230 
OUTFIT FOE JOUENEY. 
Chap. XIII. 
into tlieir lints ; and two warriors, Ponuane and Maliale, brought 
forward each a fine heifer calf. After performing a number of 
warlike evolutions, they asked the chief to witness the agreement 
made between them, that whoever of the two should kill a 
Matebele warrior first, in defence of the waggon, should possess 
both the calves. 
I had three muskets for my people, a rifle and double-bar¬ 
relled smooth bore for myself; and, having seen such great 
abundance of game in my visit to the Leeba, I imagined that I 
could easily supply the wants of my party. Wishing also to 
avoid the discouragement which would naturally be felt on 
meeting any obstacles if my companions were obliged to carry 
heavy loads, I took only a few biscuits, a few pounds of tea and 
sugar, and about twenty of coffee, which, as the Arabs find, though 
used without either milk or sugar, is a most refreshing bever¬ 
age after fatigue or exposure to the sun. We carried one small 
tin canister, about fifteen inches square, filled with spare shirting, 
trowsers, and shoes, to be used when we reached civilised life, 
and others in a bag, which were expected to wear out on the 
way; another of the same size for medicines; and a third for 
books, my stock being a Nautical Almanac, Thomson’s Loga¬ 
rithm Tables, and a Bible ; a fourth box contained a magic 
lantern, which we found of much use. The sextant and artificial 
horizon, thermometer and compasses, were carried apart. My 
ammunition was distributed in portions through the whole lug¬ 
gage, so that, if an accident should befall one part, we could still 
have others to fall back upon. Our chief hopes for food were 
upon that, but in case of failure I took about 20 lbs. of beads, 
worth 40s., which still remained of the stock I brought from 
Cape Town; a small gipsy tent, just sufficient to sleep in; a 
sheepskin mantle as a blanket, and a horse-rug as a bed. As 
I had always found that the art of successful travel consisted in 
taking as few impedimenta ” as possible, and not forgetting to 
carry my wits about me, the outfit was rather spare, and in¬ 
tended to be still more so when we should come to leave the 
canoes. Some would consider it injudicious to adopt this plan, 
but I had a secret conviction that if I did not succeed it would 
not be for lack of the “ nicknacks ” advertised as indispensable 
for travellers, but from want of pluck,” or because a large 
