96 MATABELE LAND. 



for a cotton blanket and a shirt was killed this 

 morning. It is wonderful what a lump of fat the 

 tail is. A miserable little famished boy, who they 

 say was picked up in the veldt and belongs to the 

 king, came into the scherm on being invited and had 

 food. He speaks by nodding his head. He is a 

 pitiable object, and coughs. . . . Wind rose high at 

 night. Mutton and guinea-fowls' eggs for supper. 

 There are plenty of majakas here now. They 

 are everlastingly dancing ; this seems to be their 

 whole drill. 



"January ^tk.— Cool cloudy morning; a little 

 drizzling rain. There are caterpillars here of many 

 very pretty varieties. Old well-known forms both 

 of caterpillars and moths are reproduced in this 

 country, with a change. The king sent me a cater- 

 pillar lately — green, with green moss -like horny 

 tufts ; a flesh-coloured stripe on each side ; on the 

 back a row of snow-white spots, circled with rich 

 blue, and white spots also along the sides. A long 

 string of people came this morning from Intlhangini 

 for the dance. Matlauli called on me soon after 

 his arrival ; and again in the evening, when he asked 

 me for a blanket, saying he had lost a child through 

 going with me and had missed the time for burying 

 it. I sent him away till to-morrow. The day has 

 been cloudy and cool, but fair and delightful. 



" January ^th. — Hot day, and though there was 

 a good deal of wind I felt the heat. Gave Matlauli 

 a cotton blanket. Myers and Hendrik working at 

 my waggon-sail. Took Hans, and went to king's. 



