3++ A HUNTER'S WANDERINGS ch. 



Gweo, a tributary of the Umay. It was only with 

 the greatest trouble that I had persuaded the Banyai 

 carriers to come thus far, and farther they would not 

 go. We were now in a pretty mess. Owen could 

 not walk a step ; we had only five boys, three of 

 them mere striplings, and, worst of all, but two and 

 a half pieces of calico left. I myself also was very 

 weak and ill ; bad food, over-fatigue, and worry of 

 mind that prevented my sleeping at night, had worn 

 me to a shadow ; and I now got an attack of 

 " shakes " (ague) every other day. However, there 

 was but one thing for it, which was for me to push 

 on to the Matabele country, and send help back to 

 Owen as quickly as possible. In my weak state I 

 almost despaired of being able to tramp so far ; but 

 it was our only chance, for there was nothing left 

 with which to pay men to carry Owen any farther, 

 and we were still a long, long way from the Matabele 

 country — ten days' hard walking for a healthy Kafir, 

 across a very rough, broken country. Arrangements 

 were soon made. I left Pranz, my Basuto servant, 

 to look after Owen, and a small boy whom Mendonga 

 had given me to fetch wood and water, and took the 

 other five Kafirs with me. I only took nine yards 

 of calico with me, leaving the two whole pieces and 

 all the beads with Owen ; which was a sufficient 

 supply to enable him, with a little economy, to buy 

 food enough to last at least six weeks, by which time, 

 if I lived, help would have reached him from the 

 Matabele. 



April 1 7///. — Said good-bye to Owen, and started 

 southwards. After a very tiring walk through a 

 rough mountainous country, I reached a small town 

 on the banks of the river Sengwe, where I slept. 

 Near here there is a remarkable mountain standing by 



