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THE FAR INTEPtlOR: 
 
 A NARRATIVE 
 
 OP 
 
 TKAVEL AND ADVENTURE 
 
 FUOM 
 
 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE ACPtOSS THE ZA.AIDESI 
 
 TO THE 
 
 LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA 
 
 BY 
 
 WALTER MONTAGU KERR, C.E., F.R.G.S. 
 
 WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS ENGRAVED BY 
 MR. J. D. COOPER AND OTHERS 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES.— Vol. L 
 
 BOSTON 
 
 HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY 
 
 'Wlxt |^ibn-0ii)e ^rces, Cambvibgc 
 
 1886 
 
LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, 
 
 STAMFORD STEEET AND CHARING CBOSS. 
 
35'! 
 
 V.I 
 
 TO 
 
 The earl OF DUNRAVEN, K.P., 
 
 ■WHOSE INSPIBING COXJNSEIi AND KIND ENCOUEAGEMENT STRENGTHENED 
 
 THE DESIRE FOB THOSE TRAVELS, OF WHICH THE 
 
 FOLLOWING PAGES ARE A RECORD, 
 
 THIS BOOK 
 
 BY HIS KINSMAN AND FRIEND, 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 1G50025 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 These volumes do not contain the story of an expedition 
 in the accepted meaning of that term : in other words, they 
 do not relate the intentions, progress, and achievements of 
 an organised and fully-equipped company entering and 
 traversing unknown territory. Records of such expeditions, 
 more particularly in connection with African investigation, 
 are numerous ; but in the case of the present narrative I 
 hope for a hearing because my journey was undertaken and 
 accomplished alone; I was unaided, and had no companion- 
 ship of white men, neither had I a corps of regularly 
 enlisted carriers. 
 
 When, at Chibinga, I was abandoned by the few so far 
 faithful Kaffirs, who had accompanied me northwards from 
 Matabeli-land, I was left to depend upon personal resources — 
 to seek food and guides from the various wild tribes whom I 
 encountered. 
 
 From that circumstance I imagine that the recital of my 
 experiences should present a very clear reflection of the 
 natural life of some of the races in south-east equatorial 
 Africa. What I mean by this is, that regularly organised 
 bodies of men, total strangers to the communities they 
 meet with, are often kept at a distance from the people 
 through natural suspicion or prejudice. Being alone, and 
 taking guides merely from tribe to tribe, I was looked upon 
 generally as a sort of curiosity, although it must be re- 
 marked that through this very solitariness several dangerous 
 
vi PREFACE. 
 
 emergencies arose, which might have terminated fatally. 
 Passing as I did from tribe to tribe, I lived during a large 
 stretch of my travels as the Kaffirs lived, mingling freely 
 among them, certainly not from choice, but from stern 
 necessity. Opportunities therefore for observing closely the 
 modes and conditions of native life were unusually good ; 
 and if in these pages I have been successful in describing 
 clearly my varied experiences, I hope the result in book 
 form will be considered both a readable as well as a useful 
 contribution to geographical knowledge, especially in its 
 relation to the peoples of Africa. Should my readers be of 
 opinion that I have painted a faithful and tolerably vivid 
 picture, not wearisome to the eye, I shall feel that this self- 
 imposed mission has not been fruitless. With regard to 
 Africa and the Africans, I am convinced that any white 
 man following in my footsteps will not be less kindly 
 received on account of my having preceded him. 
 
 It is my fortune to have been the first white to traverse, 
 throughout, the great extent of territory stretching between 
 Cape Colony and the Lake regions of Central Africa. I 
 crossed the Zambesi at Tette, and skirting the Makanga 
 country, passed through Angoni-land, and ultimately 
 reached Lake Nyassa, only to find that the mission station 
 of Livingstonia, which had been the bright goal of my long 
 journey and the centre of my hopes of relief (for by that 
 time I was in a wretched condition), was deserted ! 
 
 South of the Zambesi I passed through various hitherto 
 unknown lands, and alighted upon the tribe called Makori- 
 kori, now described for the first time. 
 
 My rescue at Livingstonia, by the steamer of the African 
 Lakes Company, on board which I found Lieutenant Giraud, 
 the gallant leader of the French Exploring Expedition, 
 may be spoken of as being the climax of a series of happy 
 deliverances without which the journey would have been 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 frustrated on several occasions, even at a very early period 
 of its course. Desertions by followers, scarcity of pro- 
 visions, and, in later stages, the want of articles for the 
 purposes of barter, landed me frequently in apparently 
 desperate plights, from which by almost miraculous coin- 
 cidences of fortune I was lifted at the last moment, when 
 my purpose seemed to have been finally balked, and even 
 Hope was well-nigh dead. 
 
 When I left Livingstonia, I canoed down the Shire river, 
 passing through a war between the Mazinjiri and Portu- 
 guese. 
 
 It is much to be regretted that all, or nearly all the 
 natural history and botanical specimens which I collected 
 were lost, or had to be abandoned. Eapidity of movement 
 precluded close investigation in these and other branches 
 of science. I took, however, every opportunity I could take 
 of making as many geographical observations as possible. 
 These are embodied in the present work, and in the map 
 which accompanies it. 
 
 Hunting incidents were numerous, all along the line of 
 travel ; and most of the mammalia and birds which I en- 
 countered in the chase are mentioned in the narrative. But 
 I have thought it advisable not to dilate too much upon 
 sporting experiences, choosing rather to confine such descrip- 
 tions to accounts of some of the principal adventures. In 
 omitting some of this matter, I am partly influenced by the 
 knowledge that numerous admirable books on the aspects 
 of the hunter's life are already in existence. With regard 
 to Southern Africa, I know of none better than the work of 
 my friend Mr. Selous, who is frequently mentioned in the fol- 
 lowing pages, namely, " A Hunter's Wanderings in Africa." 
 
 A word or two must be said respecting the gold regions. 
 One of the results of this journey is that those regions, lying 
 between Matabeli-land and Tette, on the Zambesi, have 
 
viii PREFACE. 
 
 been located as accurately as circumstances would allow. 
 Thus future travellers and prospectors may find some useful 
 hints in the information now supplied. A very sanguine 
 man would doubtless see in those gold regions the future 
 uprising of vigorous trade, and the subsequent and conse- 
 quent wealth of Eastern Africa. While I sincerely think 
 that this is a consummation devoutly to be wished, I have 
 been careful to speak of things just as I found them, without 
 colour and without gloom. But I have been taught the 
 lesson of caution with regard to these matters in an old and 
 tried school, namely, the golden lands of the far west of 
 America, where fortune and failure in mining go like 
 the strokes of a pendulum. To any one experiencing the 
 buffeting of that roughly practical school, the romantic side 
 of gold-seeking and the idle dreams of fairy lands of hidden 
 treasure must of necessity have lost their charms. 
 
 Connected with the preparation of this account of my 
 travels and experiences, I have to acknowledge a deep debt 
 of gratitude to my friend Mr. William Stephen, for his 
 generous and painstaking assistance in the work of literary 
 revision. 
 
 To my publishers I express thanks for the attention they 
 have paid to the book, and the interest they have taken in 
 its progress. 
 
 I think the names of most of those who aided me at 
 different points, when I was beginning and when I was 
 ending this journey, are mentioned in the body of the book ; 
 but I must again thank, with most grateful feelings, all 
 those hospitable and kind-hearted people who assisted me 
 en route. Whether they are white or black, their kindness 
 is not likely to be forgotten. The list of names is copious, 
 and in it that of Mr. Thomas, of Shilo, bears a prominent 
 place, so that it was with the deepest regret that I recently 
 heard of the mystery which now surrounds his fate. Soon 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 after my departure Mr. Thomas started on a hunting 
 expedition to the north, accompanied by a large following 
 of Matabeli hunters. Nearly all the following became 
 frightened on reaching the river, and refused to cross. 
 Mr. Thomas therefore sent them home. On returning 
 they reported that they had left Mr. Thomas on the 
 Zambesi suffering from fever. Not a word has been heard 
 of him since that time. 
 
 This opportunity must also be taken to mention the 
 excellent work done by Mr. Kowland Ward, of Piccadilly, 
 the well-known naturalist, who has prepared various hunting 
 trophies for me with admirable effect. 
 
 One word more. The remark I have made respecting 
 the fact of my speaking of the gold regions just as I found 
 them, must apply to the whole range of subjects in these 
 two volumes. I know that in some instances I have not 
 shown that enthusiasm towards projects for opening up 
 Africa as has been displayed by other travellers ; but then 
 it was not my lot to come across any peculiar encouragement 
 such as would have enabled me to speak with hope and 
 with confidence of success in that direction. I would not 
 write words of absolute despair regarding the prospects of 
 the lands through which I passed, but I have endeavoured 
 to draw all my conclusions without the sway of prejudice. 
 
 I will therefore withhold any definite judgment as to the 
 value of this portion of Africa to the countries of Christen- 
 dom, leaving my readers to draw their own conclusions from 
 the descriptions and thoughts contained in the following 
 pages, and always advising them to bear in mind the words 
 of our famous Laureate^ 
 
 "Cleave ever to the sunnier side of doubt." 
 
 W. Montagu Kerr. 
 
 South Kensington, July 1886. 
 
CONTENTS OF VOL. 1. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 DARTMOUTH TO THE DIAMOND FIELDS. 
 
 Hopes of " Golden Africa " — Influence of old writers — IMy eai ly 
 dreams of travel — On board the Druinmond Castle — TMaduira — 
 Curiosities of the wine trade — Madeira as a health resort — St. 
 Helena — Africa at last ! — Cape Town — Telegraphing to the in- 
 terior — News of the hunters — Mr. Selous^ — Happy days at 
 Wynberg — Objections to my plan — Dr. Holub's expedition — An 
 odd and dangerous landing — A tremendous explosion — Descrip- 
 tion of Port Elizabeth — Northward ho ! — " Bad luck to the man 
 that dhrove it ! " — Colesberg railway terminus — 145 miles in a 
 Cape cart — Arrival at Kimberley — The Diamond Fields — The 
 mining fever — Hard times — Kimberley Mine — Description of 
 mining and mining gear — Restrictions on diamond trade — Kaflir 
 workers — A contested election .... l-V) 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THEOUGH THE NEW PROTECTORATE. 
 
 Nearing a station — Klerksdorp — Unexpected meeting with Selous — 
 His opinions of my project — ^The humours of Lo-bengula — -The 
 danger of shooting "sea-cow" — Hunters in trouble^Gold- 
 seeking Americans — Equipping for the veldt — Kimberley again 
 — " Cape Smoke " — Coach passengers — Starting for the veldt — 
 Uncertainty of the future — Lichtenberg — Absence of hard cash 
 — Odd trading — Jacobsdaal — Zeerust — Boer troubles — Small-pox 
 and fumigation — A hasty departure — Linokana in Bechuana-land 
 — KafBr taxes — Linokana attacked by the Boers — Hermansberg 
 Missionary Society — Moghose's station — Measures for the pre- 
 vention of small-pox — Excessive power of a landdrost or chief 
 magistrate — Religious zeal of the Boers — King Secheli — Dilapi- 
 dated royalty — Hunting memories — " Camels, by Jove ! " — 
 Khama's Town — Shoshong or Bamangwato — Another " Lord of 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Boundless Dominions " — An awkward squad — Trade of Shoshong 
 — Dread of Matabeli — Giraffe hunting — War preparations — 
 Khama's wife — Little Kanyemba — A queer medicine chest — A 
 worthless land — Irrigation impossible — The Shashi river — 
 Matabeli-land 17-39 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 IN lo-bengula's countey. 
 
 The Tati Gold Fields — Dinner with the Jesuit fathers — A reckless 
 traveller — The mines and their working — First appearance of 
 Korana John — Game gradually disappearing — A disastrous flash 
 of lightning — Among the Matabeh — Symptoms of horse-sickness 
 — Lost in the veldt — A shot at a pauw — Unexpected aid — 
 Return to the waggons — " Lo-ben is friendly " — An escort sent 
 — Matabeli gardens — Scene at Magubuduani — Approaching 
 Buluwayo — The " New Valhalla " — The country full of fever — 
 An improvised hospital — Poor Whitaker ! — The King in his 
 kraal — Reception by Lo-ben — The Queens of the Matabeli — In 
 the royal harem — Meeting a Yorkshireman — Interior of a queen's 
 hut — Beef and beer with a vengeance ! — " The King can do no 
 wrong " — " Go well, Son of the Sea " — Poetical expressions of the 
 Matabeli — Description of Buluwayo — Inxwala, the great dance — 
 Royal bloodshed — Matabeli moraUty — Selous attacked by fever — ■ 
 The Comte de Lapanose — Farewell to Selous — Lo-ben's origin — 
 The King explains the country's customs — His final permission 
 — Description of my party — A bad start — " Why, man, he's 
 drunk ! " — Breakdown of the cart — Start with waggon and oxen 
 — John's penitence— Shiloh — Massacre of Captain Paterson's 
 party — An apostle of work — Inyati mission station — Last outpost 
 of the London Missionary Society — Kind friends — Farewell to 
 the last white man 40-7 6 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE " BIG GAME " COUNTRT. 
 
