmostdistressingtotheeyes。
ThewaterofNchokotsawasbitter，andpresentedindicationsnottobemistakenofhavingpassedthroughanimalsystemsbefore。
Allthesewaterscontainnitrates，whichstimulatethekidneysandincreasethethirstThefreshadditionsofwaterrequiredincookingmeat，eachimpartingitsownportionofsalt，makeonegrumbleatthecookforputtingtoomuchseasoningin，whileinfacthehasputinnoneatall，exceptthatcontainedinthewaterOfbitter，bad，disgustingwatersIhavedrunknotafewnauseousdraughts；youmaytryalum，vitriol，boiling，etc。，etc。，toconvinceyourselfthatyouarenotmorestupidthantravelersyouwillmeetathome，buttheammoniaandothersaltsaretherestill；
andtheonlyremedyistogetawayasquicklyaspossibletothenorth。
Wedugoutseveralwells；andaswehadoneachoccasiontowaittillthewaterflowedinagain，andthenallowourcattletofeedadayortwoandslaketheirthirstthoroughly，asfarasthatcouldbedone，beforestarting，ourprogresswasbutslow。
AtKoobetherewassuchamassofmudinthepond，workedupbythewallowingrhinocerostotheconsistencyofmortar，thatonlybygreatlaborcouldwegetaspaceclearedatonesideforthewatertooozethroughandcollectinfortheoxen。
Shouldtherhinoceroscomeback，asinglerollinthegreatmasswehadthrownononesidewouldhaverenderedallourlaborvain。
Itwasthereforenecessaryforustoguardthespotatnight。
Onthesegreatflatsallaroundwesawinthewhitesultryglareherdsofzebras，gnus，andoccasionallybuffaloes，standingfordays，lookingwistfullytowardthewellsforashareofthenastywater。
Itismerewantoncrueltytotakeadvantageofthenecessitiesofthesepooranimals，andshootthemdownoneafteranother，withoutintendingtomakethesmallestuseofeithertheflesh，skins，orhorns。