A Pestilential Spot. i8i 



Yards, Major Giles and the waggons were rejoined 

 on the 1st of August at midday. They were out- 

 spanned on the nortliern bank of the Lundi river, 

 and had Lain there for four days. I expect that 

 this delay occasioned by my shooting expedition 

 was in its results somewhat costly to me, and that 

 probably here several of the horses contracted the 

 germs of sickness. The Lundi is a fine river, 

 twice as large as the Wanetse. The stream flows 

 strong and deep, and the water poured into the 

 " spider," rising up to the inside seats. The 

 bottom of the drift is good hard sand, and at this 

 time of year the passage is effected without 

 difficulty. On either side the road descends 

 precipitously to the watei', and it is in this portion 

 of the passage that danger lies and accidents often 

 occur. I found Major Giles very impatient to get 

 away from this river. The outspan certainly had 

 a tainted and pestilential aj^pearance. Here for 

 months during the rainy season had lain troops of 

 waggons and of cattle. The camping ground was 

 a mass of dried and fresh dung, smelling disagree- 

 ably. Ten yards from our waggons was to l)e 

 seen a grim array of fourteen graves. Twice as 

 many more, I Avas told, could be found in the 

 vicinity, and testified to the poisonous fever for 

 which this river has an evil reputation. What 

 had occurred was that many parties of travellers 

 leaving Mashonaland too late in the season last 

 year had arrived at the Lundi to find it a foaming 

 torrent altogether impassable, had been detained 

 there, some for weeks, some even for months, had 