 Stocking the larder — ^My " C. L. K." rifle — A zebra hunt — " Gijima, 
 gijima ! " — Hollow bullets — An unpleasant ducking — The moun- 
 tains between the Zambesi, Sabia and Limpopo — Difficulty in 
 lion hunting — Humours of ox-driving — The Sepaque river — Out 
 of the track — Clearing under difficulties — Elephant spoor — 
 Fruitless pursuit — Umvuli river — A catalogue of miseries — Story 
 of Windvogel's victim — John and the wolf — Lion incidents — A 
 dangerous ford — An elephant hunt — The honey-bird's note of 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 warning — Thrilling moments — A good day's work — Kaffir 
 gluttony — Game and honey — Selous' deserted camp of 1883 — 
 Taroman missing 77-95 
 
 CHAPTEE V. 
 
 INTO MASHONA-LAND. 
 
 Food supplies — John's concertina — Stirring dreams — Protection at 
 night — John has an eye to the future — We leave Taromau be- 
 hind — His revenge — The prairie on fire — A close escape — 
 Matabeli raids — Sudden appearance of Mashona hunters — 
 Chibero's — Description of a Mashona stronghold — Matabeli war 
 tactics — Desolating results — Advantages of silence — Chibero is 
 stubborn — The carrier difficulty — Stupid advice — Little Unyam- 
 wenda — One of Nature's dungeons — Native trading — Recruiting 
 volunteers — " Villum " or Chirumutu — Writing unknown — 
 Harassing bargains — " I melt de fat of de olifant, Master " — 
 That exasperating fellow Taroman — Harte-beest hunting — 
 Mashona mode of hunting — Netting game — General appearance 
 of the Mashona — Mashona girls — Weapons — The assegai — A 
 persecuted race — Diet — Cattle — A dilatory start — The waggon 
 abandoned — " Tussa, tussa ! " — Baggage for the journey — The 
 body-guard — Taroman incensed — Helplessness of the whites 
 among the blacks — The company start on foot for the north 96-124 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 MASHONA-LAND. 
 
 A funny ceremony — Working on superstition — Hypocritical Taroman 
 — An immense prairie fire — Meditations on the journey — Cold 
 dews — The slumbering camp — Unyamwenda, the chief — A 
 tough-skinned fellow — Desertions — Bundles of wisdom — Old 
 Sebaii appears — The charred plain — The Zururu river — John's 
 success in hunting — Gorging the crowd — Furious quarrels over 
 meat — The best way to manage natives — Sterile rocks of 
 Mashona-land — Making a skerm — Mashona music — Karemba's 
 repute as a performer — Native dancing — Pleasure in primitive 
 life — " Ah, master, I never see people like here ! " — Craving for 
 limbo and beads — The Umvukwe and Rusaka mountains — 
 Etsatse river — A troublesome goat— Curious hut — Prospecting 
 for gold — Mashona ablutions — Honest natives — Unexpected 
 appearance of Mchesa, the Vulcan of Mashona-land — Pursued by 
 grass fires^Blacksmithing in the wildernesses — A primitive 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGB 
 
 forge — Ironstone of the countiy — Troubles in camp — A night 
 scene — Clannishness — Threat to kill Sagwam — Quarrels in camp 
 — A doubtful expedition 125-166 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 FBOM THE WAYNGE BIVEK TO THE UMVUKWE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 Sebaii the orator — Appearance of the country — The Ruia river — 
 " Igova, Muliliti" — The solemnity of snuffing — Fortunate 
 shooting — " Ten thousand devils, John and Sagwam dead ! " — 
 The treacherous Unyamwenda — An early start — Effects of a 
 sudden appearance — John in despair — Astonishing the disturbers 
 — Lucky help — Necessity for quick progress — Visit to Muliliti, 
 the chief — His home circle — The 'cute old dodger Sandani — Feet 
 torments — Marshy country — New carriers and a new guide — A 
 marrow-hone feast — Endurance of natives on the march — Signs 
 of lions — The Umzengezi river — Discouraging news — Humoius 
 of roll-call — Splendid view from the Umvukwe mountains — 
 
 . Solitude 167-195 
 
 CHAPTER Vlir. 
 
 Soothing of the followers — Names of trees — The Karue river — 
 Warnings of danger — ^Rocks alive with people — The Makorikori 
 people — Fear to approach the white man — Alarm in the camp — 
 " Geeve it um, master, geeve it um ! " — Surrounded by armed 
 warriors — Forebodings of danger — Chuzu, the chief — An unsatis- 
 factory interview — Demands for powder — " Master, master, the 
 people are coming to kill us ! " — The bag of sovereigns — Anxious 
 moments — "You are M'zungo" — Tricks of intimidation — The 
 party is threatened with massacre — An old woman's friendly 
 warning — Ominous signs — Our midnight retreat — An awkward 
 bridge — Out of the difficulty — The disappointing check — " Ho, 
 for northern Matabeli-land ! "—Shall I return ? . . . . 196-213 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 RECONNOITRING. 
 
 Ah, master ! I tink of me leetle wife " — Negotiating with Sandani 
 — He tells of Negomo — Chibero dread and mistrust — The valley 
 of the Etsatse — The Grumapudzi river — An uninviting country 
 — Gold finding possible — A friendly welcome — " Gughle, gughle 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 I'AG K 
 
 seree ! " — Curing a fit — My first present — Friglitening the white 
 man — Native drums — Gold — Products of tlie country — IVIodo of 
 life — Chibabura presents me Avith an ox — Friendly peo|ile — 
 Assegai practice — A successful shot — Cobblins slices — Ap- 
 pearance of the people — Adornments of the women and men — 
 Absence of gold ornaments — Smoking customs — Entertainments 
 — Weapons and implements — The " look-out " — A strange 
 musician — Anxiety about John — Powder of native manufacture 
 — Reflections on the retreat from Chuzu's — Startled by a baboon 
 —Retrospect 214-235 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 inyota's tranquil land. 
 
 Camp fires in the distance — Reappearance of John — His miserable 
 looks — Sandani is gratified — Camp before Inyota — Karemba's 
 eccentricities — John's troubles — Kaffir ingratitude — The Bush- 
 man lost — A vain search — My terrified companion — The nume- 
 rous wives of Sandani — The "oracle" sings the praises of the 
 white man — Chibabura's reception — A palaver — Wonders of the 
 mirror — Physicking the crowd — Settling Sandani's claims — The 
 Rock of Wisdom — Chibabura's town — Native workmansliijD — 
 Bark blankets — Pottery — A favoured land and people — Makori- 
 kori songs — Character of the people — Customs — Knowledge of 
 agriculture — Contentment — Freedom from crime — Their life 
 compared with civilized povertj' — A peaceful scene — Oh, happy 
 and favoured Inyota ! 236-253 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 AMONG THE MAKORIKORI PEOPLE. 
 
 Tedious marching — Magombegombe mountains — John is "varee 
 seek " — Our comical goat — Baboons — Lubola mountains — Zinga- 
 bila — Mode of making bark blankets — M'jela, the chief — Kun- 
 yungwi still far off — Desertions — Method of securing an ox — 
 Difficulty in getting boys — Presents from M'jela — Umfana's 
 eating powers — The Dorah river — Camping places selected by 
 natives — A lioness in the way — Lost chances of a shot — John's 
 lion experiences — A fearful position — A wild forest scene — 
 Hovering vultures — Adventure with a lioness — Native scramble 
 for the lion's prey — Happy natives — The Mutua river — The 
 Ruiana river — I'he Makomwe mountains — An amusing old 
 fossil — Long fasting — Poor diet — The "dry goods bank" nearly 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 empty — " How many moons is dat since we leave Buluwayo ? " 
 — Miseries of travel — Native houses — The " Three Brothers " — 
 The great basin of the Zambesi — Tropical forests . . , 254-277 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 ENTERING THE "FLY COUNTEY." 
 
 A descent into heat — Tea the best drink — Drinking generally — 
 Rhinoceros — Symptoms of another strike — Intense heat — 
 Msingua river — Sum — " Dar is the tsetse fly now, master ! " — 
 The " Fly Country " at last — An odd hue and cry — Mysterious 
 words — Strange conduct of the guides — Unravelling the 
 mystery 278-284 
 
 CHAPTER XIIL 
 
 CHIBINGA. 
 
 Skulls on gate-posts — Black but not comely — Meaning of Mzungo — 
 A dubious reception — Karemba's nonchalance — Marching into 
 the town — Confusion of tongues — Undesirable quarters — A water- 
 less river — Himgry retainers — Absence of King Sakanii — 
 Hunting, a last resource — The mother of the monarch — Rats 
 swarming — A mutilating wolf — Inyota versus women — " Satan " 
 is bibulous — Flies in myriads — Signs of disaffection — Negotia- 
 tions with the " faithfuls " — Truculent Inyota — The monarch's 
 mother commands my attendance — Curious reception — Hopes 
 revived — Deplorable servility — Comparison with Mexican peone 
 — The palmero punishment — " Us shall die from de hunger " — 
 I start in search of the King — Bringing down a boar — Game on 
 the route — The Mkumbura river — Spoor of wild animals — The 
 busy tsetse — Description of the tsetse — A lion adventure — 
 Fierceness of heat — The Umzengaizi river — Msenza — Meeting 
 with Sakanii — Courteous greeting — Civilized comforts — The 
 King's mode of travelling — His Portuguese connection — Return- 
 ing to Chibinga — The King's bearers — Rapid progress — Prospects 
 of relief — Noisy welcome to Chibinga 285-316 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Portrait of the Author 
 
 A South African Trophy .. 
 
 Landing at Port Elizabeth 
 
 "Outspan" 
 
 Portrait of Mr. F. C. Selous 
 
 The Royal Kraal of Lobengela 
 
 "The Faithfuls" 
 
 Across the Umvuli .. 
 
 An Anxious Moment .. 
 
 Mode of Crossing Rivers .. 
 
 The Vulcan of Mashona-land 
 
 Midnight Retreat from Chuzu's 
 
 Making Bark Blankets 
 
 "With a low growl she stalked through the 
 
 TALL grass" 
 
 A Night Surprise — Mkumbura River 
 
 Froiifispieri' 
 
 paijti xviii. 
 
 To face 2>a;;c. 8 
 
 26 
 
 2xt,ye 35 
 
 To face jyaue 50 
 
 Tpagc 08 
 
 To face page >~,'6 
 
 92 
 
 page 127 
 
 To face page 158 
 
 212 
 
 page 258 
 
 To face page 268 
 308 
 
 Map of a Journey from the Cape of Good Hope, across the Zambesi, 
 to Lake Nyassa (/rom a Survey by W. Montagu Kerr, C.E.). 
 
A SOUTH AFBICAN TROPHY. 
 
THE FAR INTEEIOE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 DAKTMOUTH TO THE DIAMOND FIELDS. 
 
 Hopes of "Golden Africa" — Influence of old writers — IMy early dreams 
 of travel — On board the Drummond Castle — Madeira — Curiosities of 
 the wine trade — Madeira as a health resort — St. Helena — Africa at 
 last ! — Cape Town — Telegraphing to the interior — News of the hunters 
 — Mr. Selous — Happy days at Wynberg — Objections to my plan — Dr. 
 Holub's expedition^-An odd and dangerous landing — A tremendous 
 explosion — Description of Port Elizabeth — Northward ho ! — " Bad luck 
 to the man that dhrove it!" — Colesberg railway terminus— 145 miles 
 in, a Cape cart — Arrival at Kimberley — The Diamond Fields — -The 
 mining fever — Hard times — Kimberley Mine — Description of mining 
 and mining gear — Eestrictions on diamond trade — Kaffir workers — A 
 contested election. 
 
