. CHAPTER XVII 



HUNTING TRIP TO THE MASHUNA COUNTRY 



Camp attacked by five Lions— Shoot variety of Game — Accident to 

 Goulden — Griqua Hunters — Many Elephants killed — Shoot Sable 

 Antelope Bull — " Situngweesa," Mashuna "god," and Lobengula 

 — Enchanted Reed — Tragic Death of (^uabeet : torn in pieces 

 by Elephant — Elephant-hunt — Charged by Infuriated Cow and 

 knocked down — Horse wounded — Twenty-two Elephants bagged. 



Early in May 1878, as I have recounted in the last 

 chapter, I again reached the Matabele country, but 

 being in a very weak state of health, the result of 

 long-continued semi-starvation, and the over-fatigue 

 occasioned by having been obliged to walk day after 

 day whilst suffering from repeated attacks of fever, 

 it was not until August that I felt sufficiently strong 

 to start upon another hunting trip ; but towards the 

 end of that month, having obtained permission of 

 Lobengula to hunt during the remainder of the season 

 in the Mashuna country, I at once prepared myself 

 for the journey, intending to join, and if possible 

 hunt in company with, my friends Messrs, Clarkson, 

 Cross, and Wood, who had left Gubulawayo in the 

 preceding June. 



On the 20th of August, in company with Mr. 

 Goulden (Mr. Clarkson's partner), I made a start 

 from the mission station of Inyati, taking the old 

 hunting-road leading to the Northern gold-fields. 



It was not until after crossing the Sangwe, Shan- 



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