70 MATABELE LAND. 
where in the veldt at the time was impaled for 
It. 
The greater part of the following day (Septem- 
ber 30th) was spent in packing and arranging things 
for the walk to the Falls, and it was not till the day- 
after this that the induna reappeared, now stating 
that he could not get bearers. The natives, it is 
likely enough, were afraid of fever on the Zambesi 
at this season, and did not want to go, but it after- 
wards appeared that the induna of the kraal and the 
headman sent by the king had made no proper 
efforts to obtain the staff required for the journey. 
The upshot of the matter was that the Zambesi had 
to be abandoned, and the traveller obtained instead 
permission from the king to go for a few weeks' 
hunting into the country to the north-east, where 
good sport was likely to be had. Before starting 
on this expedition he wrote home from Inyati, on 
October 5th, as follows : — 
" You will not be much surprised to hear that I 
have had to give up the Zambesi. I got here just 
in time to do it, if the carriers had been forthcoming, 
but the people in authority threw so many difficulties 
in my way, that I had to send back to the king, and 
so much valuable time has been lost that I have 
given up the expedition. I am, however, going a 
little way into the country with my waggon, and 
shall probably be a month or two before I am back 
again here. 
'' There are three Englishmen living here, trading. 
Two of them, in whose house I am now writing, are 