 Among some fugitive writings of Thackeray's which have 
 lately been embodied in a volume, most readers doubtless 
 will have observed the following lines : — 
 
 " Desolate Afric ! thou art lovely yet ! 
 One heart yet beats which ne'er shall thee forget. 
 What though thy maidens are a blackish brown, 
 Does virtue dwell in whiter breasts alone ? 
 Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no ! 
 It shall not, must not, cannot e'er be so. 
 The day shall come when Albion's self shall feel 
 Stem Afric's wrath, and writhe 'neath Afric's steel. 
 I see the tribes the hill of glory mount, 
 And sell their sugars on their own account ; 
 While round her throne the prostrate nations come, 
 Sue for her rice and barter for her rum." 
 
 VOL. I. B 
 
THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 The great satirist here gives, in humorous heroics, a 
 fair description of the hopes of Christendom with regard to 
 the progress of " golden Africa." No land in modern times 
 has attracted so much curious attention among the sons 
 of civilisation. Missions have been maintained in the 
 country at enormous cost, and worked in many instances 
 with indomitable pluck. Pioneers of commerce have pene- 
 trated to its inmost recesses, and the same may be said of 
 the great explorers who pushed on with the higher purpose 
 of adding to the knowledge of mankind some new facts 
 relating to hitherto unknown races and regions. 
 
 There is a peculiar charm in the idea of being able to 
 help in developing the resources of a country, to raise it 
 from prostration, and to lighten its darkness, so that finally 
 it may attain a position similar to that which is occupied 
 by ourselves. But I fancy that much of the fascination 
 which clings to the story of mystery-enshrouded Africa 
 is due to the power of the narratives related by its older 
 explorers. 
 
 Personally, I know that by some influence of this kind, 
 inscrutable perhaps, my fancy in the days of early boyhood 
 was fired with the thought that at some time or another I 
 would wander over virgin soil on the dark continent. 
 
 It was a dream — I had almost said the dream — of my 
 youth, but years elapsed before the dream became a real 
 life experience. In the interval it was my fortune to visit 
 a good many lands, some of them savage even in civili- 
 sation, but I never lost sight of the early African vision. 
 At length the long cherished wish was gratified, and my 
 journey through the mysterious region has become a thing 
 of the past. 
 
 And now I find myself asking the reader to accompany 
 me along the line of my travels. I am to begin at once. 
 
LOVELY MADEIRA. 
 
 telling the story in the good old fashion by noting the 
 wonders that I saw and heard. 
 
 It was a bitterly cold December morning, in 1883, when 
 I boarded the Drummond Castle moored at Dartmouth, and 
 a few hours later I had my last glimpse of the lessening 
 shores of old England. 
 
 At lovely Madeira — the pearl of the Atlantic — a short 
 stay impresses every traveller with its vivid and picturesque 
 scenes. Who does not remember the featherless divers who 
 perform as a wonderful feat, and with the greatest gusto, 
 the operation which was dreaded by ancient mariners as 
 " keel-hauling " ? Can the visitor forget the commercial 
 gentlemen of acute instincts who sell the genuine articles — 
 not those manufactured by the gross in Birmingham or 
 Lisbon — but the real gold ring from Cape Coast Castle, on 
 which the signs of the Zodiac, so well known to every 
 traveller, are not struck by a vulgar modern die, but 
 engraved by the neat-fingered black man of the Gold Coast ? 
 It is curious to see these charming evidences of the gentle 
 art and scientific knowledge of the subtle savage. 
 
 Two facts about Madeira may be mentioned. These I 
 learned from trustworthy sources. It appears that the chief 
 industry, which of course is wine-making, is on the wane. 
 Recently the vines had been attacked by phylloxera in 
 an irresistible manner. The attacks seem to have begun 
 in 1872, in which year over 10,000 pipes of wine were made. 
 The produce of the year's vintage when I passed the place, 
 in 1883, it was said on good authority would not exceed 
 1,000 pipes. The wine merchants, however, of the town 
 have a very large — should I say inexhaustible ? — stock of 
 "Madeira" in their cellars, and by judicious "blending" 
 or " mixing " (very mild terms ! ) there will be enough 
 of the old-fashioned wine to supply the world even if the 
 
 B 2 
 
TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 island vines did not produce a solitary grape. This result 
 is one of the triumphs of the arts of advanced civilisation. 
 What a blessing it is that we have so many ways and means 
 of defeating the shortcomings of nature ! 
 
 The bulk of the sugar crop is exported to Lisbon, where 
 it finds a ready market free of duty. 
 
 The idea that Madeira possesses an admirable climate for 
 affections of the chest has exploded since the experiment 
 was made of sending out a number of patients in different 
 stages of consumption from one of the London hospitals. 
 The result proved that the advantages of the place were not 
 equal to those of other health resorts nearer home, which 
 were atmospherically much less humid, and consequently 
 more conducive to the cure, or partial cure, of lung com- 
 plaints. 
 
 We steamed away from Madeira, and shortly touched 
 at St. Helena, which I would call the cabbage garden of 
 the Atlantic, were it not almost profane to speak harshly of 
 a spot which holds so prominent and hallowed a place in 
 the world's eventful history. A detachment of the 58th 
 Foot was quartered here at the time. 
 
 " How glad I am that this is the last day on board ship ! " 
 was my mental exclamation when we were thinning the end 
 of our voyage. 
 
 Soon I found myself in Cape Town, walking under the 
 shade of Table Mountain. What a satisfaction it was to 
 think that at last I had actually arrived in Africa — the land 
 of so many early visions of adventure ! But then there was 
 little of the charm of romance in the proceedings, although 
 a thousand thoughts ran through my mind relating to what 
 I should do, and how I should do it. 
 
 What information could be gathered was a first considera- 
 tion. Therefore I would telegraph to the farthest point 
 
TELEORAPHINQ TO THE INTERIOR. 
 
 reached by the sensitive wire, and draw interior news from 
 the distant dwellers in the land of sparkling gems. 
 
 An answer came, flashed back over the dry karroo : 
 " Hunters expected out shortly. Waggon and oxen reason- 
 able." Again I tried, and from another source got the 
 quick reply : " Hunters not expected out for some time." 
 This was awkward. Yet another effort must be made, but 
 this time I would be patient, for I would have to tap a more 
 distant source. 
 
 Suddenly it occurred to me, " Where is Selous, the great 
 hunter and traveller, whose admirable book ' A Hunter's 
 Wanderings in Africa ' had pleasantly wiled away my leisure 
 hours when on the shores of the great Pacific near the 
 Golden Gate ? I must find him, for no better counsellor 
 could guide early steps into this land of mystery. Ho 
 alone, in the meantime, will be the object of my search." 
 Another touch of the electric key, and a message was in the 
 stage coach office at the Diamond Fields, with instructions 
 that it should be forwarded to Klerksdorp, the principal 
 trading and equipping station for traders north of the Vaal 
 river. This was done, and I awaited results. 
 
 Going to the telegraph office I found the following 
 message from Mr. James Leask, merchant at Klerksdorp, in 
 the Transvaal Kepublic : " Drought raging in interior. 
 Hunters cannot get out. Will be out on first rains." 
 
 An introductory letter to Colonel Montgomery, on the 
 staff of General Sir Leicester Smyth, commanding the forces 
 in South Africa, placed me in good hands. In a little time 
 I found myself luxuriating in the groves and glades of 
 lovely Wynberg, cheered by the most delightful society 
 that one could possibly desire to meet. Pleasant recollec- 
 tions crowd thickly as I write, but they have an individual 
 charm which cannot be transferred to the reader ; althougli 
 
THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 I almost wish I could mention the names of those — and 
 they were not a few — who showered so much kindness 
 upon me. 
 
 Wynberg, with its picturesque surroundings of mountain, 
 forest, and sea, is truly the garden of Cape Colony. But I 
 must say farewell to the place, cherishing its ever happy 
 memories of hospitable friends and their enchanting com- 
 panionship, the kindly influence of which can never be 
 forgotten. 
 
 I made inquiries at the most reliable quarters as to the 
 probabilities of my success in accomplishing a journey alone 
 overland to Central Africa. I did not get much encourage- 
 ment. The arguments against the proposal were many. 
 
 " What will you do about the language ? " said one. 
 
 " What will you do about the fever ? " inquired another. 
 " If it catches you when you are alone, it will soon stop the 
 expedition." 
 
 " You can't pass the Diamond Fields," remarked a third, 
 "for the small-pox is raging there." 
 
 And so the objections arose ad libitum. What was I to 
 do ? Stop in unapproachable Cape Town, and inhale the 
 ungenerous winds of the south-eastern Atlantic ? For the 
 contrast, it must be remembered, between Cape Town and 
 lovely Wynberg is remarkable. The mountain stands 
 between them, and while the Cape Town side has a barren 
 exposure to the merciless south-east " trades," which I 
 had the misfortune to encounter once or twice during my 
 stay, Wynberg's sequestered position is delightful in its 
 shelter. 
 
 By the way, one man said, " Don't go to Port Elizabeth ; 
 it is by long odds the worst ash heap of the diamond cities 
 of the south." 
 
 Was I blind to beauty, or indifferent to enchantment ? 
 
MAP STUDIES. 
 
 Was I in the oasis of Africa, or in its sterile Sahara? The 
 words of men — Cape Town men — declared for the oasis, my 
 experience for the Sahara. 
 
 I stand in the middle of Aderley Street, in front of the 
 Standard Bank, The sand in circling storms \vru})s me iu 
 its gritty embrace. Where am I ? In the Sahara, surely. 
 And yet this cannot be, for through tlie blinding whirl I 
 stretch forth my hand, and feel a rounded form of solid 
 stone, fashioned unmistakably by the hand of man. What 
 is it? Moving curiously forward towards the object, I find 
 myself hugging a pillar, beside which I soon gain shelter 
 from the searching sand, driven so mercilessly by the piti- 
 less south-easter. After rubbing my eyes to clear them from 
 the grit, I perceive that I am in the portico of the aireiiey 
 office for steamers. Happy thought ! I will make inquiries 
 about the departures for Port Elizabeth. I find that the 
 earliest steamer will start in a day or two. 
 
 Most of the time was now occupied in studying maps. 
 These I could see were far from being perfect, liiver 
 courses especially were inaccurately defined ; so, at least, I 
 Judged from their manifold variations. Few names marked 
 the lands that lay to the far north-east between ]\Iatabeli- 
 land and Lake Nyassa. It would be my aim to fill up, 
 however slightly, some of these imperfections, and thus 
 contribute something toward the geographical description 
 of little known lands, should I be able to carry out the 
 journey which I had purposed to do. 
 
 Hesitation soon vanished, and ultimately I determined 
 to make the attempt to reach the lake regions of Central 
 Africa overland by a northward course, and thence to pro- 
 ceed towards the Indian Ocean. 
 
 Dr. Holub, the eminent naturalist, was in Cape Town 
 equipping an expedition which seemed to me, from the 
 
8 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 extraordinary array of paraphernalia, to be of gigantic 
 importance. Dr. Holub strongly encouraged my plan. 
 
 As it was necessary to procure a few instruments I re- 
 quired, some days were occupied in going through the shops 
 of the opticians; and although my expedition was to be 
 carried out on the black-bag quantity, the articles of 
 this description which I wanted were bound to be of the 
 best quality and the highest accuracy. After searching 
 the highways and byways of Cape Town, I succeeded in 
 getting a good sextant and other instruments, and hastened 
 to the Koyal Observatory, where Dr. Grill and Mr. Findlay 
 (of comet fame) gave me much information, so that ere 
 many days had passed the first and most important part of 
 the geographical and astronomical outfit was complete. 
 
 South-easters blew great guns, while dense, almost solid, 
 clouds of sand swept over Cape Town on the day of 
 departure. The place was at its worst. The " oldest in- 
 habitant " had never seen the like before. Table Bay was 
 seething with white caps. The steamer Danube lay in the 
 harbour, ready for departure that afternoon, and in her I 
 found my way to Port Elizabeth. The Danube had a 
 notoriety for unsteady habits, and on this occasion her pro- 
 clivities were painfully manifested. 
 
