XV FRIENDLY NATIVES 327 



ankles. Having nothing with which to keep off" the 

 constant rain, and as we usually arrived too late at 

 the towns to make a shelter with boughs and grass, 

 we were forced to sleep in their filthy huts, and 

 suffered accordingly. The headman of this town 

 was named Mashato. There was a good deal of 

 tsetse fly, not only in the forest -clad sand -belts 

 through which we had just passed, but also in the 

 town itself. 



December 28///. — Another rainy day, altogether too 

 wet to venture on with our things. About mid-day, 

 however, it cleared up a bit, and by evening the sky 

 became pretty clear, and looked as if the rain, which 

 had now been continuous for three weeks, intended 

 to hold up for a bit. About 3 p.m. I went out to 

 look for game, and, coming across a herd of zebras 

 and konze antelope, managed to kill two, one of each. 

 I also saw a single roan antelope and some reedbuck. 



December 29//;. — A fine bright day, though the 

 heavy dew made the walking through the long grass 

 unpleasant in the early morning. Passed through a 

 beautiful-looking country for game, but only saw one 

 old konze bull, at which Owen had a shot. After a 

 walk ot about fifteen miles, we reached several small 

 kraals, where the people seemed much more friendly 

 than at the two towns we had last passed. The old 

 Enduna did his besi to make us comfortable, and 

 gave us the largest hut in the town to sleep in. 



December 30//;. — A fine day, and very hot. Got 

 two fresh carriers to go with us as far as Sitanda's 

 kraal, which they say is three days' walk from here. 

 A two hours' walk brought us to Melimba's kraal, 

 who owns a few cattle. The Enduna's son came 

 out to meet us, and sold us a little salt from the 

 Mashukulumbwe country, and a few ground-nuts. 



