2 
THE NEW AFRICA 
to hew a path through the trees where otherwise a two-wheeled 
conveyance can pass without much trouble, thus saving endless 
time and annoyance. Of course, with a two-wheeled cart one 
cannot convey the same amount of stuff as on a wagon; but 
as we intended to make a flying journey, and from the start 
had made up our minds to rough it, we decided to trust our 
fortunes and impedimenta to this modest, though serviceable, 
conveyance, drawn by 
twelve picked oxen 
from Hammar’s farm. 
Our armoury con¬ 
sisted of eleven guns, 
principally Swinburne- 
Henry rifles taking the 
Martini - Henry cart¬ 
ridge—a weapon much 
used in South Africa, 
owing to the facilities 
offered for obtaining 
cartridges, and its 
sterling qualities as a 
long-range killer. For 
big game we took one 
4-bore elephant gun, 
necessitating fourteen drams of powder to drive its quarter-pound 
bullet, and one single *577 express, which, as the extractor got 
out of order, was subsequently left at the Zambesi, besides several 
other rifles. Shot guns we had of three or four different patterns. 
A naval chronometer, the only one available in Natal at the time, 
with sextant, artificial horizon, azimuth compass, etc., supplied 
the surveying necessaries, and with a few handbooks, including 
a naval almanac, we felt prepared to make at least a superficial 
report of all that might be encountered on the trip. To save 
space, we only took the most necessary articles of clothing 
with us. We chose six good woollen shirts apiece, four pair 
of best moleskin trousers, and nine pair of ammunition boots 
MR. AUGUST HAMMAR, C.E. 
