Chapter 3.
Departure from Kolobeng, 1st June, 1849--Companions--Our Route--
Abundance of Grass--Serotli, a Fountain in the Desert--Mode of
digging Wells--The Eland--Animals of the Desert--The Hyaena--The
Chief Sekomi--Dangers--The wandering Guide--Cross Purposes--Slow
Progress--Want of Water--Capture of a Bushwoman--The Salt-pan
at Nchokotsa--The Mirage--Reach the River Zouga--The Quakers of
Africa--Discovery of Lake Ngami, 1st August, 1849--Its Extent--Small
Depth of Water--Position as the Reservoir of a great River System--The
Bamangwato and their Chief--Desire to visit Sebituane, the Chief of the
Makololo--Refusal of Lechulatebe to furnish us with Guides--Resolve
to return to the Cape--The Banks of the Zouga--Pitfalls--Trees of the
District--Elephants--New Species of Antelope--Fish in the Zouga.
Such was the desert which we were now preparing to cross--a region
formerly of terror to the Bechuanas from the numbers of serpents which
infested it and fed on the different kinds of mice, and from the intense
thirst which these people often endured when their water-vessels were
insufficient for the distances to be traveled over before reaching the
wells.
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