28 MATABELE LAND. 



blossoms very beautiful and sweet. Pleasant breeze 

 where Willie's waggon is outspanned, mine being 

 hot in the river-bed. Some people came here, but 

 had neither eggs nor feathers for sale. As usual 

 they carry muskets. It is a wonder they find any- 

 thing to shoot, as they seem to be spread all over 

 the country. At the Gokwe we were told that the 

 Bamangwato hunters were hunting about in that 

 district, but could get nothing. At this time of 

 year the people seem to come out to hunt from all 

 the kraals, leaving only those unfit for that work at 

 home. A giraffe was killed near here by some 

 Bushmen, who gave us meat in exchange for 

 tobacco. When out this morning I saw some kind 

 of melon, which at first looked like ostrich -eggs, 

 growing by the river-bed— the kind, I think, which 

 the oxen eat in times of drought. 



"August 24//Z. — Trekked for three hours, then 

 rested, and started again at 1 1 a.m. . . . Reached 

 the Shashi about two and outspanned. We had 

 come extremely slow ; sun hot, sand heavy, road 

 bad, bullocks tired. Ground broken and stony, 

 and falling towards the Shashi. Many crags crop 

 up around, and in front of us are some kopjes — 

 Hendrik says where the Tati is. The Shashi is a 

 very broad river, all deep sand, with water in one 

 place where it has been dug for, both for cattle and 

 people. We enlarge the hole (hard work under the 

 heat of the sun), and let the cattle drink. . . . 

 There is an old Bushman here, destitute and alone. 

 He says the Mungwato men took his gun. The 



