98 MATABELE LAND. 



woman. She seemed fully aware of her own striking 

 appearance. A lot of old Mosilikatze's wives sat 

 watching. 



" There is a good deal of wind to-night, and the 

 moon is obscured by dark gathering clouds. To- 

 night, after I left the king, I was standing beside 

 a group of Kaffirs cutting up the carcasses of two 

 oxen just killed, when the king's dogs made a set 

 at me. Afterwards the boys came to my waggon 

 asking a ' tuso ' for calling them off. I suspect 

 they set them on on purpose. 



" January 6th. — Intensely hot, and though there 

 are clouds, the rain still keeps off. Sent John with 

 Jantje to cut a tree for a dissel-boom, and he says 

 the axe was taken from him on the pretext that 

 they must not cut wood now, and that the axe would 

 be returned. ... I asked if I could go shooting, 

 and they say no, not till the dance is over. 



"January Jth. — Sky overcast, but the heat is 

 still intense. Crowds of people about, as yesterday ; 

 difficult to keep the scherm clear. Dancing going 

 on at the kraal. Heat insufferable. The tent was 

 a furnace, but at sundown there was a little thunder, 

 and it was pleasant and cool. A beautiful mild- 

 looking rose-tinted sunset. 



" January &th. — Day of the Great Dance. Very 

 heavy rain fell at sunrise. As rain fell, girls bathing 

 in rain-holes. Things in tent got very wet, and it 

 was late before I could come out and begin to dry 

 them. The heat soon became great, but the sun 

 kept being more or less obscured by clouds. I 



