242 MATABELE LAND. 
with Stoffel, who had left upon the ist, in com- 
pany with another trader who had joined him on the 
Matengwe. Dorehill had turned back with Wood 
and Selous. From this point to Tamasancha, a 
watering-place on the road to the Zambesi, where 
Stoffel and his companion intended standing till 
April, the road lay chiefly through heavy sand, 
and was traversed in about a week. Soon after 
starting, the Matengwe River, which had now been 
kept near for some time, was left flowing towards 
the westward, and shortly afterwards the Nata River 
was crossed. From here to the Daka, a small river 
not far from the Zambesi, water can only be obtained 
along the road at the various " pans," or small ponds, 
which occur at intervals throughout this portion of 
the country, no other rivers intervening. 
At Tamasancha, which was reached on December 
loth, Frank Oates, after a short rest, parted from 
his companions, proceeding forward on the 14th alone 
towards the Zambesi. The country, from this point, 
is only varied from sand and thick bush by the occa- 
sional occurrence of these "pans" or "vleis," the 
favourite haunts of wading-birds and wildfowl. Soon 
after leaving Tamasancha one was passed (Flamakin- 
yani) closely encircled by large trees, and a little later 
was another (Geruah), about the size of a duck-pond 
and extremely pretty, surrounded with the greenest 
of grass, whilst all around it extended the barren and 
sandy veldt. About here giraffe and other game was 
met with, including sable antelope, eland, and wild pig. 
Fresh elephant spoor was seen north of Tamasetsie, 
