44 MATABELE LAND. 
as he usually makes one short trek during the day. 
I followed in the evening, and shortly after midnight 
crossed the drift of the Impakwe and outspanned. 
There seems plenty of water in the river. Barking 
of dogs ; encampment of Dutch hunters. Petersen 
had turned in. Part of this trek was through a 
somewhat sandy country, but on the whole we are 
on a much firmer road than we were before reach- 
inof Tati. Pitched into marmalade ; it is wonderful 
how much one enjoys such things here, where the 
coffee is without milk, the bread without butter, and 
the meat dry as chips. 
'' September 2d. — Pleasant breeze. Petersen called 
me. I find I am likely to have great luck. Here 
lives the Dutchman whose family suffered so much 
from fever on the Ramaqueban. He has built 
a straw hut, cool, roomy, and snug, with a higher 
entrance than the Kafir huts, but shaped like them. 
His wife and family are with him, his eldest mar- 
ried daughter, and members of the next genera- 
tion. He has cattle and goats, does his own black- 
smith's work, and hunts. They go as soon as the 
unhealthy season begins to John Lee's. They 
intend, in four years I think, to return to their farm 
on the Meriko. Petersen acted as interpreter, and 
it is arranged that I wait for the Dutchman, who 
intends going to-morrow in my direction to get wood 
and hunt. He will lend me some oxen. I believe 
it is nothing but the brackish water, especially the 
Seruli water, that has made such a mess of my oxen. 
The Dutchman says there Is plenty of game along 
