6o MATABELE LAND. 
entering the town. They had only a few hundred 
bullocks with them. Lately some thousands were 
brought in by an impey of a similar kind. At sup- 
per I had a young lion to pet ; it belongs to the 
king, and roams about amongst the traders. There 
is a waggon at Fairbairn's made at Beverley, in 
Yorkshire, which was brought out here in separate 
pieces, and fitted together afterwards. Fairbairn 
says it is a capital one. The poor man who brought 
it from England died before landing. 
^^ September i6t/i. — Took the king my present — 
a central fire shot gun with ammunition. As I 
approached, with men carrying it, he took me by 
the hand and led me to a waggon, and sat on the 
' dissel-boom.' ^ We all sat on the ground. He 
was much pleased with the gun, and thanked me. 
The men with me would ask for beer, and he sent 
us to his sister for it. She was lying on a rug at 
her hut door, and I was introduced." 
It was now ascertained from those here who 
knew most about the matter, that it was not even 
yet considered too late to reach the Zambesi that 
season, by taking a more direct route from this place, 
to be accomplished for the most part on foot, instead 
of proceeding along the usual trade route by way of 
Tati, which is available for waggons, but a good 
deal further round from the King's Town. On 
hearing this, Frank Oates at once determined to try 
and reach the river by the shorter road that season, 
and the remainder of the time he spent on this 
1 i.e. The pole of the waggon. 
