DETAINED AT T ATI. 163 



Gubuluwayo, from whom he learnt with pleasure 

 that the king had sent leave for him to go to the 

 Zambesi, a fresh permission having been required. 

 The other travellers for the Zambesi, mentioned 

 above in one of Frank Oates's letters, had most of 

 them already started northwards, but for one reason 

 or another he was himself yet detained some days 

 longer at the settlement. 



The only incident of much novelty which 

 occurred during this time was an angry scene with 

 some Kaffirs at the mine, arising out of a second 

 attempt he had made, when last at Tati, to get pos- 

 session of the Bushman remains he had failed to 

 secure when hunting on the Ramakwebani in Febru- 

 ary. The story of his encounter with these men and 

 other circumstances of the time are related by him 

 at some length in the following letter home : — 



"Tati, May 2gtk, 1874. 



" I have been here just a week to-day en route 

 for the Zambesi. I have been delayed, in the first 

 instance, by the illness of Brown, who is managing 

 Sir John Swinburne's mine here in the absence of 

 Nelsson who has gone to the Colony; and since, by 

 having something done to my waggon -wheels. I 

 have been able to be of a little use to Brown, and 

 did not like to leave him as he was, but he is now 

 better. It does not much matter losing a few days, 

 as I always thought the 1st of June would be early 

 enough to leave here, in order to reach the Zambesi 

 as soon as the healthy season there has fairly set 

 in. I may now wait two or three days longer, as 



