LUDICROUS BREAKDOWN. 119 
the front-board, and the waggon came to a stand- 
still. The great awkward tree, stuck in by Wankee^ 
and John when we first came to grief, had at last 
become useless, and now we set about making our- 
selves comfortable for the night, intending to cut a 
fresh dissel-boom in the morning. It was about 8.20 
when this ludicrous breakdown happened, and it is 
long since I have so thoroughly enjoyed a laugh as 
I did then at John's expense. I was not sorry that we 
were stopping here, and, as I drank in the scene with 
delight, those parks in the mountains of the Far West 
w^ere present to my mind, and I felt happy, scarcely 
knowing why. The part of the country we have 
passed through is called the ' neck.' To-night I 
heard the strange melancholy baying of wild dogs — 
an animal I have never seen. 
" January 30//^. — My pleasure in the place where 
we are outspanned was put an end to this morning 
by a crowd of noisy forward Matabele from a kraal 
a little distance off amongst the kopjes on our right. 
My men had sent early, and beer and large quanti- 
ties of milk were brought. There were a few slaves 
here too, quite different in appearance and bearing 
from their conquerors. They are quiet and humble 
in demeanour, and profusely ornamented, where they 
can afford it, with brass wire in rings round the 
wrists, of what I have been told is Portuguese or 
native workmanship, though I think it may be 
brought up by our own traders. Blue cut beads, 
too, and skins are niuch worn. These original in- 
^ y\ native temporarily engaged at Gubiileweyo. 
