94 MATABELE LAND. 



packed the front-box of my waggon. King called, 

 and asked for his bottle of brandy and some large 

 shot. He afterwards sent a boy for the brandy, 

 whom I accompanied back to the king's, and having 

 given the brandy and shot, offered him six muskets 

 I had been hoping all this time to sell him, and 

 without any trouble got four fine elephants' teeth 

 for them, about 150 lbs. of ivory altogether. 



"January $d. — Moonlight night — full moon, I 

 think. Looked out early ; the moon was still 

 gorgeously bright, and surrounded by a halo of light 

 in a violet sky, studded here and there also with a 

 star. In the east was the deep red of approaching 

 sunrise. Morning at first slightly overcast and tole- 

 rably cool, but the day soon became very hot, though 

 tempered somewhat by the wind. Decided to have 

 a new sail made for the waggon. Myers working 

 at the old framework, patching it up. Having 

 things out of the waggon, and also out of the 

 tent (as I was rearranging the latter), I stayed 

 about a good deal, not trusting John. A lot of 

 cheeky ' majakas ' (warriors) about. Whilst one of 

 them was selling me honey, a lot came in, and I 

 saw one abstract a knob-kerry of rhinoceros-horn 

 from under the waggon, and throw it out of the 

 scherm. 1 He then ran away, seeing himself de- 



1 These knob-kerries, which answer the purpose of a life-preserver, 

 are made of various kinds of wood or of rhinoceros-horn, and carved 

 according to the fancy of the maker. They are sometimes adorned 

 with beads (see one of those in the woodcut), but the more ordinary 

 form is that of a short stick with a single rounded knob at the end, 

 to give it weight. The natives can throw them a great distance with 



