2 MATABELE LAND. 
visited me this morning, and seating himself on 
the front -box of my waggon, commenced a con- 
versation, which one of our drivers interpreted, the 
end of which was that he wanted some coffee and 
sugar. I gave him five pounds of gunpowder, worth 
fifteen shilHngs. He accepted it, and then returned 
it, asking for coffee instead. I then gave him two 
or three pounds of coffee, worth perhaps five shil- 
Hngs, which afforded him great satisfaction, and 
after thanking me he walked off in a stately manner, 
followed by his train, his right-hand man carrying 
the coffee in his robe of skin. During the interview 
the latter produced a huge sort of bodkin from a 
sheath, and extracted a thorn from Sekomi's finger 
with the utmost gravity. There are a good many 
white men living here to trade, and also a mission- 
ary, on whom I intend to call. 
" I cannot more fully describe the country at 
present, or our journey. It has not the charm for 
me that the western world has, but I think further 
north there must be far more attractive scenery than 
anything we have yet encountered. The days are 
hot, though there is often a refreshing breeze. The 
thermometer is about 82° in the shade during the 
hottest part of the day, and one hot day in the 
sun it rose to 100°. The nights are cold, and we 
have yet had no insect pests, but our animals are 
infested by ticks. . . . It is very annoying never 
to be able to get letters from home. Mr. Hathorn, 
of the Standard Bank at Pietermaritzburg, has 
promised to forward all letters sent to his care 
