VISIT TO THE GRAVE. 269 
wards ; and, on the afternoon of the fifth day from 
the date of their leaving Tati, came to the point in the 
waggon-road where they had to leave it, in order 
to go down to the river's side to reach the grave. 
Mr. Gilchrist found it placed about six hundred 
yards to the left of the road, in a situation of 
much natural beauty, surrounded by low picturesque 
hills, and with trees of varied growth and foliage 
scattered at intervals over the grassy sward. The 
grave itself, over which a number of large stones 
had been placed when it was first made, was found 
quite undisturbed, and amongst these Mr. Gilchrist 
now inserted at its foot the small white stone, 
neatly cut, which he had brought from Pietermaritz- 
burg for the purpose, bearing this simple inscrip- 
tion — " Frank Gates, F.R.G.S., of Meanwoodside, 
Leeds, England; died 5th February 1875, aged 34 
years." Then, the task of friendship faithfully per- 
formed, he returned without delay to England. 
Nor had this journey, painful in its objects and 
associations, been entirely free, on Mr. Gilchrist's 
part, from privations and anxieties of a graver kind. 
Water upon the road had many times been scarce 
(on one occasion he was without any for his oxen — 
twenty-nine in number — for as much as seventy 
hours) ; the season was one of exceptional heat and 
drought, and the time occupied on the journey 
was unavoidably considerable. 
And here, before concluding, it may be men- 
tioned that at Tati, Bamangwato, or wherever he 
met those who had become acquainted with Frank 
Or y 
' 9 
•Li 
