NATIVE IMPORTUNITY. 197 



"August 20tk. — Windy day; rather cloudy. 

 The wind rose very much towards night. ... I am 

 now lying in my waggon, glad to rest, wearied out 

 principally with worry, and the dissatisfaction of find- 

 ing time so miserably wasted as to-day has been ; 

 packing, unpacking, stooping, watching lest things 

 are stolen, and having one's patience tried in buying 

 of the natives, putting up with their disagreeable 

 presence and impudence, to say nothing of the an- 

 noyances one is subjected to by one's own servants. 

 I had to knock the disgusting servant of Makabo 

 off the dissel-boom before he would go. He was 

 bothering me for a snuff-box, and would not go away 

 for civil speaking. I am not patient or industrious 

 enough for waggon life. To-day has been one of 

 nothing but unpleasantness to me." 



At length on the 23d, it became evident that 

 Stoffel must return and seek advice from Mr. Thom- 

 son, the missionary, who had some skill in surgery. 

 This change of plan involved a corresponding change 

 in all the arrangements of the journey, and such of 

 Frank Oates's goods as had hitherto been carried in 

 the trader's waggon had now to be taken in his own, 

 already sufficiently loaded when they left the settle- 

 ment. On the 24th Stoffel took his departure south- 

 wards, and two days later Frank Oates went on alone 

 towards the Zambesi. It was a lovely moonlight 

 night when he resumed the journey, the waggon 

 running heavy through thick mopani- veldt. The 

 prospect of success in his present enterprise now- 

 seemed nearing its fulfilment, yet in reality he was 