 I gladly left the atmosphere of storm pans and spittoons 
 and scrambled to the slippery pier at Port Elizabeth like a 
 shipwrecked mariner. Landing at this modern haven 
 during a south-easterly gale demands agility of no common 
 order, although, of course, there is every modern convenience 
 for passengers ! The human cargo is handled as gently as 
 is possible with the means at the disposal of the wharf 
 masters. But for the information of passengers disem- 
 barking at this port, I may say that by binding themselves 
 with a pair of rug straps they will have a better chance of 
 
A TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION. 9 
 
 landing in safety than by trusting to the honesty of their 
 tailors, or the firmness of their feet. If they depend too 
 much upon these they will assuredly reach terra jirma in 
 the attitude of their ancestors in the foiu'-footed life spoken 
 of in science genealogy. 
 
 When I called at the telegraph office I found a message 
 informing me that hunters were " arriving out." The first 
 rains had fallen, and the time was propitious for making a 
 start for the interior. There would now be plenty of grass, 
 as the lands had been freshened by the rains. Among 
 these hunters I hoped Mr. Selous would be found. 
 
 Looking into a Port Elizabeth paper, I read of the 
 tremendous explosion which had just taken place at the 
 Diamond Fields. Its effect must have been prodigious, 
 for no less than 33 tons of dynamite, 7 tons of loose powder, 
 a quantity of paraffin, and 200,000 cartridges, were blown 
 up. 
 
 From Major Deare, of the Colonial forces, I got every 
 assistance, and among other attentions, he kindly showed 
 me the lions of the town. I cannot enter upon a regular 
 guide-book description ; but I may say that Port Elizabeth 
 is an active and thriving town, showing a wonderful amount 
 of life in the sixty-third year of its age — that was in 1883. 
 The buildings are exceedingly handsome, and an especial 
 feature is the new feather, ivory, and general produce 
 market, which is a spacious as well as a fine building. 
 The churches are elegantly built. There is a commodious 
 and comfortable club ; and, as a rule, the hotel accommoda- 
 tion and attention are unusually good. The place is healthy, 
 but exposed to violent and piercing winds. 
 
 We must not, however, linger amid the scenes of civiliza- 
 tion. We must be up and away to the north, the region to 
 which the tremulous needle directs a course. Should the 
 
10 THE FAR INTERIOB. 
 
 reader follow, we shall soou be roving free and unfettered 
 over unbeaten tracks upon the virgin soil of rarely visited 
 lands. 
 
 From the steamer we pass to the railway ; from the rail- 
 way to the post-cart ; from the post-cart to the primitive 
 ox-waggon. Then ho ! for the north, on foot if need be, to 
 the land of the honey bird, and the heart of the hunter's 
 home ! On to the Zambesi ! We will wander through the 
 umbrageous aisles of the primeval forest : we will roam over 
 the vastness of the great plateau : we will saunter on the 
 golden sands of Nyassa's lovely sea ! 
 
 I had bidden a long adieu to the ocean and the trembling 
 little Danube which had brought me from Cape Town. 
 Soon, too, the railway had to be left behind, for it did not 
 take long to reach the terminus at Colesberg. 
 
 When seated at the table of the Phoenix Hotel my vis-a- 
 vis was a gentleman with spectacles, who was evidently very 
 anxious, and, like some others, much worried by a feverish 
 impatience to reach " the Fields." For we had just been 
 too late. The post-cart had started shortly before. 
 
 " Bad luck to the man that dhrove it ! " was the muttered 
 remark of an irate Celt from Erin's isle, who had a very 
 wide mouth and a low, receding brow. 
 
 It was soon evident that the city of Kopjies, or, properly 
 speaking, Colesberg, was not a sufficiently attractive place 
 for the spectacled gentleman. He was very energetic, and 
 conspicuously a man of business. He swallowed his bumper 
 of XXX, and then, correcting the dose with a cup of scald- 
 ing coflfee, adjusted his magnifiers and left the room, his 
 purpose evidently being a search for a substitute coach. 
 Hastily repairing to the Post-cart Office, he contracted for 
 a Cape cart, something like a curricle with four horses. 
 The driver had orders for relays of horses on the road. 
 
KIMBEELEY. 11 
 
 Happy thought again ! If I was lucky enough to be first 
 I would doubtless be acceptable in sharing the journey and 
 the expenses. No sooner thought than done ; and on the 
 next morning we were speeding rapidly on our way over 
 the far stretching karroo. 
 
 I will at once pass over the 145 miles of country that 
 lie between Colesberg and Kimberley at the Diamond 
 Fields. We crossed the iron lattice bridge which spans the 
 Orange Eiver, and connects the state with the colony. 
 Moving onward then through the Free State we passed the 
 town of Fauresmith, and arrived at the Queen's Hotel, 
 Kimberley, on the evening of the 11th of February, 1884, 
 the journey from Colesberg having occupied two and a-half 
 days. 
 
 The Diamond Fields are situated at an elevation of 
 4,050 feet above the sea. The surrounding country consists 
 of undulating prairie land, covered with very short grass 
 and sad-looking shrubs. Before the rains the country is 
 about as bare as a well-worn macadamized road. At that 
 time the rains had only fallen once in twelve months. 
 
 Excepting the diamond mines, the town is very uninterest- 
 ing, although it has a club which is the best of its kind 
 in South Africa. Only a few buildings are of brick or 
 stone, the greater number being made of corrugated iron, 
 one storey in height, so that when a full view of the town 
 is obtained, it is apt to make one think of a resemblance to 
 a lot of tin dog-kennels enlarged a few diameters. 
 
 Mining here, as is well known, dates from the first rush 
 to the fields in 1870. Speculation of the wildest description 
 was rife in the early days — almost as bad as it was in 
 California in 74 and 75 — but when I passed through the 
 place the people were labouring under a depression as deep 
 as their excitement had been high in more prosperous tioies. 
 
12 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Big companies had gone out of existence, and everybody 
 spoke of hard times. 
 
 The principal diamond mines worked are the Kimberley, 
 the De Beers, Du Toit's Pan, and Bultfontein.* 
 
 The Kimberley Mine is a huge quarry situate in the 
 town. It is about 500 feet in depth, measured by plumb 
 line to the centre. The mine was being worked by five 
 different companies. 
 
 The mode of excavating was a simple system of quarrying 
 and blasting, for which dynamite was used, the explosions 
 taking place at mid-day and midnight respectively. The 
 richness of the diamond treasure that has been taken 
 from the crater is fabulous. Statistics say that from two 
 to three millions of pounds sterling per annum have repre- 
 sented the aggregate value of the output of the mines. 
 
 Prospect channels and shafts seemed to be run, but to a 
 very trifling extent. The excavations are sent up on steel 
 wire rope "roads," the various companies having their 
 respective hoisting works leading from the depths of the 
 gradually lessening area of the basin. Two heavy wire 
 ropes form the " roads." They run parallel, and are 
 stretched tightly from the pit head through the air and 
 down to an anchorage at the bottom of the mine. These 
 ropes are the rails, so to speak, on which run the flanged 
 wheels of the skip or cage. This system of hoisting is 
 quite unique, and very eifective for the class of work 
 carried on at the diamond mines. 
 
 The soft blue rock in which the gems are found decom- 
 
 * A Standard (23rd April, 1886) correspondent, writing from Kim- 
 berley, gives the following statistics : — 
 
 Assessed Value of Mines. — Kimberley, £2,805,635 ; De Beers, £934,737 ; 
 Du Toit's Pan, £1,283,591 ; Bultfontein, £682,266. 
 
 Value of Diamonds exported from Kimberley. — 1883, £2,742,521 ; 
 1884, £2,807,288 ; 1885, £2,492,755. 
 
DIAMOND MINING. 13 
 
 poses under atmospheric and aqueous action. It is taken 
 from the mine and spread over large spaces covering 
 acres of land, where it is left exposed to the sun, while it is 
 wetted at intervals by means of a hose, and broken by large 
 hammers. This process of disintegration goes on f< ^r about 
 two months, when the jewelled earth is taken to the mill. 
 
 An exceedingly simple and unscientific contrivance is 
 this mill. The blue gravel first passes through a tapered 
 cylindrical sieve, revolving in a horizontal position. It is 
 thrown in at the small end of the sieve, and after its course 
 along the inclined plane the refuse is thrown out at the 
 other end. The stuff which fiills through the meshes is 
 conducted by a sluice into a sort of settler, consisting of a 
 big tub about ten feet in diameter having a vertical central 
 driving shaft, about which revolve four arms fitted with long 
 teeth, which reach close to the bottom of the settler. This 
 keeps the pulp constantly agitated, and, with the regular 
 stream of water which is kept flowing, the waste and light 
 sands are carried through an overflow on the inner edge of 
 the settler. The refuse is akin to " tailings " in gold 
 mining. Diamond tailings, I understand, are not worth 
 much. The tailings flow directly into a small well, where 
 a dredger, or bucket pump, lifts them to an elevation of 
 about fifteen feet. From that elevation the trucks deposit 
 them in all directions, so that they form a large sand 
 bank. 
 
 The sands, or gravel rather, which are taken from the 
 bottom of this tub or settler are passed over four wire 
 screens of different-sized meshes, the last being very fine. 
 All the gravel is then placed on iron-faced tables. By 
 means of a kind of steel trowel it is sorted, and the diamonds 
 picked out. The sand last screened, which is the very 
 finest, is dried in the sun, and given to the Kaffirs to sort ; 
 
14 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 they being the best hands at picking out the smallest 
 diamonds. These diamonds are sold to the licensed dia- 
 mond buyers in the Kimberley market, and in this way the 
 companies can immediately realise. It is said that there 
 have been thirty or forty million pounds' worth of diamonds 
 exported from the Cape during the last fourteen years. 
 
 The systems adopted in the working of these craters or 
 gigantic deposits of blue gravel may have been very effec- 
 tive heretofore ; but now the mines are attaining a depth 
 that threatens to bring all such methods forcibly to an 
 end ; for the good reason that the shale which forms the 
 surrounding walls of this basin is beginning to cave, and 
 will naturally continue to do so until it finds its angle of 
 repose, and of course it stands to reason that as they go 
 deeper the area at the bottom will proportionately decrease, 
 until it has run to nothing. 
 
 The hoisting engines in use were inadequate to cope 
 with the vast volumes of floating reef gradually but surely 
 coming down the deep abyss. Already there has been 
 spent jointly by the companies £1,400,000 for the extrac- 
 tion of the falling reef. I am afraid that the day is not far 
 distant when many a poor fellow will be prematurely buried 
 under the inevitable fall of reef that must result from such 
 an unavoidable mode of mining. 
 
 Naturally the question arises. What is to be done in order 
 that the jewels may be got out remuneratively ? There 
 were many plans advanced for underground workings ; but I 
 did not find a single man there who understood underground 
 work as it is carried on in gold and silver mines. In any 
 case, the days of the present system are numbered. The 
 people may go on until they are compelled to try another 
 plan. Of course another system could only be practicable 
 through the companies amalgamating, each mine being 
 
A CONTESTED ELECTION. 15 
 
 worked under undivided control. The scarcity of timber 
 is a great drawback to underground working. 
 
 Various restrictions on diamond dealing exist. No one 
 is allowed to buy a diamond without first obtaining a license, 
 and only licensed dealers, or brokers, can sell thorn, although 
 in spite of the vigilance of the detective department a great 
 deal of illicit diamond buying is successfully carried on ; 
 hence the well-known symbols "ID B," which refers to the 
 illegal trade. Men coming out of the mine have " changing 
 houses," and they are searched before leaving work. The 
 latter ordeal, I was told, was one of the grievances of the 
 white people. They say it is degrading to a white man to 
 be searched. 
 
 The Kaffirs are very good workers. I made a foreman 
 " white " admit that they were far superior to the men of 
 his own kind in every particular, and there was no trouble 
 with them. 
 
 " But you must watch them," said he. 
 
 " Did you ever see any class of workers, either white or 
 black, that did not require watching ? " 
 
 I think for the especial class of work the Kaffirs are very 
 well adapted. I saw many pretty diamonds taken from the 
 mine. One morning, soon after we had ascended in the 
 cage, at De Beer's mine, a cave or slip occurred, burying 
 three men. 
 
 An election excitement bustled the place during my 
 stay. Kimberley returns three members to the parliament 
 of the Cape. I spent the evening with a gentleman who 
 was one of the successful candidates. His wife appeared 
 to be much elated at her husband's success in being elevated 
 to the position of a representative man. 
 
