CHAPTER X. 
Third start for the Zambesi — Again stopped by natives — Fresh leave 
from the king — The journey resumed — Frank Oates's companion 
obliged to leave him — He goes forward alone — Breakdown of his 
waggon— Annoyances from the natives — Help from Tati — Return 
there — Letters home — Future plans. 
Leaving Tati on the evening of the 25th of July, on 
his third attempt to reach the Zambesi, Frank Oates 
halted for the night a few miles beyond the settle- 
ment, completing the distance to the Ramaqueban 
the following morning. Here, whilst waiting a couple 
of days in search of game and for other purposes, 
he was again unexpectedly stopped by natives, pro- 
fessedly armed with authority from Lobengula to 
stop all waggons from advancing northwards. The 
story of this encounter, with its immediate conse- 
quences, is thus related in the Journal : — 
''July 2yth. — Fine and oppressively hot, after a 
cold night. The days are now very hot, though the 
nights continue cold and frosty. I was going to 
ride over to the Inkwesi to-day, with a letter from 
Brown to Greit, and to see if Greit could let me 
have one of his drivers. However, before I set off, 
a Matabele came down the Zambesi road, bearing 
a shield, and accompanied by a Makalaka bearing 
