XIII FIND OUR CAMP DESERTED 277 



Matabele Kafirs. The camp was arranged thus : — 

 In the centre stood our four waggons, parallel with 

 one another, enough space being allowed to admit of 

 the horses being tied between them. In front of the 

 waggons was our cattle-kraal, containing nearly sixty 

 oxen, made very high and strong ; whilst surround- 

 ing both the kraal and the waggons, and leaving the 

 latter standing in an open space about sixty yards in 

 diameter, was a second strong, high fence. At in- 

 tervals round the inside of this fence, and of course 

 within the space, the different parties of Kafirs had 

 made their sleeping-places, each party keeping up one 

 or two fires, so that the whole camp must have pre- 

 sented a very animated appearance. 



On the evening of the 8th of July we returned 

 home, and were surprised to find our camp deserted. 

 Riding into the enclosure we found a cross, and the 

 letters R. R. deeply cut on the stem of a tree that 

 grew on one side of the kraal, and at its foot a 

 newly-made grave. Full of conjecture as to what 

 these evidences of disaster might signify, we at once 

 galloped along the broad track lett by our four 

 waggons, and half an hour later found them standing 

 on the bank of the Umfule itself, where Dr. Crook 

 had made a new encampment. In answer to our 

 inquiries we learned the following story. In the 

 dead of night of the very day on which we left the 

 waggons, every one was awakened by the shrieking 

 of Mr. Jameson's pet baboon, " Susan," that was 

 fastened just in front ot one of the waggons, and at 

 the same time a horse was heard struggling between 

 the waggons. Ruthven and a Bamangwato boy 

 named Buckram rushed forwards to see what was the 

 matter, and found old " Jordan," one of Mr. 

 Jameson's horses, struggling in the clutches of a lion. 



