234 MATABELE LAND. 



"November ijth. — Heavy shower early; pleas- 

 ant cloudy day. Out with two boys shooting. . . . 

 During the ride I saw a big game-drive, made by 

 the Makalakas, consisting of a large broad alley, the 

 sides composed of large tree -branches, forming a 

 strong hedge. At the end were three pits side by 

 side, walled round with stakes. On the top were 

 placed light stakes, and long grass was laid over all. 

 My boys say the Makalakas kill lots of quagga and 

 other game in these traps. 



11 November iZth. — Cloudy morning; hot after- 

 noon. Out to the right amongst the kopjes ; game 

 very scarce. . . . Rested, whilst out, under a large 

 tree, with leaves something the shape and appear- 

 ance of a poplar; the trunk smooth, thick, and of 

 crooked growth. The fruit of this tree is small and 

 green, and, when fresh dropped, useless ; but the 

 ground was strewn with last year's fruit, which con- 

 tains, under a very hard shell, some kernel not unlike 

 walnut, but softer, and very nice, the only difficulty 

 being the getting at it. Two goats of mine, which 

 I had bought of Piet Jacobs and had since been 

 lost, turned up to-day, having been absent since 

 Sunday afternoon (the 15th). They had come on 

 alone, one having given birth to two kids." 



The travellers on the 20th again moved slowly 

 forward, and reached the first kraal of the Makalakas 

 (Jantje's) on the 2 2d, where they laid in a fresh 

 supply of corn, the natives this time making but a 

 very feeble show of attempting to stop their progress. 

 The day before this Stoffel had fallen in with a large 



