266 THROUGH GASA LAND. 



been the inducement that brought the foreigners 

 here, if foreigners they were, and not a race of 

 human beings that have perished off the face of the 

 earth. Excavating might disclose the secret of the 

 early history of the place, but I had no means to 

 undertake such a task. As Mashoona Land is 

 a portion of the Matabele country now ceded to 

 England, and is therefore in our hands, it is possible 

 that such may be done at a future date. 



The population of this country is much more 

 numerous, than on the lands that we have formerly 

 traversed ; so many of the valleys are cultivated, and 

 each hill top has a kraal perched upon it. From 

 these huts, especially after sunset, I often heard soft 

 music emanate ; it was of two kinds : one resembling 

 such as would be produced by an Eolian harp, the 

 other being very fife-like in sound, and probably was 

 the result of blowing into a reed. 



The Mashoonas are a much superior, and less 

 inquisitive race to any of the aborigines of Gasa 

 Land that I have met, or their Matabele masters 

 have taught them to attend to their own business, 

 for those men and women that I passed, whether in 

 the vicinity of their kraals or when engaged in agri- 

 cultural pursuits, never attempted to follow me, and 

 indulge their curiosity with an inspection of the 

 stranger. 



In the course of my walk, particularly in the 

 immediate vicinity of rivers — not unfrequently even 



