CHAPTER VII. 
Hunting trip on the Semolcwe — A native musician — Gigantic baobabs 
— Return to Tati — Journey to Shoshong — The Bamangwato and 
Matabele nations — Fighting amongst the natives — Start back for 
Tati — Misadventures and delays — Fresh arrangements. 
On reaching Tati, Frank Oates found that a hunting 
party was just about to start thence for the Semokwe, 
and being asked to join them, he arranged to do so 
before going on to Bamangwato. The following 
is an extract from his Journal of this date (February 
23d), after his arrival at the settlement : — 
"Tati," he writes, "presented on our arrival a 
very pretty and lively appearance. I like it better 
than any place I know of, to stand at. Here are no 
crowds of rude people to come round the waggon. 
All is green, and numerous little well-built houses 
dot the ground ; of course I mean well-built for the 
interior of South Africa, but it is rough work enough 
nevertheless. There are the three waggons of the 
Gardens, two English brothers hunting in the country, 
and the waggon of Mr. Thomson, on his way with 
his wife and children to a missionary meeting at 
Kuruman. There is Nelson's waggon, who is going 
away for a time, and possibly will visit England. 
