TAMASANKA. 243 



with another trader who had joined him on the 

 Matengwe. Dorehill had turned back with Wood 

 and Selous. From this point to Tamasanka, a 

 watering-place on the road to the Zambesi, where 

 Stoffel and his companion intended standing till 

 April, the road lay chiefly through heavy sand 

 and was traversed in about a week. Soon after 

 starting, the Matengwe River, which had now been 

 kept near for some time, was left flowing west- 

 wards, and shortly after the Nata River was crossed. 

 At Tamasanka, which was reached on Decem- 

 ber 10th, Frank Oates, after a short rest, parted from 

 his companions, proceeding forward alone on the 

 14th. 1 The country from this point, until the Daka 

 River is reached, is only varied from sand and thick 

 bush by the occasional occurrence of small ponds, the 

 favourite haunts of wading-birds and wildfowl. Soon 

 after leaving Tamasanka one was passed (Tlhamagan- 

 yana 2 ) closely encircled by large trees, and a little later 

 was another (Geruah), about the size of a duck-pond 

 and extremely pretty, surrounded with the greenest 

 of grass, whilst all around it extended the barren and 

 sandy veldt. About here giraffe and other game was 

 met with, including sable antelope, eland, and wild pig. 



1 Early in the following year Stoffel Schendehutte died in the veldt, 

 near the farthest north Makalaka kraal, at no great distance from this 

 point ; a prey to wild beasts, or more probably to the revenge and fear 

 of his own native servants, one of whom he had killed when under 

 the influence of drink. 



2 This name was misspelt Flamakinyani in the first edition, the 

 initial letter having been misread F for T in transcribing the traveller's 

 Journal. The other alterations adopted in the text appear to be neces- 

 sary for a correct rendering of the pronunciation. 



