i9o MATABELE LAND. 



tsetse-fly. He knows the people of the country, 

 and all its ins and outs. He is I think partly of 

 Dutch or German origin, but is to all intents and 

 purposes an Englishman, and is very much liked. He 

 offered to postpone his own trading trip, and turn 

 back at once with me to the Zambesi, guaranteeing 

 to take me to the Falls if I would make it worth his 

 while. He would then, he said, take me there and 

 bring me back, not going as my servant, but under- 

 taking the whole management of the expedition 

 for me. Now I knew I should have one waggon 

 and span of oxen to sell when I came from the 

 Zambesi, and he was willing to take these now at a 

 fair price, deducting the sum which he wanted as a 

 reward for his services. I was a little time before I 

 could make up my mind, but it seemed such a chance 

 for me as I might not soon have again. As for the 

 Dutchman, I had even gone so far at one time as to 

 vow that, rather than set off again with him, I would 

 give up the trip ; and though I modified this resolve 

 afterwards, yet I knew he was not so likely to get 

 me to the Falls as this man who knows all the diffi- 

 culties. Then I thought, after all the time I have 

 spent in order to get to the Zambesi, and being still 

 bent on going there, the best thing would be to 

 embrace this opportunity. I should not even have 

 had the Kaffir, John, in the other case, but only the 

 Dutchman and his son, who cannot speak the lan- 

 guage, and with the former of whom I had had a 

 most unpleasant row more than once. 



"It ended in my entrusting my fortunes to the 



