2o 4 MATABELE LAND. 



amendment, that they could 'do without it.' Now 

 I think to a certain extent I deserved it for my 

 persistent efforts to attain it, and may hope to march 

 out with the honours of war and 'do without it.' 



" I can scarcely express the pleasure it gave me 

 to receive, on returning here, a large packet of letters 

 bearing dates from the 4th of August 1873, to the 

 25th of April 1874; some to Willie and some to 

 myself, and some which Willie had written to me on 

 his way home. I suppose he had read, and sent on 

 for my perusal, those of the letters which are 

 addressed to him. The letters seem to form a con- 

 nected series, and I doubt whether any have failed 

 to reach me. After hastily looking over a few of 

 them I proceeded to arrange them according to date, 

 and then to read them through in order. I scarcely 

 hoped that there would be no bad news. . . . Skel- 

 ton's death must be a terrible blow to his family, 

 who, when I saw them last, were looking forward to 

 a visit from him. It seems only the other day he 

 was at Oxford distinguishing himself in the athletic 

 sports, in which he was generally a successful com- 

 petitor. I believe every one liked him, and that he 

 was worthy of their high opinion. 1 



"To-day waggons have arrived from Bamangwato, 

 and, to my great joy, another letter was fished up for 

 me from the bag. Hathorn writes from Maritzburg 

 on the 4th of August, enclosing a letter from Willie, 



1 This refers to the late Mr. Henry Skelton, formerly of Wadham 

 College, Oxford, who died in Borneo, in the service of the late Rajah 

 Brooke, soon after his appointment as Resident of Sarawak. 



