Have discovered that lake, had discovery alone been my object.
Most part of this journey beyond Shokuane was performed on foot,
in consequence of the draught oxen having become sick.
Some of my companions who had recently joined us, and did not know
that I understood a little of their speech, were overheard by me
discussing my appearance and powers: "He is not strong; he is quite slim,
and only appears stout because he puts himself into those bags (trowsers);
he will soon knock up." This caused my Highland blood to rise,
and made me despise the fatigue of keeping them all at the top of their speed
for days together, and until I heard them expressing
proper opinions of my pedestrian powers.
-
* Several words in the African languages begin with the ringing sound
heard in the end of the word "comING". If the reader puts an `i'
to the beginning of the name of the lake, as Ingami,
and then sounds the `i' as little as possible, he will have
the correct pronunciation. The Spanish n [ny] is employed
to denote this sound, and Ngami is spelt nyami - naka means a tusk,
nyaka a doctor. Every vowel is sounded in all native words,
and the emphasis in pronunciation is put upon the penultimate.
-
Returning to Kuruman, in order to bring my luggage to our proposed settlement,
I was followed by the news that the tribe of Bakwains,
who had shown themselves so friendly toward me, had been driven from Lepelole
by the Barolongs, so that my prospects for the time
of forming a settlement there were at an end.