 One of the most amusing features of the election was the 
 candidature of an unsuccessful champion of the " people's 
 
16 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 rights." His attempts to address the meetings were rudely- 
 stopped by showers of missiles as unsavoury as those which 
 are even yet conspicuously familiar at similar scenes in the 
 old country. Eight votes, in the long run, supported this 
 candidate, who then abruptly left the town ; so that the 
 place that knew him, knew him no more. 
 
 Now we are to leave this feverish region, where the throb 
 of labour and the nervous pulse of speculation are the signs 
 of restless vitality; where the precious gems dazzle the 
 eyes of those who in hot haste pursue the road to fortune ; 
 and where both by day and night the heavy roar of blasting 
 is heard rudely crashing above the hum of countless wheels. 
 We are on to the home of the black man ! There we will 
 find charm in novelty, and in absolute freedom from the 
 endless worship of the golden calf. 
 
 But first I must not forget that I am in search of Mr. 
 Selous. Where is the hunter to be found ? I must secure 
 my place for the journey, and in the land of the Boers will 
 soon discover what men and what news have come from the 
 teeming hunting-grounds of the " Far Interior." 
 
( 17 ) 
 
 CHAPTER. II. 
 
 THKOUGH THE NEW PROTECTORATE. 
 
 Nearing a station — Klerksdorp — Unexpected meeting with Selous — His 
 opinions of my project — The humours of Lo-bengula — The danger of 
 shooting "sea-cow" — Hunters in trouble — Gold-seeking Americans — 
 Equipping for the veldt — Kimberley again — " Cape Smoke " — Coach 
 passengers — Starting for the veldt — Uncertainty of the future — 
 Lichtenberg — Absence of hard cash — Odd trading — Jacobsdaal — 
 Zeerust — Boer troubles — Small-pox and fumigation — A hasty departure 
 — Liookana iu Bechuana-land — Kaffir taxes — Linokana attacked by the 
 Boers — Hermansberg Missionary Society — Moghose's station — ^Measures 
 for the prevention of small-pox — Excessive power of a landdrost or 
 chief magistrate — Keligious zeal of the Boers — King Secheli — Dilapi- 
 dated royalty — Hunting memories — " Camels, by Jove ! " — Khama's 
 Town — Shoshonj^ or Bamangwato — Another "Lord of Boundless 
 Dominions" — An awkward squad — Trade of Shoshong — Dread of 
 Matabeli — Giraffe hunting — War preparations — Khama's wife — Little 
 Kanyemba — A queer medicine chest — A worthless land — Irrigation 
 impossible — The Shashi river — Matabeli-land. 
 
 Vigorous blasts from the small horn carried by the driver 
 of the coach told that we were nearing a station. Our 
 coach in every way resembled the typical yankee cee-spring 
 stage of the west. As a matter of fact, it was an imported 
 article of American manufacture. The station we arrived 
 at was Klerksdorp, a small but comely town, the jolting 
 journey to which had occupied two and a-half days and 
 nights. The town, as I have remarked, is the principal 
 trading station north of the Vaal. 
 
 Seeing in large letters the name of Leask, I thought 
 that the owner must be the same who had telegraphed to 
 me at Cape Town. Mr. Leask's stores formed the largest 
 
 VOL. I. c 
 
18 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 building in the place, and he is the biggest merchant in 
 the Southern Transvaal. 
 
 A hospitable reception was given me here, and I soon 
 discovered that Mr. Leask was a countryman of mine who 
 had gone out early, and spent his younger days in elephant 
 hunting in the interior. Our conversation naturally led to 
 the question what brought me there with nothing but an 
 insignificant handbag. This I explained in a few words. 
 The journey I was about to take was a long one, and I 
 hoped to augment my baggage to some extent. I had yet 
 to fetch a few more things from Kimberley, which would be 
 done as soon as I was able to get the information I wanted, 
 and had made the necessary arrangements for progress. 
 Now I was entirely away from railways and even post-carts. 
 
 I told Mr. Leask that I thought my scheme was, in 
 theory, good ; but first of all I desired to find a gentleman 
 named Selous, whom I hoped to see among the hunters who 
 would arrive out soon. 
 
 " My dear sir," was Mr. Leask's immediate reply, " Mr. 
 Selous is in my house at this very moment. Look, there 
 are his waggons ! He arrived out last night with two 
 waggon-loads of ivory, hides and horns, and a lot of other 
 hunting trophies." 
 
 This was indeed fortunate ! The path might become 
 smoother. 
 
 When I told the great hunter and traveller of my project 
 to reach the Zambesi by a north-easterly route, as yet 
 unexplored, he courteously offered me all the information 
 which his experience suggested — an invaluable advantage 
 to me then. Mr. Selous also said that as soon as he could 
 load up his waggons with the requisite articles for trade 
 and exchange, he would again be en route for the hunting- 
 grounds which lay two months' travel to the north. 
 
HUNTERS IN TROUBLE. 19 
 
 We then and there arranged that I should take a cart 
 and six oxen, if they could be got ready in time, and 
 accompany him as far as Matabeli-land. 
 
 He thought that the chief opponent to my scheme of 
 exploration towards the far north-east of jMatabcli-land 
 would be the powerful despot Lo-bengula, the defiant ruler 
 of the country, whose name since my return to England 
 has been more than once before the public in connection 
 with the " deafening inanity " of South African politics. 
 Lo-ben, as he is familiarly called, would be suspicious if ho 
 heard of a white man wishing to go through his country 
 without asking permission to hunt for ivory or search for 
 gold. 
 
 " Then," continued Mr. Selous, " there has been a good 
 deal of trouble lately. The old man was in a very bad 
 humour when I left. Some Hottentot hunters and one or 
 two Boers had been shooting sea-cows (hippopotamus), 
 which is contrary to the stipulation or agreement made 
 by those who obtain permission to hunt. When the hunters 
 came out to the king's kraal there was great excitement 
 among the Matabeli people. Like the Zulus, they believe 
 that the spirits of their ancestors dwell in the uncouth 
 bodies of the amphibious hippo and crocodile. 
 
 "The result of the turmoil was that all the hunters 
 were called to a great trial before the king, where they 
 had to sit on the ground for whole days at a stretch while 
 the case was being heard, their position being made more 
 trying by the surroundings of a crowd of people who 
 thirsted for their blood. This craving would have been 
 satiated had it not been for the strong will of old Lo-ben. 
 As it was the hunters were insulted, scoffed and jeered at. 
 
 " The verdict was that for each offence a heavy fine was 
 demanded from every deftiulter. Some of the hunters who 
 
 c 2 
 
20 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 had not even seen a sea-cow had to pay pretty heavily for 
 the misbehaviour of their Hottentot subordinates ; for in 
 Matabeli-hxnd the master must pay for the shortcomings 
 and offences committed by his employes." 
 
 Some time previously a few Americans had asked per- 
 mission to go through Lo-ben's country, saying that they 
 did not wish to search for gold, which in truth was their 
 object. Watched by some of the young warriors, they were 
 caught jlagrante delicto and brought back before the king, 
 who summarily dispatched them out of his country to the 
 south. 
 
 I found it was by no means easy rapidly to complete an 
 equipment here. The time required for fitting out a 
 waggon and oxen would be considerable, and delay might 
 endanger the chance of reaching the Zambesi before the 
 rains set in, that was to say about October. Here Mr. 
 Selous assisted me greatly by offering a berth in his 
 waggon. 
 
 By the return coach from Pretoria I was soon back at 
 Kimberley to fetch the rifles and baggage. Here also, 
 remembering the probability of geographical notes, I cor- 
 rected the time by telegraph from the Observatory at Cape 
 Town ; Kimberley being the last point for telegraphic com- 
 munication. 
 
 Again I was upon the old coach bound for Klerksdorp. 
 Numbers of genial friends came to see me off Once 
 on the road the driver, who fancied himself considerably, 
 started off in magnificent style, he being well primed with 
 "Cape Smoke." Looking behind I could see in the 
 dwindling distance the agent, who was shouting aloud and 
 waving his arms in a most frantic fashion. We, or he, had 
 evidently forgotten something. But the driver was deaf ; 
 and even to my attentive ears the shouts soon died away as 
 
EQUIPPING FOR THE VELDT. 21 
 
 we whirled swiftly over the swelling ground, tlie ro})()rts of 
 our Jehu's whip ringing out like the sound of a live bunch 
 of crackers. 
 
 Inside the coach a strong distillery-like odour pervaded 
 the atmosphere, so that there seemed to be a danger that 
 one might become tipsy without tasting. Of course we had 
 with us the ubiquitous passenger who takes his seat with 
 the self-satisfied assurance that he has paid his fare, and 
 that he has rights which must in no case be interfered witli, 
 and therefore he resolutely smokes and drinks, while he 
 fights for the coveted half-inch of room which the restless- 
 ness of his troublesome elbow incites him to dispute. How 
 frequently do these eternal nuisances destroy the comfort 
 of the sober passenger who has fewer wants, and who begins 
 to think what an extraordinarily constituted beast man is, 
 and how wonderfully well he is adapted to doing many 
 things at a time ! 
 
 On arriving at Klerksdorp a few days had to be occupied 
 by loading the waggons with provisions and otlier neces- 
 sities, such as cloth, beads, and so forth, for the purpose of 
 exchange. 
 
 Then we were ready for the start. We had sixteen oxen 
 yoked to each waggon, about fifty sheep, dogs, " salted " 
 horses,* cows and calves. Our human supporters com- 
 prised a few black savages of different types. Among the 
 others was a Mashona boy whom Selous had brought fj-om 
 his distant mountain home, and who was destined to take 
 a prominent place in the course of my future travels. This 
 boy, named Karemba, led the oxen of one of the waggons, 
 he being adorned with a Boer hat and a coloured shirt, the 
 only evidences of civilisation he could boast of, for poor 
 
 * "Salted" horses are those which have passed through the sickness 
 which is so prevalent nortli of the Vaal river. 
 
22 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Karemba was accustomed to go naked. Mr. Selous and 
 myself completed the typical South African Caravan. 
 
 What a fervour of fascination there was in the feeling 
 that all before me was new ! Where was the journey to end ? 
 That delightful uncertainty about filling the blank page of 
 the future awakened in my mind a silent rapture that would 
 be difficult to describe. Incident and adventure must of 
 necessity arise : but here, at last, I was upon the threshold 
 of the paradise of my boyhood's day-dreams : now I was to 
 wander through the scenes of the mighty and mysterious 
 continent ! 
 
 It was on the morning of the 5th of ]\Iarch, 1884, that we 
 bade adieu to that last outpost of civilisation — Klerksdorp — 
 and bending towards to the north passed through the 
 great waving grass plains of the Northern Transvaal, 
 admiring as we went the lovely tints of their varying 
 colours. 
 
 The town of Lichtenberg, at which we soon arrived, is 
 situated at the summit of high rolling prairie country, 
 which is so characteristic of all the southern and south- 
 western portions of the Transvaal. Lichtenberg is indeed a 
 dismal-looking place. Here and there a few houses are 
 scattered as though they had been thrown from a pepper- 
 box. Close to what is called — for what reason it is difficult 
 to say — the Market Square, could be seen a square dog- 
 kennel-looking building which proved to be the Dutch 
 house of worship. Beyond that, a general merchandise 
 store and a few tumble-down houses completed the 
 township. 
 
 Grass grew high around the houses, and the market 
 square is good grazing land. The roads, with the exception 
 of the main highway, are almost hidden with grass. 
 
 The Government office is a little building about two feet 
 
MONEY ALMOST UNKNOWN. 23 
 
 by eight. It looked like a sieve, and was a picture of dirt 
 and disorder. The town has the same deserted and sorrowful 
 aspect which may he observed in most of the small country 
 towns of South Africa. 
 
 Money as a medium of exchange here is almost unknown, 
 since prosperity departed with the English at the close of 
 the war. 
 
 We visited Mr. Lane, a trader, who occupied one of tlio 
 few remaining houses which had defied the elements, 
 although as I wrote notes in my diary, a thin stream of 
 water made its way through a weak spot in the bedroom 
 ceiling. I began to think that the waggon was not at all a 
 bad place for repose, as we could sleep on piles of blankets, 
 and the tent cover was perfectly watertight. 
 
