68 A HUNTER'S WANDERINGS ch. 



with an, escort from Lobengula to visit the Victoria 

 Falls on the Zambesi. This gentleman gained a 

 great reputation amongst the Kafirs as a successful 

 hunter, and is, I believe, considered by them to be 

 the best runner that has ever visited the country. 

 He himself was, I think, much pleased with his trip, 

 and delighted with the beauty and grandeur of the 

 Falls. 



After leaving Gubulawayo, we struck across 

 country to the north-west, passing Bukwela's kraal, 

 where we hired Kafirs for the trip, and crossing the 

 river Gwai (tobacco) soon afterwards. The bed of the 

 river was here composed of fine white sand, with very 

 little water apparent above the surface, and was about 

 1 50 yards in breadth. After holding the same course 

 for three days, we cut on to the hunting road leading 

 from John Lee's farm at Mengwe to the valley of 

 Linquasi, which for several years past has been a 

 regular camping place for hunters during the winter 

 season. The following day we caught up to a party of 

 Dutch hunters from Mengwe, consisting of two sons 

 and a son-in-law of John Lee's, and the Potgieter 

 family, whom I had met a (qw months before at 

 Sebakwe. 



About a fortnight from our start we reached 

 Linquasi, a long narrow valley, presenting the appear- 

 ance of an ancient river bed, with several fine deep 

 holes of water along its course, which, being fed by 

 springs, never dry up. On the evening of our 

 arrival, as, riding in front of the waggons, we emerged 

 from the forest into the open valley, we came in sight 

 of a black rhinoceros coming down to the water, 

 which we shot. Two days later we killed two fine 

 bull elephants within ten miles of our camp. The 

 Linquasi valley, which was as far as we dared venture 



