START FOR THE ZAMBESI. 61 



occasion at Gubuluwayo was chiefly occupied in 

 obtaining information for the expedition and making 

 the necessary arrangements for it. The early part 

 of the journey could be accomplished with the wag- 

 gon and oxen ; after that it would be necessary to 

 go on foot. 



On the evening of the 24th of September he 

 accordingly started with his waggon, remaining the 

 night with Mr. Thomson, the missionary, at Hope 

 Fountain, a short distance from the kraal. The 

 night was very close, — the first which had been so, — 

 and on the following evening, after they had trekked 

 some miles from Mr. Thomson's in the direction of 

 Inyati to the north-east, there was heavy rain and 

 wind, accompanied by thunder and lightning. This 

 rain, the first there had yet been, was said to be 

 earlier than usual in its commencement by about 

 two months. The other conditions, however, of the 

 projected journey to the Zambesi, all of them, still 

 appeared favourable. It was the traveller's long- 

 cherished desire at least to reach the Zambesi and 

 see the Falls, if he found it inexpedient on the pre- 

 sent occasion to cross the river and penetrate into 

 the less known territory to the northward. But 

 there were difficulties, not only of climate, but 

 from the obstructiveness of native character, to 

 be encountered, and endless was the opposition 

 which he met with from the latter cause. Four 

 distinct attempts did he make at various times 

 from this date to reach the river, and in each of 

 the first three was he destined to disappointment. 