 Excessively wet weather delayed us for some days. The 
 cattle, too, strayed into the field of a Boer to whom com- 
 pensation had to be granted for damages. There was ample 
 time, therefore, to talk over the situation on the frontier ; of 
 the freebooters ; and the question of the trade route to the 
 interior which was about to be raised between the British 
 Government and the Boer Republic* 
 
 Mr. Lane told us some interesting stories of his recent 
 trading trip to Stella-land, and of the mob of freebooters, 
 some of whom had been displaying their humour in the 
 "noble art." He managed to do some trading, but the 
 returns would not be very satisfactory to a jManchester 
 merchant; for the transactions had produced a kind of 
 currency that could not be readily carried in the pocket, 
 consisting of a few cattle, and, for small change, two or three 
 chairs with raw hide seats. Hard cash could not be seen. 
 
 * Since that time the British Government has thought fit to spend 
 about a million sterling in this matter, a large portion of which has 
 gone into the pockets of the Boers, 
 
24 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 The waggons were sent on, and Selous and myself mounted 
 our horses and soon left the desolate little town of Lichten- 
 berg far behind, speeding on our way through the grassy 
 prairie, past the little town of Jacobsdaal, with its small 
 street lined with stores and the orthodox Boer church, until 
 we entered the town of Zeerust, another trading centre within 
 the Transvaal. Here we accepted the hospitalities of 
 Mr. Greite., 
 
 We heard that great discontent was felt and manifested 
 by the Boers with reference to the terms recently agreed 
 upon by the Boer Convention in England, with regard to 
 the question of the frontier line. 
 
 A number of Boers were met and some English traders. 
 With one of the latter, Mr. Thomas, who had just returned 
 from the interior, I passed a good deal of leisure time 
 in the endeavour to overcome some initial instructions in 
 the Matabeli tongue, which he very kindly agreed to 
 teach me. 
 
 Mr. Selous had an awkward piece of intelligence one day. 
 Small-pox had broken out in the town, and we would evi- 
 dently have to undergo the disagreeable operation of being 
 half-asphyxiated by the noxious fumes of sulphur, while we 
 were shut up in a small room set apart for fumigation. 
 Under these circumstances we lost no time in making a start. 
 
 Now we were nearing the borders of Bechuana-land, which 
 lately has become the apple of discord among enthusiastic 
 colonisers. Two days' journey brought us to the town of 
 Linokana, the chief of which was Ikalafing, of the tribe of 
 Bahurutsis. The town is divided into three parts. Each 
 part has a petty chief. The population is about 3,000, and 
 the language spoken is Sechuana, the same as is spoken by 
 all Bechuana tribes. 
 
 Every Kaffir holding a hut pays ten shillings annually 
 
A BOER RAID. 25 
 
 to the Transvaal government. Just after the English war, 
 in 1881, the Boers advanced upon Linokana with a force 
 about 600 strong, and demanded 5,000 head of cattle — 
 a robbery committed under the pretext that Ikalafmg 
 was building a wall round the town with a view to forti- 
 fication. This wall, which was only partially built, was 
 demolished by the Boers' command, who made the in- 
 habitants build a monument with the debris, a structure 
 which still stands, or did when I was there, to remind the 
 black man that the white man's might is the devil's rigid. 
 
 A missionary station standing here, supported by the 
 Hermansberg Missionary Society of Hanover, was super- 
 intended by Mr. Jansen, a Dane. That he had been in- 
 dustrious was clearly shown by the comfortable house he 
 had built for himself. There it was, surrounded by mag- 
 nificent specimens of the Eucalyptus, which he himself had 
 planted eighteen years before. Gardens and corn-fields 
 might also be seen. I heard little of spiritual rescues, but 
 Mr. Jansen told me he had a good many followers. 
 
 Moghose's station, which we next arrived at, is tho- 
 roughly within Bechuana-land. The Transvaal was now left 
 on the south. Chief Kamotsa rules Moghose's. He is the 
 oldest chief among the Bechuana tribes (the name of his 
 tribe is Maleti), and his station is larger than the others we 
 have passed. It may be mentioned here that King Matebi 
 used to rule all the Bechuana tribes, but now each tribe has 
 its own chief. 
 
 At Moghose's we were joined by Mr. Argent Kirton, an 
 interior trader, who intended to accompany us with his 
 waggon to Bamangwato or Shoshong. 
 
 A man who had left Zeerust on the day after our hasty 
 departure, told us that in the interval there had been seven 
 fresh cases of small-pox. All the people, white and black, 
 
26 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 who left the town had to be fumigated. The few Kaffir 
 houses in which the disease first appeared were burnt down, 
 and fumigation was applied to all the Kaffirs in the town — 
 a very trying ordeal, founded upon an exploded and ignorant 
 idea. In the Transvaal, from what I have heard, the opera- 
 tion of fumigating is unusually severe through its being 
 carelessly conducted ; so badly, indeed, that there have been 
 a number of cases of fainting, suffocation, and hemorrhage of 
 the lungs induced by the aggravating and strong fumes of 
 the sulphur. The person operated upon is kept in the 
 room for thirty minutes. I have even heard of some cases 
 of death resulting through weak-lunged persons being com- 
 pelled to inhale the sulphureous gas. 
 
 In the Transvaal, the landdrost of a town, as chief magis- 
 trate, exercises absolute power. He can sentence any one, 
 white or black, to be flogged, even without the preliminary 
 of a trial, reminding one of Jedwood justice, " hang in haste 
 and try at leisure," as Scott said. 
 
 I remember reading in an Orange Free State newspaper 
 of an Englishman, fifty years of age, receiving fifty lashes 
 for having given his drunken wife a kick, although not a 
 mark could be found on the woman. 
 
 Religious zeal is extravagantly strong in the Boer lie- 
 public, and the outward ardour of the feeling has the happy 
 effect of making travellers form golden opinions regarding 
 the devout character of the people. One traveller, espe- 
 cially — and no mean literary authority — has evidently been 
 strongly influenced by the pious atmosphere of a Boer's 
 front room, which he breathed with refreshing delight, 
 finding no doubt additional solace in draughts of Boer 
 coffee. But the drop curtain was never raised to show life 
 behind the scenes. And so the traveller when he is safe in 
 his aim-chair, beside a blazing hearth in old England, draws 
 
KING SECHELE. 27 
 
 towards him his paper, pen and ink, to malign his white 
 brother in South Africa, whom he stigmatises as being of 
 evil repute and an oppressor of the holy Boer ! 
 
 On the morning of the 21st of March we left Moghose's, 
 travelling through a flat, bushy country, abounding with 
 thorny acacias and very long grass. The sun was intensely 
 hot, and its burning rays told heavily upon the struggling 
 oxen. 
 
 When we arrived at Molepololi river — at King Sechelo's — 
 we at once visited the monarch, whom we found seated 
 under the grateful shade of a large tree directly in front of 
 his house. He was fanning off the flies with a giraffe's tail, 
 and at his left side, leaning against the back of his chair, 
 was his brass walking-stick or sceptre. On a log of wood 
 before the king sat his interpreter, and towards the left, at 
 a little distance, were a number of humble admirers, most of 
 whom were very ancient-looking fellows. 
 
 The old king greeted us with much courtesy, and went 
 as far as to show a little emotion when he saluted Kirton, 
 which he did in a most civilized manner, by pressing his 
 hand and kissing him on the left cheek. Kirton was an old 
 friend of the king's, having given him many presents, 
 hence this outburst of affection. 
 
 Sechele seemed to be a man of at least sixty-five years of 
 age, and was rather a fine-looking specimen. The hand 
 of time, however, had not left him untouched. His hair 
 was falling, and his sight becoming impaired. Civilisation 
 had exerted a sadly demoralising effect upon him, for he 
 wore spectacles, and it even appeared that he had been 
 using some hair-dye. Kirton had known him when his hair 
 was grey ; now it was of jet-like blackness. 
 
 Powder, caps, and whisky procured us the passport 
 through his country. We visited his house, and spent some 
 
28 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 time talking to him, through the medium of the interpreter, 
 a thick-lipped fellow, with an " all-over-the-place " sort of 
 countenance, who sat on his haunches when speaking ; his 
 eyes being half closed, as though there was no slight mental 
 strain in the effort of reproducing the speeches. 
 
 The king's house, inside, presented the appearance of a 
 place that at one time, in long forgotten years, had been 
 fairly furnished with all modern comforts, but now showed 
 signs of desolation in its hopeless disorder, increased through 
 want of glue and wall-paper. 
 
 The old man produced a number of rifles, which he 
 seemed anxious to trade off for other commodities. A side- 
 board in the place wore a very dilapidated appearance, and 
 was covered with a conglomeration of stuff that reminded 
 one of the window of a three-balls' establishment. Most 
 conspicuous of all were a brass basin and jug, in a condition 
 that was calculated to give a supply of verdigris sufiicient 
 to poison the whole tribe. There were also a soda-water 
 fountain out of gear, an ostrich feather or two stuck into 
 a broken-down lamp, and a variety of other ill-assorted 
 articles. 
 
 Leaving Sechele's, we trekked through the heavy beds 
 of sand which are so marked a characteristic of northern 
 Bechuana-land. Although game was far from being 
 plentiful, we managed to keep the waggons supplied with 
 meat. 
 
 This was a very happy part of the journey. From 
 morning till night we were in the saddle hunting. The 
 evenings were spent before blazing camp fires, whose light 
 and warmth gave a glow to good fellowship, easing the run 
 of pleasant converse, so as to soothe the sadness of lifeless 
 solitude. Many a thrilling tale of adventure did Selous re- 
 late on these occasions, and many a funny joke and story 
 
"CAMELS, BY JOVE /" 29 
 
 from Kirton made our laughter ring high above the crack- 
 ling of the blazing fire. 
 
 Water, which had been scarce, was plentifully found at 
 Boatlanama in wells. Antelopes of several varieties 
 abounded. It was here that I shot my first antelope — a fine 
 impala {Mpyceros Melarnpus), with a good head. 
 
 The mode of hunting was quite new to me. It was full 
 of excitement, and success was the reward only of the active 
 and agile. The game is followed at full speed on horseback, 
 and when the pursuer gets within seventy or eiglity yards 
 range — perhaps nearer — he dismounts, fires, and mounts 
 again, reloading as he advances. The holes burrowed by 
 the ground squirrels sometimes occasion heavy falls during 
 the heat of the chase. 
 
 A number of Masarwa bushmen followed our waffffons, 
 waiting for odds and ends of meat. They are a very ugly 
 type of mankind, and exceedingly short in stature, but 
 they cannot be spoken of as being dwarfs. They proved to 
 be extraordinary carriers ; for although literally staggering 
 under their loads of meat, they would walk for miles with- 
 out a moment's rest. The hut the bushman lives in is 
 hardly worthy of the name of hovel. 
 
 All of them carry small bows, and bark pouches with 
 poisoned arrows, the points of which are of bone or iron. 
 The poison is the milk of the herb euphorbia arhorescens. 
 Fire-making by rubbing together a couple of sticks — 
 everybody has described the process — is general in this and 
 other parts of this wonderful land. 
 
 One morning Selous, Kirton, and myself started off in 
 search of blue wildebeeste (CatoUepas Gorgon). We rode 
 for about an hour and saw nothing. Suddenly Selous 
 shouted, " Camels, by Jove ! " 
 
 This is the name they give to giraffes in South Africa. 
 
30 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 They evidently saw us, but they did not start oflf until we 
 were within about two hundred yards of them. Then off 
 we dashed in pursuit, over the grassy veldt, and winding 
 in and out among thorn bushes, holes, and heaps. The 
 pace was marvellous. I soon felt that it would put my 
 horse out, for he was not long in beginning to pump like a 
 high-pressure engine. But I urged him on to the utmost 
 of my power, and, dismounting, let fly both barrels of my 
 500 express without efiect. 
 
 Selous and Kirton, who were on very fine horses, kept up 
 the running; the former doing very good work with a 
 small 450 Metford. Between them they soon brought down 
 the two giraffes — two large bulls — the biggest measuring 
 sixteen feet from the top of the skull to the soles of 
 the fore-feet. They had run so far from the track of the 
 waggon that we could not utilize the meat, although it 
 would have been most acceptable, because we had a large 
 number of hungry dogs. But we cut out the tongues, 
 and also had one of the hearts, which are much esteemed. 
 
 While we were returning to the waggons we saw numbers 
 of wildebeeste, but did not give chase, as the horses were 
 tired. We found the waggons at a small vlei, called Selinia. 
 During the night-time, lions prowled about the camp, and 
 in the morning we saw the spoor. They had evidently been 
 looking out for the oxen. 
 
