s still more than three hundred
miles distant. One reason of our mistake was, that the River Zouga was
often spoken of by the same name as the lake, viz., Noka ea Batletli
("River of the Batletli").

The mirage on these salinas was marvelous. It is never, I believe,
seen in perfection, except over such saline incrustations. Here not a
particle of imagination was necessary for realizing the exact picture
of large collections of water; the waves danced along above, and the
shadows of the trees were vividly reflected beneath the surface in such
an admirable manner, that the loose cattle, whose thirst had not been
slaked sufficiently by the very brackish water of Nchokotsa, with the
horses, dogs, and even the Hottentots ran off toward the deceitful
pools. A herd of zebras in the mirage looked so exactly like elephants
that Oswell began to saddle a horse in order to hunt them; but a sort
of break in the haze dispelled the illusion. Looking to the west and
northwest from Nchokotsa, we could see columns of black smoke, exactly
like those from a steam-engine, rising to the clouds, and were assured
that these arose from the burning reeds of the Noka ea Batletli.

On the 4th of July we went forward on horseback toward what we supposed
to be the lake, and again and again did we seem to see it; but at last
we came to the veritable water of the Zouga, and found it to be a river
running to the N.E. A village of Bakurutse lay on the opposite bank;
these live among Batletli, a tribe having a click in their language, and
who were found by Sebituane to possess large herds of the great horned
cattle. They seem allied to the Hottentot family. Mr. Oswell, in
trying to cross the river, got his horse bogged in the swampy bank. Two
Bakwains and I managed to get over by wading beside a fishing-weir. The
people were friendly, and informed us that this water came out of the
Ngami. This news gladdened all our hearts, for we now felt certain of
reaching our goal. We might, they said, be a moon on the way; but we had
the River Zouga at our feet, and by following it we should at last reach
the broad water.

Next day, when we were quite disposed to be friendly with every one,
two of the Bamangwato, who had been sent on before us by Sekomi to drive
away all the Bushmen and Bakalahari from our path, so that they should
not assist or guide us, came and sat down by our fire. We had seen their
footsteps fresh in the way, and they had watched our slow mov