142 MATABELE LAND. 



Umvungu Rivers, where I was six weeks. I then 

 returned to the royal residence, and asked the king 

 to let me go back to the same place. He was very- 

 crusty, and asked if I wanted to die. I told him I 

 would take my chance, for I did not think there was 

 the least danger then. It is when the rains cease 

 and the rank vegetation rots beneath the sun that it 

 is so bad, and that is not till March in most parts, I 

 believe, though earlier on the Zambesi. However, 

 he said, if I wanted to die, why could I not die 

 somewhere else, and not in his country, and made 

 so many difficulties I had to give it up. I then had 

 so many delays — bad weather, and one thing or 

 another — that I waited till the big dance was over, 

 which is quite a thing to see when one is here. 



" After this I had difficulties with my men, and 

 had to part with Hendrik, Dick, and Jacob, all of 

 whom you will remember. About Dick's dismissal 

 I had to wait a week or more, as the case had to be 

 tried before the king, and Jacob was finally handed 

 over to the tender mercies of Dick. Hendrik I dis- 

 missed for refusing to cut some bushes, to make a 

 fence round my waggon to keep the natives out. 

 This he considered ' slavish work,' and preferred dis- 

 missal to demeaning himself. Then the king would 

 insist on buying my little horse, still well when I left 

 in January, and got the saddle and bridle for nothing. 



" Since then I have been coming slowly from the 

 king's. I have been hunting, and have Lee's brother 

 to drive for me now, and take me to Mungwato. 

 Here I have fallen in with Captain Garden and his 



