98 MATABELE LAND. 
woman. She seemed fully aware of her own striking 
appearance. A lot of old Mosilikatze's wives sat 
watching. 
" There is a good deal of wind to-night, and the 
moon is obscured by dark gathering clouds. To- 
night, after I left the king, I was standing beside 
a group of Kafirs cutting up the carcasses of two 
oxen just killed, when the king's dogs made a set 
at me. Afterwards the boys came to my waggon 
asking a tonso for calling them off. I suspect they 
set them on on purpose. 
" January 6th. — Intensely hot, and though there 
are clouds, the rain still keeps off Sent John with 
Wankee to cut a tree for a dissel-boom, and he says 
the axe was taken from him on the pretext that 
they must not cut wood now, and that the axe would 
be returned. ... I asked if I could go shooting, 
and they say no, not till the dance is over. 
" January ']th.' — Sky overcast, but the heat is 
still intense. Crowds of people about, as yesterday ; 
difficult to keep the scherm clear. Dancing going 
on at the kraal. Heat insufferable. The tent was 
a furnace, but at sundown there was a little thunder, 
and it was pleasant and cool. A beautiful mild- 
looking rose-tinted sunset. 
" January Ztli. — Day of the Great Dance. Very 
heavy rain fell at sunrise. As rain fell, girls bathing 
in rain-holes. Things in tent got very wet, and it 
was late before I could come out and begin to dry 
them. The heat soon became great, but the sun 
kept being more or less obscured by clouds. I 
