THROUGH WATERBERG. 85 



commencement of the Mashonaland trek. Wagons, 

 drawn principally by donkeys, well equipped, were 

 bearing young and enterprising spirits to Rhodes' new 

 country and England's new Protectorate. Prospectors 

 were hastening to find and peg-out claims which con- 

 tained the precious reef, and though much fever and 

 more hardship will be encountered in the early days, it 

 will probably be the South- African land for the future 

 colonist and will remain under the old flag. It is 

 bound to absorb some of the capital of investors which 

 might have otherwise reached the Transvaal, and 

 though Boer and Hollander may sometimes think the 

 Republic can do without the English, it will still miss 

 the influx of English money. 



When a man has once gone prospecting he finds a 

 charm in the life which he seldom deserts. Of course 

 I am speaking of those free spirits who are no use in 

 business, have a moral law unto themselves, and love 

 the solitude of nature, diversified by an occasional 

 carouse in a large town. Such a one we carried in our 

 coach on the up-journey. He was bound for Mashona- 

 land, and had purchased the wagon and oxen to carry 

 the party, his Mends having contributed the other 

 necessaries. The wagon, however, had gone on without 

 him, as he informed us he had indulged in such a 

 " paralatic drunk " that his friends had become tired of 

 waiting, and he was now endeavouring to overtake his 

 party. Another member of the staff had still to follow. 

 Four times had this susceptible man driven to the 

 Poort where the wagon waited to start, and each time 

 accompanied by a " lady " friend to see him off, but on 

 each occasion his will failed and he returned to town with 

 his fair companion. These men when they do get out 

 and settle down will be sober slaves, but they are like 

 sailors on shore when a town is reached. My com- 

 panion was a lump of good-nature, of strong build and 

 constitution, and in all my experience at home and 

 abroad I never saw a man ctrink so much and show the 

 effects so little. Consequently what the nature of the 

 banquet was which prevented his joining the wagon, 

 can be more easily imagined than described. 



