RHODESIA. 207 



few acclimatised horses may here and there be 

 picked up if expense is no object, and that perhaps 

 one-half of the number of these animals may 

 have survived an attack of the real "horse- 

 sickness," which the Boers designate as " dikkop 

 sikte," and many perhaps indeed a majority of 

 those animals will be able to withstand the 

 effects of the Rhodesian climate. The remaining 

 half of the horses sold as " salted," or acclimatised, 

 have perhaps survived an attack of the milder 

 form of the disease, locally known as the " din 

 sikte," and all or most of these will speedily die 

 during their first experience of a Matabeleland 

 summer, the result being that the price of a well- 

 known acclimatised horse, without reference to 

 quality, may be quoted at about four times his 

 selling price as an "unsalted" animal. Indeed, 

 the most miserable old moke, if really " salted," 

 readily commands prices ranging from 50 to 75. 

 Good hacks may be bought in any requisite number 

 in the Cape Colony, Natal, or the Orange Free 

 State for from 10 to 15 minus, of course, 

 pedigree qualifications as in these parts epidemic 

 " horse-sickness " is of too unfrequent occurrence 

 to affect prices. 



