62 MATABELE LAND. 



His present effort, made in September, was the first 



of these ; his fourth and last attempt was made at 



the end of the succeeding year, nor was it till the 



last day of 1874 that he actually beheld the white 



spray of the great cataract breaking through the 



trees upon the river's bank. That effort truly was 



rewarded with success, yet a success how dearly 



purchased — with his life ! 



Before leaving Hope Fountain, to resume the 



journey, he wrote home the following letter to his 



mother : — 



" Mr. Thomson's, near Gubuluwayo, 

 " September 25th, 1873. 



" You will, no doubt, have more recent news 

 from Willie than from me. I left him with Buckley 

 and Gilchrist at the Tati, meditating a short journey 

 in the neighbourhood before leaving, and came on 

 myself to the king's town, Gubuluwayo, the site, 

 or somewhere near the site, of the place marked in 

 the maps as Mosilikatze's Town. Mosilikatze was 

 the father of the present king and conquered this 

 country. The name of the nation is the Matabele, 

 which is always shown in the maps. The former 

 inhabitants of the country were divided into various 

 nations, but it is all called the Matabele Country 

 now from the name of its powerful owners. The 

 country reaches to the Zambesi, and produces a 

 great deal of ivory and ostrich-feathers. There are 

 a good many white men at Gubuluwayo, trading. 

 Mr. Fairbairn, a young Scotchman, is my agent 

 there. 