 For some part of our journey we were now, through a 
 scarcity of water, compelled to travel by night. 
 
 We arrived at Shoshong, Bamangwato, or Khama's Town, 
 about mid-day on the third of April, and remained there 
 for a few days, putting up at the house of Mr. James 
 Dawson, one of the most generous-hearted of traders — a 
 worthy Scot — who keeps open house for all passing tra- 
 vellers. By wandering about the place, I was enabled to 
 
KB AM A. ol 
 
 learn a good deal about the customs and ways of the 
 Bechuana people. 
 
 As some attention has of late been attracte<i to the j»la^e, 
 in speaking of the new British colony of Becbuana-land, I 
 will give a brief description of Shoshong. The town i? n< >t 
 within the protectorate. It is situated on the northern side 
 of a large open valley, close to the foothills of a black 
 basaltic range of mountains, which, as you approach fr- :>m 
 the south, have a dark and dreary look. 
 
 Khama's Town is the name by which perhaps it is ni.'St 
 familiar in England, through its having been adopted by 
 " special commissioners " and newspapers. The name c imes 
 from Khama, the ruling chief, who is a son of Sekhome. 
 Khama is a very good man, and singularly considerate to 
 the whites. Such, in fact, has always been his character. 
 He is supposed to be the king of the Bechuana pe^jple, and, 
 like most of the black monarchs, he claims and K^asts of a 
 good deal more territory than he has any actual ]:»ower 
 over. Like Theebaw, Khama, in his mind's eye, is a " Lorl 
 of Boundless Dominions," but his modesty makes him sj;>eak 
 of the Zambesi as his limit on the north-west I 
 
 The introduction of Christianity has caused a good deal 
 of disturbance among the chiefs of Shoshong, giving rise to 
 serious differences between fathers, sons, and brothers, and 
 leading to separation, and even to fighting among those 
 who had adopted the new faith and those who climg to the 
 old order of things. 
 
 I met Khama several times. He appeared to be anxious 
 to buy saddles and horses, doubtless for his cavalry regiment. 
 Fifty years would be about his age, I should say ; but he 
 wears well, and in appearance and action is a gentleman. 
 He dresses in European garb, as indeed do all the Kaffirs 
 here when they can afford to do so. Those who cannot 
 
32 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 afford the whole costume of a fully-fledged European adopt 
 as much as they can buy, no matter in what shape, so that 
 a good many ludicrous figures may be seen on all hands. 
 
 The women wear numbers of bracelets of beads and brass 
 wire ; they have necklaces also of the same description, 
 while massive anklets of blue beads sometimes extend to 
 the calf of the leg. Usually they have a sort of cloak 
 of skins, and round the waist, cloth and skins of all de- 
 scriptions. 
 
 The old women are exceedingly hideous, and have no 
 uniformity in dress. They seem to have the bulk of the 
 hard work to do; such as carrying firewood, water, and 
 the products of the field ; in fact they are inferior pack 
 animals. 
 
 No distinguishing form of head-dress is to be found 
 among the people. Their hair is worn very short — perhaps 
 as a sanitary measure, where combs and brushes are not 
 toilet articles. Sometimes they have the head shaved, 
 leaving a small patch of hair on the top, and this patch I 
 have seen adorned with very small black and blue coloured 
 beads. 
 
 There are about 3,000 people in the town. The huts are 
 scattered over a large area along the foothills. I was told 
 that in former days the town spread far out upon the plain, 
 but through the restless dread of the warlike Matabeli of 
 the north, the inhabitants have gradually huddled their 
 huts closer together, with a view to gaining greater security 
 against attack. There is a church in the place, capable of 
 accommodating a small congregation. 
 
 The white man's occupation here is wholly connected 
 with trading, of which the principal support is the trafiic 
 in skins and robes, or karosses made of skins sewn together 
 with remarkable neatness. The people are very clever at 
 
THE SEOSHONG INFANTRY. 33 
 
 their sewing, producing the finest work of the kind in 
 South Africa. I was informed that the Makalaka, a number 
 of whom live here, do all the gardening and bkicksmithing 
 work, and really are an industrious race, which cannot be 
 said of the Bechuana people, who are thoroughly lazy. 
 
 Trade had been getting very dull for three or four years, 
 and at the time of our visit was almost at a standstill. 
 
 The Matabeli, or more properly Amandebeli, under 
 Lo-bengula, have long threatened to descend upon Khama, 
 and for that reason the latter chief will not allow liis people 
 to go to the far-off hunting veldt, in proximity to the 
 Kalahari desert, where ostriches still abound. The fear is 
 that during the people's absence the invasion by the ]\Iata- 
 beli might take place ; so they stay at home, suffering 
 from the hardness of their fate, while day by day and week 
 by week they anticipate the long-threatened raid of their 
 dangerous northern neighbours. 
 
 I am sure that, when it was over, such a war would be a 
 boon to the white traders, for the continued dread in anti- 
 cipation has paralysed every business enterprise.* 
 
 The slaughter of giraffes found in this country must have 
 been very great. Within two years over a thousand hides 
 of these beautiful creatures have been shipped to the 
 colony, for the purpose of being made up into cattle whips 
 for ox-driving. It was affirmed that at that time they had 
 sufficient cattle whips to last for ten years to come. 
 
 An " old adjutant " would have been delighted to watch 
 the manoeuvres of the Shoshong infantry. I did not count 
 their numbers, but it struck me that many were armed with 
 
 * Since then I have found reason to believe firmly that Lo-bengula's 
 dreams of conquest relate to lands lying to the north of his territory. I 
 think there should be no fear whatever of his attempting any extension 
 towards the south. Some skirmishing, however, has taken place recently 
 •with Khama's forces. 
 
 VOL. I. D 
 
34 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 old-fashioned rifles, which I felt certain in the majority of 
 cases, judging from their general rusty appearance round 
 the nipples, would not go off when required. Of course it 
 must be remembered that their foes from the north were 
 armed only with assegais. 
 
 Preparations for war were carried on vigorously. The 
 infantry turned out every afternoon during our stay, but I 
 should say that at no time was there a larger muster than 
 800 or 900, although I was told that Khama could raise 
 6,000 men. I do not think Khama could arm such a 
 number. The cavalry, I was told, numbered 300, but only 
 150 had saddles. One morning, when I was taking my 
 observations for longitude, I saw a number of them upon 
 the plain in front of the town. 
 
 There was no uniform, either for cavalry or infantry. 
 All put on what rags and old clothes of Europeans they 
 could find. Under these circumstances it may be imagined 
 that the back view of a company of foot was most ridi- 
 culous ; some had shirts, while others were almost naked, 
 but they all wore a cap of buckskin, black or white, the 
 distinguishing mark of their companies. 
 
 Very peculiar was their mode of drill. A company would 
 hustle together, and huddle up one to another, all marching 
 with a sort of " mark time " motion, with very short paces. 
 As they moved they sang in rather a quaint style, not 
 altogether devoid of music. Suddenly two of the warriors 
 started off ahead of the company at a rapid prancing gait 
 and showing the bearing of defiance. After a few manoeuvres 
 of this nature the couple would return, and another file, 
 from a different company, would sally bravely forth to go 
 through similar movements. 
 
 How these warriors would bear themselves in front of a 
 formidable Matabeli impi is too difficult a question for me 
 
LEAVING SHOSHONG. 35 
 
 to decide. But I have been told that they arc frightful 
 cowards. Here again, it may be the case that contact with 
 civilisation has tended to make the people effeminate. 
 Certainly it has not improved them in appearance. 
 
 Khama has but one wife, and she previously belonged to 
 Lo-bengula, but had run away from him, I understand that 
 when inquiries were made concerning her by her deserted 
 
 Frederick Coukteney ISelous. 
 
 spouse, Khama replied that she was " fat and had plenty to 
 eat," fatness being the chief end of Kaffir ambition. 
 
 I cannot say that I regretted when the time came when 
 we were to saddle up and take leave of Shoshong, or 
 Bamangwato. Selous and myself, however, were sorry to 
 part with Argent Kirton, who had proved such a merry com- 
 panion. Now, however, he had to wend his way southwards. 
 
 D 2 
 
36 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 The waggons had started ahead of us on the previous 
 day, so we had a long ride before us. We were now about 
 to enter the country termed by the Boers the " Thirst 
 Land." 
 
 A short cut through the mountains immediately at the 
 back of the town lessened our journey considerably. Tre- 
 mendous conglomerations of rocks and boulders, of every 
 description in size and shape, composed the rugged moun- 
 tains on either side of our narrow track. These spoke of a 
 mighty volcanic upheaval, and I have rarely seen more im- 
 posing examples of some of Nature's old-world commotions. 
 
 We overtook the waggons on the north bank of the 
 Mahalapse river. The heat was excessive, and the flies were 
 out in myriads. At the waggons we found little Kanyemba, 
 Selous' slave boy, whom he had got among the tribes near 
 the Zambesi; a funny little fellow, the companion and 
 feeder of the dogs and puppies. He was lying under a 
 small blanket, trying to sleep under extraordinary dis- 
 advantages, seeing that the puppies were pulling and 
 tugging at the covering, wondering, no doubt, why their 
 playmate was so sulky, while the flies were swarming about 
 his head, the pests being worse here than I had seen them 
 in South Africa. The boy, it seems, had an attack of 
 measles. So Selous produced his medicine chest, a veritable 
 curiosity in its way. The extraordinary mixture of medi- 
 cines contained in a very small cardboard box, formed a 
 mystical arrangement which the owner alone could solve : 
 there was no elaborate labelling of bottles and boxes which 
 we have been taught to look for in every typical and 
 well-regulated medicine chest. Notwithstanding this, the 
 contents of Selous' " chest " were not less effectual, and in 
 this case the results were all that could be desired. I must 
 'say that I had a great liking for this tiny black boy ; he 
 
LOST IN THE VELDT. 37 
 
 was so good-natured, and his happy little face always wore 
 a winning smile, far from being unlovely, for lie was by no 
 means an example of the ugly type of the black race. 
 
 Inspanning immediately, we trekked through a country 
 of very monotonous appearance, passing the Tchakani vlei, 
 where Selous, in 1872, re-appeared after an absence of four 
 days, during which he had been lost in the veldt, and liad 
 neither food nor drink. The small kopjie which stands 
 beside the vlei was his beacon as he wandered about the 
 trackless and sun-parched wilderness. 
 
 Black ants were swarming as we moved along, and a 
 most offensive odour arose when they were crushed by the 
 waggon's wheels. We hunted every day, but hardly any 
 game could be seen. 
 
 Three or four hours at a time formed the spells of march- 
 ing, and not a little progress was made during the night, in 
 order to save the oxen, as the rivers all through this region 
 are almost dry. Few of them have any running water, 
 although about ten or twelve years ago they used to be 
 well-flowing streams. Now, even after the rains, there is 
 but little water. 
 
 What a strangely worthless land is this ! Everyone who 
 passes through the place must think so. There seemed to 
 be few inducements to the investing of capital in any part 
 of Bechuana-land through which I passed. This opinion 
 encourages me to remark freely that some of the later 
 travellers in these parts have been too cruel in picturing to 
 intending colonists that health, wealth, happiness, liberty, 
 equality, fraternity, peace, retrenchment, reform, and all 
 the other visionary blessings which the modern social state 
 hankers after, await them in this Edenless paradise. Why 
 should the truth be hid under the tinseled veil of eloquence ? 
 Why should this region, above all others, be described as a 
 
38 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 land luxuriant in verdure, on whose vast tracts of fertile, 
 well-watered soil the richest crops of golden fruit may rise, 
 ripening under the genial influence of a cloudless sun ? 
 
 Let the intending colonist go and look at the country, 
 and he will find with a vengeance that he has 
 
 " To force the churlish soil for scanty bread." 
 
 As a dupe of misrepresentation, he will search long for the 
 wealth, agricultural and mineral, which is scattered through 
 these regions of intense drought, and his capital will quickly 
 disappear when he, perforce, begins to fertilize the land 
 with his " lung-sick " cattle. When his money is expended, 
 those who sent him out will be deaf to remonstrances, and 
 the whole failure will be attributed to his lassitude and 
 inability to grasp a golden opportunity. 
 
