6o MATABELE LAND. 



entering the town. They had only a few hundred 

 bullocks with them. Lately some thousands were 

 brought in by an impi of a similar kind. At sup- 

 per I had a young lion to pet ; it belongs to the 

 king and roams about amongst the traders. There 

 is a waggon at Fairbairn's made at Beverley in 

 Yorkshire, which was brought out here in separate 

 pieces and fitted together afterwards. Fairbairn 

 says it is a capital one. The poor man who brought 

 it from England died before landing. 



"September \6th. — Took the king my present — 

 a central fire shot-gun with ammunition. As I 

 approached, with men carrying it, he took me by 

 the hand and led me to a waggon, and sat on the 

 ' dissel-boom.' 1 We all sat on the ground. He 

 was much pleased with the gun and thanked me. 

 The men with me would ask for beer, and he sent 

 us to his sister for it. She was lying on a rug at 

 her hut door, and I was introduced." 



It was now ascertained from those here who 

 knew most about the matter, that it was not even 

 yet considered too late to reach the Zambesi that 

 season, by taking a more direct route from this place, 

 to be accomplished for the most part on foot, instead 

 of proceeding along the usual trade route by way of 

 Tati, which is available for waggons, but a good 

 deal farther round from the king's town. On 

 hearing this, Frank Oates at once determined to try 

 and reach the river by the shorter road that season, 

 and the remainder of the time he spent on this 



1 The pole of the waggon. 



