76 MATABELE LAND. 
were making for, was reached, and here, a short 
way off the waggon-track, under some remarkably 
picturesque kopjes, the landscape all budding with 
the green of spring, a camp was formed, where the 
party remained about a fortnight hunting. The boys 
made themselves some snug huts of branches and 
dry grass to sleep in. Here the Journal again takes 
up the story : — 
" October i^tk. — . . . Nelson came up to the 
waggon when we were outspanned. He had not 
left, but had stopped about near the place where we 
had outspanned when we first came through the 
thick bush. He had come on a herd of many (he 
says forty) elephants, driven six out of the herd, and 
shot four, but lost two of them — one a large bull. 
He had killed two bulls. This occurred the day 
before yesterday. I walked away with him in the 
evening towards his waggon. We found some 
nests of amadavats — the little pink ones, I fancy. 
Some were in course of construction, some finished ; 
all hanging like fruit from a tree. One I took con- 
tained two eggs, white speckled with red. Mac- 
loule^ gave me this evening two goatsucker's eggs 
he had found, partly sat on. The nest is very slight, 
and placed on the ground.^ 
1 The guide. 
2 Frank Gates collected, during his wanderings, a considerable 
variety of birds' eggs and nests, some of the latter very remarkable in 
their construction. Two of these are represented in the accompanying 
woodcut, the first of which — probably that of an ^githalus or Pendu- 
line Titmouse — is of the consistency and texture of fine blanket, and 
nearly white in colour. It appears to be made from white cotton, or 
