284 LIFE ON THE IIIGIIT VELDT. 



seven dozen of champagne and cherry brandy, with 

 which to purchase hunting veldt from Lubengulo, 

 for that august monarch considers a mixture of these 

 admirable drinks the only thing fit for a lubricant of 

 his royal throat. Well, the King of the Matabeles 

 never got that liquor, and Fred never got any further 

 up country. 



A more remarkable circumstance occurred after 

 this last arrival's cargo was broached, viz., that poker 

 became as much indulged in by daylight as it had 

 been after the sun had set ; and, instead of ostrich 

 feathers and ivory changing hands, "chits" did. 

 "Chit" is a Chinese and Indian word; in this in- 

 stance it represented an I O U, and not a friendly 

 note. 



Fred D got his return load without going 



further north, for his champagne and cherry brandy 

 sold well, although the former was New Jersey cider, 

 and the latter Angostura bitters ; but what mattered 

 the difference of appellations ? None of the Baman- 

 wato coterie were particular as long as the flavour had 

 a smack of the Simon Pure, and there was a " bite " 

 in its swallow. 



At length the last of my antagonists (for the 

 others had retired disgusted) called out, " Double or 

 quits." I accepted the challenge, and won. Again I 

 was asked to "give the loser a show." I did so, and 

 was victorious ; a third time the same was the result. 

 So the deck of cards was thrown upon the table 



