DOGS STOLEN BY NA TIVES. 235 
and generally placed under a kopje, on which often 
grows one of the few striking and picturesque trees 
of the country. We crossed two other spruits 
during the trek, larger than the first mentioned, but 
not large. 
"A rabbit got up close to the waggon directly 
after we outspanned, and the dogs set off. Dorehill 
lost one of his, and I lost ' Rock.' Our boys found 
the spoor, and as it turned out the dogs had been 
stolen by Makalakas. Stoffel, Dorehill, and I, with 
Jacob, rode with our guns and a lot of boys to two 
or three kraals, threatening them all with punishment, 
unless the dogs were given up. At night they were 
brought back by one of Stoffel's and one of Dorehill's 
boys, who had been to a kraal and demanded them. 
We decided to inspan and ride with the moon. 
Trekked through trees, thickly placed (mopani 
mostly), crossed several spruits, and outspanned at 
the Matengwe River ; say three hours. 
^'November 2^tk. — Cloudy; heavy rain at night. 
Here we met a party of Griquas, who have been in 
Stoffel's employ before as hunters, and they are now 
willing to turn back their waggon and return with 
him. They tell sad tales of the Zambesi fever, of 
which many of them have died. They say it is com- 
paratively healthy at Tamasancha, and they are will- 
ing to stand there till April or May, and then go on to 
the Zambesi. The old man tells me that a man gets 
a pain in his head and lies down, and next morning, 
if he is alive, he is ' salted.' Stoffel busy making 
arrangements with these people. Trekked through 
