NOTES ON EXPEDITION TO GAZALAND, ALONG THE LIMPOPO 
RIVER, 29th June to 12th August, 1916. 
By Dr. H. G. Breyer. 
Members of the expedition : H. G. Breyer, leader ; F. 0. Noome, taxidermist ; 
G. van Dam and J. W. F. Breyer, assistants. 
The party left Lourenco Marques at about 8 o’clock by train bound for 
Moamba, on the main line to Pretoria ; from there a branch line has been 
constructed, which terminates at Xinavane, where there are extensive sugar 
plantations. Our destination was Magude Siding, about 12 miles from the 
terminus. We arrived there at 1.30. The siding is situated in a sandy 
wilderness. 
The village of Magude is built on the left bank of the Komati and is at 
a distance of 4J miles from the siding. Our luggage was transported in large 
punts to the other side of the river. The left bank is very high and steep, 
but a good road and a stair had been built, so that it was not difficult to reach 
the plateau where the Administrator lived. The village consists of perhaps 
forty houses, besides the offices and “ rondavels ” of the police. One has a 
magnificent view from this high bank of the Komati and the vast forests 
beyond. 
Our object was to get a good number of skeletons and skins of larger 
animals, especially the skeleton of an elephant, and both skins and skeletons 
of elands. Besides these, it was our intention to collect all kinds of animals 
and plants, and to take photos of the interesting spots, trees, and so forth. 
The Administrator informed us that elephants were not far off, near Chiburro, 
and that at Macarre large herds of blue wildebeest, zebra, and impala were to 
be found. The elephants, however, were reported to have small tusks and to 
be of small size, consequently we decided to go further inland to Mazammbo, 
where we might get huge specimens, and where elands were to be found. 
We left Magude on 1st July with two scotch carts, fifteen carriers, and a 
native guide. In the evening we crossed the Manzimhlope, which was 
practically dry and did not contain pure white water such as the name would 
appear to indicate. The country is nearly as flat as Holland, and one can. 
imagine that in summer time, in the rainy season, large tracts of land are 
transformed into lakes. Near the junction of the Manzimhlope and Komati 
is a big lake, lago Chuale, whilst the Komati divides there into two branches 
and forms a fairly large island, Marianna. Needless to say, this country has 
an extremely bad reputation for fever. 
We passed Macarre in the afternoon and found the information of the 
Administrator quite correct. Several herds of wildebeest could be seen in the 
distance, as well as ostriches, impalas, and “ gompauws ” ( Otis kori). 
The next evening we reached Guija, on the Limpopo, 47 miles from Magude. 
The river itself was about 100 yards broad, while from bank to bank the 
distance is certainly 300 yards. Everywhere we saw vestiges of the floods 
of the previous summer, and miles before we reached the river we noticed dry 
reeds and grasses in the branches of the trees. We were informed that the 
natives had been obliged to climb into the highest trees and had been gradually 
rescued by boats. On the highest banks more to the north we found long rows 
