146 MATABELE LAND. 



structed for the night, which, however, unfortunately 

 proved a wholly ineffectual shelter from the heavy 

 rain which fell early the following morning, thoroughly 

 saturating everything inside. The day itself was 

 fine and hot, but was again succeeded by heavy 

 rain at night, which induced the party on March 5th 

 to retrace their steps to the waggons, recrossing the 

 Semokwe in their march, which was now swollen 

 with the recent heavy rains. One of the Bushmen 

 was carried off his legs in crossing the river, but 

 seizing hold of another of the party regained his 

 footing, and reached the opposite bank in safety. 

 The big rifle he was carrying escaped with a severe 

 wetting. After this the party moved slowly back 

 towards the Tati, halting a short time on the banks 

 of the Sakasusi and elsewhere upon the way ; and 

 reaching the settlement on March 1 7th. The game 

 met with during their absence had been much the 

 same as that Frank Oates had found in his former 

 journey ings farther to the north, and included — 

 besides buffalo, quagga, pallah, and sessebi, all of 

 which were obtained early in the hunt — giraffe, 

 rhinoceros, wildebeest, and koodoo. 



Still remaining at Tati a few days after their 

 return there, Frank Oates, as already mentioned, 

 started thence for Bamangwato on April 4th, accom- 

 panied by a hunter and two traders, also on their 

 way south. By the middle of March the weather 

 seemed to have become quite settled, and the days 

 were almost universally fine and hot, with only an 

 occasional slight shower or a little drizzling rain. 



