I90 MATABELE LAND. 
and all its ins and outs. He is I think partly of 
Dutch or German origin, but is to all intents and 
purposes an Englishman, and is very much liked. H e 
offered to postpone his own trading trip, and turn 
back at once with me to the Zambesi, guaranteeing 
to take me to the Falls if I would make it worth his 
while. He would then, he said, take me there and 
bring me back, not going as my servant, but under- 
taking the whole management of the expedition 
for me. Now I knew I should have one waggon 
and span of oxen to sell when I came from the 
Zambesi, and he was willing to take these now at a 
fair price, deducting the sum which he wanted as a 
reward for his services. I was a little time before I 
could make up my mind, but it seemed such a chance 
for me as I might not soon have again. As for the 
Dutchman, I had even gone so far at one time as to 
vow that, rather than set off again with him, I would 
give up the trip ; and though I modified this resolve 
afterwards, yet I knew he was not so likely to get 
me to the Falls as this man who knows all the diffi- 
culties. Then I thought, after all the time I have 
spent in order to get to the Zambesi, and being still 
bent on going there, the best thing would be to 
embrace this opportunity. I should not even have 
had the Kafir, John, in the other case, but only the 
Dutchman and his son, who cannot speak the lan- 
guage, and with the former of whom I had had a 
most unpleasant row more than once. 
"It ended in my entrusting my fortunes to the 
new man. Brown, I may add, thinks I have done 
