214 MATABELE LAND. 



boys were driven away just as much as they had 

 been before. All I could do was to buy water for 

 my own use of the women, who brought it every 

 morning, and to hope that the animals managed to 

 get a little now and then. I had also had a disagree- 

 ment with the people about some goats which I had 

 bought for a gun. The day after I bought them the 

 gun had been brought back and the goats demanded, 

 which I refused to give up, threatening to shoot any 

 one who touched them. However, as soon as they 

 went out to feed, the goats were seized, as I fully 

 expected they would be, but the gun had been left. 

 After this I refused to trade any more, and drove all 

 the people away except those who brought water. 



"Now, whether it was Monyama's son, or whether 

 if was the Makalakas, or whether it was a mere 

 chance, a party of Matabele heard that my waggon 

 was broken, and determined to make capital out of 

 my misfortunes. It was the 7th of September. The 

 weather was extremely sultry, and I lay nearly all 

 my time in the waggon, reading. This evening, 

 however, a heavy shower of rain, with thunder and 

 lightning, cooled the air — the first rain of the season. 

 I had been a short walk, keeping near the waggon, 

 and looking for a pheasant or partridge. Immedi- 

 ately after my return I was disgusted beyond measure 

 to see a party of Matabele, some twenty in number, 

 filing past with shields and assegais, and sitting down 

 in front of the waggon, after which the oration began. 

 However, the sun set and the rain descended very 

 opportunely, and they left, saying they would return 



