been led astray. His brother, Kalatah, had deserted to the
enemy for the express purpose of becoming a false guide, and under this
pretence he had succeeded in drawing them off the scent. He had
conducted them far to the north, and into the heart of the great
Kalahari desert. Not one of these befooled foemen lived to return to
their own country, all having perished by thirst.

"But Kalatah! what of him?" eagerly inquired the listeners. "How did he
escape the same fate?"

"Kalatah did not escape it," coolly answered the chief. "He perished
with the rest. He sacrificed his own life for the sake of saving his
countrymen!"

This act had endeared him to the memory of his people; and the hunters,
on hearing it, became convinced that the Bechuanas, whom they had been
taught to regard as a soul-less, degraded people, had still soul enough
to respect the performance of a noble action.

Next morning our travellers were made acquainted with the method by
which the water was obtained for the daily supply of the kraal. None
was allowed to be exposed either to the sun or to view, the well being
carefully covered up with a thick stratum of turf. The kraal had been
built near a spring, which had of course decided the selection of its
site; and over the spring a new surface had been given to the ground, so
that the presence of water underneath could not be suspected.

In order to obtain it for daily use, a hollow reed was inserted into a
small, inconspicuous aperture, left open for the purpose, and covered by
a stone when the reed was not in use. The water was drawn up by
suction,--the women performing the operation by applying their lips to
the upper end of the reed, filling the mouth with the fluid, and then
discharging it into the egg-shells.

The water supplied to the hunters on their first arrival had been
"pumped" up in this original fashion!

The well was only uncovered and the bucket called into requisition, upon
rare and extraordinary occasions, such as that which had arisen from the
necessity of supplying the horses and cattle of their guests.

Our travellers remained for two days in the Karroo village, during which
they did not suffer much from _ennui_. They had sufficient employment
in mending their travelling equipments; and the delay gave their cattle
a chance of recruiting their strength, sadly exhausted by the long
toilsome journey just made.

The whites of the party were much interested in observing