THE PANDAMATENGA. 245 



going to the Zambesi. These streams, it was evident, 

 must all be very small except during the rains. 

 They were small indeed even now, though overflow- 

 ing their banks and running quickly. Almost imme- 

 diately after crossing the last-named, Frank Oates's 

 waggon stuck in a very soft muddy place, but Mr. 

 Blockley, who was in charge of the trading-station 

 here, came with a span of oxen to help him out, and 

 the following morning his waggon was taken up 

 to where the store was built, on a little stony kopje 

 above the watery flats. Mr. Blockley was here in the 

 capacity of agent for another trader, then absent — 

 Mr. Westbeech — and with him was the late Dr. 

 Bradshaw, the traveller, who had been some time in 

 the country. On the succeeding day, December 24th, 

 the waggons of two other traders, Messrs. Truscott 

 and Willmore, arrived from the Zambesi, the former 

 of whom had lately been ill with fever, and was still 

 very deaf and weak, and scarcely able to eat any- 

 thing. He described their recent sufferings from 

 fatigue, hunger, sickness, and the impossibility of 

 keeping dry, as something truly wretched. 



Christmas Day was celebrated at the store by 

 the cooking and eating of a large plum-pudding 

 worthy of the occasion, and the day following Frank 

 Oates busied himself with preparing for his walk to 

 the Falls. This he intended to accomplish in com- 

 pany with Dr. Bradshaw, who had been there before 

 and volunteered to go with him. The 27th was the 

 day fixed for the start, and before leaving he wrote 

 home in high spirits the following letter to his mother, 



