APPROACH OF SPRING. 33 
which case I had long before decided to travel in 
a north-easterly direction to Mosilikatze's country, 
the country of the Matabele, over whom Lobengula, 
son of Mosilikatze, now reigns. I am told I shall 
see some very beautiful scenery on my way there, 
and I am now interested in pursuing my journey 
as far as I can. From here to the King's Town 
they call six days, but it will probably take me 
more. 
" Here I have met two very nice fellows. One 
of them. Nelson, a Swede, is managing the mine of 
the Tati Gold Company. It is on a very small scale, 
and there are, I think, only seven white men here 
altogether. Brown, the other I refer to, has also 
some office connected with the mine, and keeps a 
store. They are both extremely kind, and willing 
to do anything to help one, and I expect to find 
more friends at the King's Town — especially Mr. 
Thomson, the missionary, for whom I have a 
letter from Mr. Mackenzie, and another from Mr. 
Hepburn. I likewise carry the mail. 
" A flower is almost an unheard-of thing at pre- 
sent, everything being dried up ; but the thorny 
shrubs (mimosas), with their yellow sweet-scented 
blossoms, are an exception, and a sign of approach- 
ing spring. The shrubs they grow on are covered 
with long sharp thorns, and there are no leaves on 
them, but blossoms are appearing. There is another 
kind with hooked thorns and whitish sallow-scented 
blossoms, which attain the size of a good-sized Eng- 
lish fruit-tree. The thorns which defend nearly 
D 
