122 MATABELE LAND. 



sented me with a small pot of beer, begging some 

 lembo for his wife. I gave him a cup of coffee in 

 return, and about the value of the beer in lembo, 

 as I am not disposed to be over-generous. I bought 

 some calabash-pumpkins, which I found afterwards 

 were like excellent vegetable-marrows when boiled ; 

 also a water-melon, the second I have bought within 

 the last day or two. They are in excellent condition 

 now and very refreshing. I also bought some sour 

 milk, which my boys like. 



" Vincent came up on his way to Mungwato with 

 a waggon and sixteen oxen, returning from Gubulu- 

 wayo, where he had been with a load. His waggon 

 went on, and he remained behind to help me. I 

 find him an excellent driver and a very energetic 

 fellow, and I believe he would be very glad to go 

 with me, as he is tired of trading under Hogg. 

 However he must go on now. 



"The sun was getting low as we inspanned. 

 We soon came to a very bad place — a huge pit in 

 fact — where the road had been, to avoid which we 

 had to go through a very soft piece of ground into 

 which the waggon sank deep, and I thought it was 

 a case of a regular stick, but Vincent got me out of 

 this well, and showed his great superiority as a 

 driver. We got over some bad places after this, 

 but at length got into a heavy rut, the wheels on 

 the off-side of the waggon being deep in it, whilst 

 those on the other side were high on firm ground. 

 It looked like a serious case and the sun set on our 

 efforts. The dissel-boom was pulled out twice, but 



