The Basotho kingdom emerged and consolidated in the dramatic and dangerous environment of nineteenth-century South Africa. Elizabeth Eldredge explores its transition from chiefdom to kingdom to the British colony of Basutoland. She provides a rich description of local agriculture and craft industries, including an analysis of the roles of women in production and politics. Emphasizing the resourcefulness of the Basotho, the book describes how they united in their struggle to sustain their society and economy in the face of political and environmental threats.