i4 MATABELE LAND. 



here is almost exactly like another, and the country 

 hitherto the same day by day." 



The travellers left Pretoria for Bamangwato on 

 the 30th of June, and after three days' trekking to 

 the north-west, crossed the Crocodile River, keeping 

 for some time afterwards at no great distance from its 

 banks. " On leaving the waggon, to shoot," writes 

 Frank Oates on the 5th of July, " I rode up to the 

 river, which is far the most beautiful thing I have 

 yet seen in South Africa. Trees of various kinds 

 — some resembling willows and oaks, the former in 

 leaf, the latter bare — fringed the river's banks, 

 which are steep. Long grass and bush grew in 

 the country round, and where we outspanned at 

 breakfast there was some very fine grass, tall and 

 drooping, with a tassel. Here too," he concludes, 

 "we got amongst plenty of birds, and to-day is the 

 first that I have felt the country cease to be dis- 

 appointing." 



The following day the road again continued in 

 close proximity to the river. The country was level 

 and covered with trees like those in a fine park, 

 none of them, however, very large. The Hex and 

 Eland's Rivers, tributaries to the Crocodile, were 

 crossed near together the day after, and on the 12th 

 a halt of twenty-four hours was made at Holfontein, 

 a good watering-place upon the road, where many 

 birds were met with, including parrots, doves, and 

 hoopoes. Two days later the Crocodile, which had 

 now for some time been lost sight of, again came in 

 view — a grand stream — and a fine blue distant moun- 



