PIE TERMARITZB UR G. 3 
They accordingly each purchased a waggon and the 
requisite number of oxen for the journey, and en- 
gaged some native attendants. Before leaving 
Maritzburg, W. E. Oates wrote home as follows : — 
May \/\th, 1873. 
. . . " We only stayed a few days in Durban, 
and came on here, as this is a much better place for 
getting an outfit for the interior. It is 54 miles from 
Durban, and not a particularly interesting place. 
There are hills all round, without much vegetation, 
and covered with long coarse grass. It is much 
cooler than it is at Durban, as it is 2000 feet above 
the level of the sea. It is winter now, and rather 
cool at night, but still very hot during the day. We 
arrived here three weeks ago to-morrow, and to- 
morrow we intend making a start up country. We 
have each got a waggon and fourteen oxen, besides 
five ponies between us, and three Kafirs to each 
waggon. We are going with a man called Gray, 
who is going up to Lake Ngami to trade. He is 
quite a young fellow, and has only been out here 
four years. He knows the country through which 
we are going, and says it is extremely healthy, and 
the native tribes all friendly. He has taken five 
waggons, and left on the nth instant, but as his 
waggons are heavily laden, we expect to overtake 
him in a week.^ 
" Buckley and Gilchrist started with their waggon 
' Mr. Gray died of fever at the abo\c Lake a few months after- 
wards. 
