NEW YEAR'S DAY. 93 
terest. After that came the preparations for the 
Great Dance, which took place on the 8th of Jan- 
uary. The following day dancing was again con- 
tinued, though with much less ceremony, and the 
loth was the day appointed for a state slaughtering 
of cattle — one of the annual customs orone through 
at this season. This over, the king took his depar- 
ture next day for a neighbouring abode of royalty. 
Commencing with the new year, the entries in the 
traveller's Journal, with some particulars of the above 
events, stand as follows : — 
" January \st, 1874. — Intensely hot, as yesterday 
was, and as they say it will be till the rain falls. 
Sent bullocks to fetch wood for makinof a scherm, 
having engaged John Jacobs and two Kafirs by the 
day. Rode over to Thomson's to dinner (two and 
a half miles) and lost myself amongst the kopjes. 
The fine hot day and the luxuriantly green country 
and rapidly-growing Indian corn make it seem more 
like June than New Year's Day to me. Petersen, 
Fairbairn, and Mandy went to Thomson's in cart, 
and we sat down to a most excellent dinner — roast 
and boiled mutton, potatoes, cabbages, and turnips, 
plum-pudding, and mince-pies. Such dinners as this 
and my Christmas dinner at Petersen's are worthy 
of notice, considering how few and far between they 
are. Pleasant evening just before and after sunset ; 
moon nearly full. 
" yamiary 2d. — Fine hot day ; heat, however, by 
no means so oppressive as it has been for 'the last 
day or two, on account of a pleasant breeze. Un- 
