MAKOBI 'S KRAAL. i 2 9 



kopjes. There is a fine sugar-loaf-shaped kopje, 

 craggy and tree-covered to the top, and very steep. 

 I wish I had time to try the ascent ; there must be 

 a glorious view from it. The colours on the stones 

 from lichens are most beautiful, yellow predominating. 

 The Kaffirs were most impudent and troublesome. 

 The headman, a young fellow in European clothes, 

 is a good-looking and well-behaved fellow. He sat 

 on my front-box ; our object is to get boys from 

 him. There were five men killed by the king at 

 Lee's, Karl says, for refusing to come to live here ; 

 they said it was only fit for monkeys. Near here 

 was old Makobi's kraal, where all were massacred 

 for deceiving the king, after owning allegiance to 

 him. 1 A large quantity of milk was brought to us 

 for sale. Heavy showers came on, but the night 

 was fine, clear, and starlight. Where we passed 

 Klaas an elephant had passed during the night. 

 They followed his spoor, but lost it. Smit shot 

 a cow- elephant near here a year or two ago, and 

 they say a surly toothless bull-elephant lives about 

 here now. The kopje looked very pretty at night 

 when all was quiet, and its dark sugar-loaf form 

 loomed up close to us against the starry sky." 



Next day (February 9th), on reaching the 

 Inkwisi, Frank Oates chanced to be alone, Smit 

 having gone on in advance, in company with the 

 Hottentot above referred to. "After Karl had 



1 The real offence of these people appears to have lain in their 

 refusal to join the Matabele, though subject to them, in a raid on their 

 own kinsfolk, the Bamangwato. 



K 



