A Telegraphic Expedition. 145 



that I was the nnl\' loiterer, every one else having 

 some kind <»1" work to (!<). ( )iir (la\- ramp was 

 pitched on the Ipau'i Ki\er. a\ here ^\vlv also en- 

 (•am])e(l a laro-e hodv of men emplo\ed 1)\' the 

 Chartered ('ompaiiv in lavini;' the telegraph wire 

 up eountry to Fort \'ietoria, Avhieh work is being 

 accomplished at the rate of about three miles a day. 

 This expedition is mainly composed of 250 of 

 Khama's men, all armed ^\'ith old nniskets, A\hich 

 they carry slung oyqy their shoulders, generally 

 loaded and at full cock, together with their picks, 

 spades, and axes. It is doubtful whether Loben- 

 gula will quite relish the incursion into his 

 country of armed men from the tribe of his here- 

 ditary foe. Khama once, some years ago, nearly 

 killed Lobengula, woiniding him badly in the neck. 

 The work, however, of lading the telegraph has to 

 be done, Khama's men were the only labour which 

 could be obtained, and Khama's men would not 

 come into Lobeno'ula's country unless tliey were 

 fully armed. 



On the 19tli we reached the Umzingwani River, 

 about twenty miles from Fort Tuli. There was a 

 good amount of water here. ]Major Giles, I and 

 Lee, after breakfast, rode out into the bush to look 

 for game. Two water-buck -were seen, which Lee 

 shot at without etfect. I got a shot at a steimbuck, 

 but missed him. We saAv much spoor of koodoo 

 and other antelope. A heavy shower came on, a 

 very unusual thing in this part of Africa at this 

 time of year, and ^ve got wet through. It was noAv 

 found that our hours of trekking, which had been 



