MAHOUTCHA. 
135 
of taking human life than an Englishman would of 
killing a rabbit. One man said he had killed six, 
another five, nine, or three ; and one great warrior 
had killed twenty, and then he would count on his 
fingers so many young men, so many wives, and so 
many unmarried girls — Zintombis — and laugh and 
chuckle over it immensely. 
Panda, who was alive and well, while his two 
sons were fighting which should succeed him, had 
himself killed seven of his brothers ! 
1(M.—The thermometer usually stands at about 
93° in the shade, and 135° or 140° in the sun ; some 
days it has been 104° in the shade. 
13 th .— A fine cool day, with slight showers. 
Started at railway speed, stuck at it for sixteen 
hours and a half, getting over about fifty-five miles, 
the greatest walking feat I ever performed. I fell 
fast asleep on the road before my blanket arrived, 
being quite knocked up in ascending the Matakoola 
hill to get away from the mosquitoes. 
The only Kaffir who stuck to me throughout was 
Mahoutcha, a splendid fellow, formerly in Elephant 
White’s service, and much attached to him—whether 
owing to a tremendous piece he took out of the calf 
of his leg with the wagon-whip when foreloping, and 
so gaining him proper respect, I cannot say. On 
one occasion Mahoutcha did his master good service. 
White had claimed, and outspanned on the spot, an ox 
which two powerful Boers had in their wagon, so 
they waylaid and suddenly attacked White at night, 
