A ROYAL PROCESSION. 107 



skin. The dogs rushed off with the waggon, the 

 second waggon started, in the back of which I could 

 see a lot of meat and two young lambs or kids try- 

 ing to keep their pins amongst the miscellaneous 

 cargo inside ; the majakas started, and the royal 

 procession was on its way. Busy a good deal in 

 Myers's store. Unpacked and packed boxes there, 

 and watched the rain. Terrible soaking wet evening 

 and night. I managed, however, to keep dry in bed." 

 From this time for some days the weather con- 

 tinued so persistently and miserably wet that it 

 seemed out of all question to think of commencing 

 the return journey to Tati, which the traveller was 

 now preparing to undertake. The heat, at the same 

 time, was also so intense that any exertion was 

 laborious, and even the occupation of writing was 

 a task. About the 18th, however, there was some 

 improvement, and two days after this he was ready 

 for a start, when the dispute with one of his servants 

 above referred to necessitated his seeking a fresh 

 interview with Lobengula, whom he followed to his 

 present quarters, but a few miles off, on the evening 

 of the 20th. This dispute arose from Frank Oates's 

 dismissal of the Kaffir driver Dick, who had come up 

 with him from Natal ; the latter maintaining his right 

 to retain the services of the young lad Jacob, whom 

 he had originally brought with him for engagement 

 in Pietermaritzburg, and who still accompanied the 

 party. The two appeared to bear no relationship to 

 each other, and Frank Oates would have been glad to 

 keep Jacob in his service, but the latter seemed afraid 



