Departure from Pretoria. 97 



I'oatl \'ou nmst travel." I own I little tlioim'lit ut 

 the time I sliould ever get to Tuli, for these long- 

 journeys are chancy sort of things, and many 

 difficulties and obstacles often intervene to prevent 

 their accomplishment. Between seven thousand and 

 eight thousand miles I had travelled since leaving- 

 London ; noAv only about four hundred miles 

 separated me from Fort Salisbury, in Mashonaland, 

 to which I was bound. A period of eleven weeks 

 was occupied in compassing the greater distance : 

 a further period of six weeks will be taken up in 

 traversing the lesser. Now beo-ins the hard travel- 

 ling. The country ahead is still in a savage state. 

 No hotels, no stores, no provisions to be bought on 

 the road, beyond mealies, and perhaps here and 

 there milk and eggs and poultry. Everything 

 necessary for the support of the expedition has to 

 be carried along. Before entering upon the com- 

 position and the plant of the expedition, a short 

 descri]Dtion of the journey from Pretoria may be 

 of interest. Our party, consisting of Captain 

 Williams, Mr. H. C. Perkins, myself, and a servant, 

 . with a fair allowance of bao-o-ao-e, left Pretoria in 

 the early morning of Friday, the 3rd July. We 

 travelled in one of the ordinary coaches of the 

 country, which had been specially retained. 

 Going north the grass veldt is left behind, and the 

 road descends on to the low country bush veldt, 

 passing through hill scenery of much beauty. It 

 is a great relief, getting away from the high grass 

 veldt, with its hopeless expanse, unbroken by tree, 

 bush, or living creature. Now the surroundings 



H 



