350 A HUNTER'S WANDERINGS ch- 



cow, not more than a day old. In the little rocky 

 hills which here border the river, klipspringers are 

 very plentiful. 



The Umniati is one of the finest rivers that run 

 northwards into the Zambesi from the watershed of 

 the Mashuna country, and in many parts its large 

 deep pools abound in hippopotami. In the hope of 

 getting a shot at one, I walked several miles along 

 the bank, crossing the river " Umgesi," which runs 

 into it about two miles below the drift, but though 

 I saw a great deal of spoor, some of it seemingly 

 very fresh, I did not see any of the animals them- 

 selves. In the evening we trekked on again to the 

 Umgesi, also a fine running stream of beautifully 

 clear water. On the way Goulden shot a water- 

 buck cow. 



September "jth. — Reached " Gwazan," a little river, 

 with some fine pools of water, into one of which my 

 waggon capsized. Luckily, it being lightly laden 

 and the ground soft, no material damage was done, 

 so that after ofF-loading, we soon righted and pulled 

 it on to firm ground again. During the morning's 

 trek we had crossed elephant cow spoor of yesterday 

 and the day before, and in the evening I rode out 

 and saw more, only a day or two old. They seemed 

 to pass backwards and forwards about here, between 

 the " fly "-infested country to the north-west, and 

 the hills on the southern side of the road, and had 

 I not been anxious to push on and join my friends, 

 I would have remained for a week or so where I was, 

 and hunted well through the hills in the direction of 

 " Intaba Insimbi " (the mountain of iron). 



The following day we remained at Gwazan to 

 give the oxen a rest, so Goulden and I rode out 

 to look for elephant spoor, but saw none. Whilst 



