A Considerable Proportion Of Animal Diet Seems Requisite Here.
Independent Of The Want Of Salt, We Required Meat In As
Large quantity daily
as we do in England, and no bad effects, in the way of biliousness,
followed the free
Use of flesh, as in other hot climates.
A vegetable diet causes acidity and heartburn.
Mr. Oswell thought this climate much superior to that of Peru,
as far as pleasure is concerned; the want of instruments unfortunately
prevented my obtaining accurate scientific data for the medical world
on this subject; and were it not for the great expense of such a trip,
I should have no hesitation in recommending the borders of the Kalahari Desert
as admirably suited for all patients having pulmonary complaints.
It is the complete antipodes to our cold, damp, English climate.
The winter is perfectly dry; and as not a drop of rain falls
during that period, namely, from the beginning of May to the end of August,
damp and cold are never combined. However hot the day may have been
at Kolobeng - and the thermometer sometimes rose, previous to a fall of rain,
up to 96 Deg. in the coolest part of our house - yet the atmosphere
never has that steamy feeling nor those debilitating effects
so well known in India and on the coast of Africa itself. In the evenings
the air becomes deliciously cool, and a pleasant refreshing night follows
the hottest day. The greatest heat ever felt is not so oppressive as it is
when there is much humidity in the air; and the great evaporation consequent
on a fall of rain makes the rainy season the most agreeable for traveling.
Nothing can exceed the balmy feeling of the evenings and mornings
during the whole year. You wish for an increase neither of cold nor heat;
and you can sit out of doors till midnight without ever thinking
of colds or rheumatism; or you may sleep out at night, looking up to the moon
till you fall asleep, without a thought or sign of moon-blindness.
Indeed, during many months there is scarcely any dew.
Chapter 7.
Departure from the Country of the Bakwains - Large black Ant -
Land Tortoises - Diseases of wild Animals - Habits of old Lions -
Cowardice of the Lion - Its Dread of a Snare - Major Vardon's Note -
The Roar of the Lion resembles the Cry of the Ostrich -
Seldom attacks full-grown Animals - Buffaloes and Lions -
Mice - Serpents - Treading on one - Venomous and harmless Varieties -
Fascination - Sekomi's Ideas of Honesty - Ceremony of the Sechu for Boys
- The Boyale for young Women - Bamangwato Hills - The Unicorn's Pass -
The Country beyond - Grain - Scarcity of Water - Honorable Conduct
of English Gentlemen - Gordon Cumming's hunting Adventures -
A Word of Advice for young Sportsmen - Bushwomen drawing Water -
Ostrich - Silly Habit - Paces - Eggs - Food.
Having remained five days with the wretched Bakwains,
seeing the effects of war, of which only a very inadequate idea
can ever be formed by those who have not been eye-witnesses of its miseries,
we prepared to depart on the 15th of January, 1853.
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