238 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa. 



l^erceive that Maslioiialantl has much to offer to, 

 much to attract the British emigrant. Here at 

 Fort Sahsbury, and on some of the higli vehlt, a 

 few might Hve and thrixe, but the want of any 

 laro-e market woukl prevent the ^-aininu' of wenhli. 

 I have been hunting over a ^vide tract of country 

 from four to five thousand feet a1)ove the level of 

 the sea, between the Upper Umfuli and Hunyani 

 Rivers, very beautiful, and fairly dry at this time 

 uf vear, with apparently rich soil. It Avas, however, 

 impossible not to detect from many signs and in- 

 dications that during the whole of the rainy season, 

 lastinof for three or four months, this wide stretch 

 of country is nothing but a vast swamp, in all like- 

 lihood reeking Avith malaria. It is quite possible 

 that as the work of exploration progresses general 

 conditions, nuich better in every Avav, may be ob- 

 served and noted. For the present, however, it 

 cannot be un-\vise or wrono- to check the formation 

 of hopes too high as to the value of this most recent 

 acquisition to the British Fmpire, or of plans for its 

 development too large and rapid. 



I append some extracts from the report of Captain 

 Williams on his journey to the Mazoe River gold 

 district : — 



Report by Captain G. Williams ox Certain 



Mines. 



" Early on the morning of August 18th, Mr. 

 Perkins and myself started for the Mazoe Gold- 

 fields with six indifferent oxen and a two-wheeled 



