THE NEW AFRICA 
CHAPTER I 
Preparation—Start from Dundee, Natal—Salted horses—Cross the Vaal river— 
Interview Acting-President Joubert—Rustenberg—Snakes on the Limpopo 
banks—Cattle stolen—King Khama in Shoshong—Engage Eranz. 
In March 1884 Mr. August Hammar, C.E., and myself under¬ 
took a journey into the interior of South Africa with the object 
of completing the survey of the Chobe river to its sources, and 
generally of investigating this unknown portion of Central South 
Africa. 1 Of the reasons prompting us to undertake this journey 
it is unnecessary to speak; therefore let it suffice the reader 
to know that I defrayed the expenses of the whole trip out 
of my own pocket, excepting the personal requirements of my 
companion Mr. Hammar. Usually parties proceeding to the 
interior equip themselves with the heavy ox-wagon, drawn by 
sixteen or more oxen, as a means of conveyance—a lumbering, 
four-wheeled concern, which, although enabling one to carry 
supplies and necessaries for a long period into the wilds, 
has the drawback, that for passage through untravelled bush 
country, such as we proposed to traverse, it is necessary often 
1 That I should bring to the notice of the reader events that transpired 
twelve years ago, and for that reason might be considered stale, may be justified 
by the explanation that since we were the first Whites to traverse this partly 
unknown country, no explorer has followed in our footsteps, and the regions of the 
central Chobe and the country we traversed from there to the Okavango still 
partly remain undescribed territory. Lying south of the Zambesi, and hitherto 
neglected as offering no material attractions, coupled with the fact of its being 
overrun by uncouth tribes, the country has been difficult of access to the ordinary 
sportsman. The increased attention devoted to South Africa of late induces 
me to put forward such information as we gathered, in the hope that some of 
the data may be of service to those who now are devoting themselves to the 
opening up of South Africa. 
A 
\vM 