 Irrigation is the magic word shouted by every enthu- 
 siastic coloniser. Like the bottle of the charlatan, it means 
 a cure for every evil. The actual significance of the word 
 is ignored. The source of supply, of necessity the principal 
 consideration in such a scheme, is never mentioned, not to 
 speak of being indicated. The water is to be dammed, but 
 there is no mention made of the class of dams, of their con- 
 struction or their probable cost. Of course irrigation can be 
 eflfected, but we must have rivers that will afford an abun- 
 dant supply of water ; then we must have suitable soil and 
 contour, not too much rooting to be done, and a land adapted 
 to ditching. 
 
 Now we find the nomadic tribes of Masarwa bushmen 
 who rove in search of the solitary duiker, cooling their 
 parched tongues by sucking through hollow reeds from the 
 brooks beneath the sands. These inhabitants, as is well 
 known, are stunted in growth, the dirt of years forms their 
 covering, the bow and its bone-tipped arrow is their weapon, 
 
A QBE AT THIRST LAND. 39 
 
 and wild grasses of the desert, thrown over bent boughs and 
 saplings, shield them from the storm. Yet they are iS^ature's 
 free men, for their land may be coveted, but it cannot be 
 inhabited, by aliens. The rivers are sluggish, and are 
 slowly but surely silting. 
 
 Remembering the long list of sicknesses to which domestic 
 animals are liable, the vast tracts of unpeopled country, 
 where the duiker and the steinbuck are the only species of 
 game that can exist (their habit being to roam far from 
 water), the scantiness of nutritious grasses, the boundless 
 stretches of worthless bush and stunted forest, the long, 
 winding belts of arid, yellow sand which mark the courses 
 of once-flowing rivers — I say that, remembering all these 
 features, there can be no doubt that they indelibly stamp 
 the country as a great thirst land, a region lost to mankind. 
 
 Soon, however, we came to a fine hunting country, where 
 giraffes abounded, also harte-beest (Alcelaphus caama) and 
 zebras (Burchell), and where flocks of guinea-fowl and 
 coveys of Namaqua partridges were seen. 
 
 Selous and myself bathed in the shallow pools of the 
 river and in small vleis of the forest. The deeper pools 
 were dangerous, on account of the crocodile. 
 
 The Shashi river was crossed on the 13th of April. It is 
 said to be the dividing line between the countries of Lo- 
 bengula and Khama, but I believe there is some ground 
 north of the river which is claimed by both sides. Practi- 
 cally, however, it is ruled by Lo-bengula. We left the 
 waggons here, and rode ahead. Now we were in Matabeli- 
 land. 
 
40 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 In Lo-bengula's Country. 
 
 The Tati Gold Fields — Dinner with the Jesuit fathers — A reckless 
 traveller — The mines and their working — First appearance of Korana 
 John — Game gradually disappearing — A disastrous flash of lightning 
 — Among the Mataheli — Symptoms of horse-sickness — Lost in the 
 veldt — A shot at a pauw — Unexpected aid — Keturn to the waggons — 
 "Lo-ben is friendly" — An escort sent — Matabeli gardens — Scene at 
 Magubuduani — Approaching Buluwayo — The "New Valhalla" — The 
 country full of fever — An improvised hospital — Poor Whitaker ! — 
 The King in his kraal — Reception by Lo-ben — The Queens of the 
 Matabeli — In the royal harem — Meeting a Yorkshireman — Interior of 
 a queen's hut — Beef and beer with a vengeance ! — " The King can do 
 no wrong " — " Go well, Son of the Sea " — Poetical expressions of the 
 Matabeli — Description of Buluwayo — Inxwala, the great dance — Royal 
 bloodshed — Matabeli morality — Selous attacked by fever — The Comte 
 de Lapanose — Farewell to Selous — Lo-ben's origin — The King ex- 
 plains the country's customs — His final permission — Description of 
 my party — A bad start — " Why, man, he's drunk ! " — Breakdown of 
 the cart — Start with waggon and oxen — Johji's penitence — Shiloh — 
 Massacre of Captain Paterson's party — An apostle of work — Inyati 
 mission station — Last outpost of the London Missionary Society — 
 Kind friends — Farewell to the last white man. 
 
 As we approached the Tati Gold Fields we encountered a 
 man who had long lived in JVEatabeli-land, but was com- 
 pelled to leave owing to the frequent attacks of fever from 
 which his family had suffered. He was a Boer and a poly- 
 gamist. His two wives, his family, and his three waggons 
 made a fairly representative Boer caravan. After partaking 
 of a sumptuous lunch cooked by one of the fraus, we con- 
 tinued our journey until we arrived at a small mud-walled 
 
A RECKLESS TRAVELLER. 41 
 
 house, with a thatched roof, in the little villaoe of Tati. It 
 was Easter Sunday, and we were welcomed by the Jesuit 
 fathers and brothers to a good dinner, the menu comprising- 
 stewed goat with sauce a la Tail, roast leg of mutton, 
 French beans and potatoes, apple and black currant kill- 
 boy tart, a finely-baked sponge cake that would rival one of 
 Gunter's ; also Cape sherry and cafe au lait. 
 
 The vegetables and Avater-melons were grown by the 
 brothers in their garden, which was then in a flourishing 
 condition after the refreshing rains. Father Prestage was 
 the chief of the station, and he informed mo that feasting 
 was far from being a common occurrence, but it was natural 
 on Easter Sunday. 
 
 A great deal of fever was here, especially down on the 
 river's banks, Tati being situated on a gentle eminence 
 rising, but at some distance, from the stream. The place 
 was then very unhealthy. 
 
 On the following day we visited Mr. Sam Edwards, who 
 had charge of the gold mines, a man well known and well 
 liked by all the hunters and travellers who have passed here 
 towards the interior. A young Canadian named Whitaker, 
 he told us, had passed through on his way to the Victoria 
 Falls of the Zambesi, with a donkey as his only companion : 
 a very precarious way to travel, because the African fever 
 attacks the strongest and reduces the most vigorous frame 
 to helpless weakness by a sudden and resistless stroke. In 
 the country which Whitaker was entering any traveller 
 would be in dire difficulties, for should he have an attack 
 and be far away from help it would be a marvel if he 
 survived. 
 
 The New Zealand mine, a little to the east of the village, 
 was the only mine in active operation. Working in the 
 others had been temporarily abandoned. The outcrop of 
 
42 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 the veins on the surface here is exceedingly rare compared 
 with other mining districts I have visited. It is therefore 
 a very expensive country for prospecting. The auriferous 
 quartz is of a rather low grade, and somewhat coloured with 
 peroxide of iron. Slate generally composes the rock of the 
 country. The gold is coated slightly with iron pyrites. 
 
 My opinion is that the process technically designated 
 pan-amalgamation would be preferable to the method which 
 the miners now follow, and would, besides, be the most pro- 
 fitable way of reducing these ores. So far prospecting has 
 merely meant that the white man has followed the work- 
 ings, or rather ground broken — it can only be spoken of as 
 broken — by the Mashona and Makalaka, and long abandoned, 
 the cruel hand of fate having driven these suffering races far 
 to the north-east of Matabeli-land. 
 
 Doubtless the small holes which appear in these ir- 
 regular fissure veins were made during the time when the 
 Mashona and Makalaka were living peacefully in this 
 country ; that was before the days of the irresistible and 
 indefatigable conqueror Umzilagazi, whose hordes became 
 the land pirates of this section of the country, making their 
 memories even in our day a trembling dread among all the 
 tribes of the adjacent lands. There was ample cause for 
 this dread, for captivity meant death, or worse than death, a 
 cruel servitude for life in the bondage of the Great Black 
 King, 
 
 Gold mining strangely infatuates those who know little 
 or nothing of the ups and downs which men have experienced 
 in life-long search for the precious metal; not only im- 
 periling their possessions but actually their lives for the 
 ignis fatuus of a rich lode. The chances are really a thou- 
 sand to one against finding a really good one. 
 
 Here in Tati, however, we get an insight into misplaced 
 
KORAN A JOHN. 43 
 
 ambition, and a painful exemplification of absolute igno- 
 rance on the part of the principals. A gentleman whom 
 I have mentioned before gets the credit of being the 
 Quixotic adventurer who hazards his ducats, and who sent 
 up the machinery for a small mill. We saw the parts of 
 the steam-engine and the mortar-block lying promiscuously 
 around the somewhat odd-looking waggons which had been 
 sent out from England. The accumulation was the " head- 
 quarters " of the mining party, but not the faintest idea 
 existed as to where the mine was to be found for which the 
 mill would work. 
 
 At Tati we met a Korana elephant-hunter who had served 
 his apprenticeship with Mr. Selous ; the latter very kindly 
 made all arrangements with the man to accompany me on 
 my projected journey. The Korana went by the name of 
 John Selous, which reminds me that among the Hottentots 
 there is a singular liking for the name John. My new 
 henchman presented all the peculiar characteristics of the 
 Hottentot in his outward appearance. 
 
 We stayed only two days at Tati, being anxious to push 
 on with all possible speed to Buluwayo, the chief town of 
 Matabeli-land. The town was still ten days' travel to the 
 north, and there I would have to make all arrangements 
 about my future route. At Buluwayo I was to part from 
 my good friend Selous. 
 
 Our track carried us through thick mopani bush and 
 forest. Portions of the road had been badly cut up by 
 recent rains, so that the waggon pitched and tossed like a 
 ship in a short sea. 
 
 After a gradual ascent we reached a point 3,340 feet 
 above the sea-level. Then we trekked downwards into the 
 valley of the Inkwezi river, and crossing the waters camped 
 on the other side. 
 
44 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 While here I scoured the country for miles in search of 
 game, but without any luck, although in bygone days 
 there used to be abundance of sport found in these parts. 
 That was before the war of extermination had been fairly 
 started. Now, through the common property of gunpowder 
 and the familiarity of arms to the natives, this region has 
 been laid waste. You may travel not only for miles but 
 for days in the veldt without seeing a living thing, save a 
 few birds and, perhaps, a duiker. By no means a long time 
 ago the shrill trumpeting of the elephant might be heard 
 echoing among the kopjies which bank the river on the 
 north ; hundreds of giraffes browsed and found shelter in 
 the luxuriant mopani forests ; in short, almost every species 
 of wild animal to be found in South Africa was common 
 among the now silent groves which fringe the Inkwezi. 
 
 The native hunters, with their rude-looking arms, have 
 been the exterminators. The finely-finished, specially-made 
 rifles of the keen white sportsman have done little harm 
 among the big game, compared to the havoc made by these 
 imperfect-looking weapons, with their clumsy stocks covered 
 with hide, and altogether resembling a gas-pipe with a 
 frozen clod of earth at one end. 
 
 The utter want of animal life was inexpressibly sad. 
 No one could help being impressed with the solemn lone- 
 liness of the surroundings on the banks of the Inkwezi, 
 especially if they stood as I did at sunset and looked up 
 at the reddish-coloured rocky prominences of the rude 
 kopjies protruding boldly from their thorny bush cover- 
 ings and flaunting the sunshine. Austere and immovable, 
 they stood out stern in their original form, overlooking 
 the vast, lone forests, soundless, without a murmur to 
 break the stillness which reigned supreme through an 
 empire of solitude and desolation. 
 
A DEADLY FLASH OF LIGHTNING. 45 
 
 At this place some years ago, when my friend had made 
 camp, and was just inspanning for a start, a flash of 
 lightning instantly killed fourteen oxen which were 
 standing a short distance from his waggon under the shelter 
 of a tree. He had been taking them down for a friend. 
 The Kaffirs would not touch the beasts, as they thought the 
 disaster was a special dispensation of some witcli. j\[r. 
 Selous, however, cut the tongues out and took them with 
 him as provisions. During the night, tlie dogs ate them 
 all, and the superstitious Kaffirs doubtless thouglit tlie 
 same witch had determined that no part of the cattle 
 should become human food. 
 
 Early in the morning Selous left our camp on the 
 Inkwezi river on horseback, bound for Buluwayo, the 
 king's kraal, in order to tell Lo-ben of the arrival of his 
 waggons, and also to state that he was bringing another 
 white man. 
 
 This was a very interesting part of the journey. We were 
 now nearing the villages of the warlike Matabeli, and every 
 day's progress became full of incident. 
 
 I have said that the recent rains had made the roads 
 remarkably heavy, so that pulling the waggons was tre- 
 mendously hard upon the oxen when crossing the Makhobe 
 hills, where they sank almost to their bellies in the black 
 and treacherous mud, the wheels being up to the naves. 
 The old waggon groaned and creaked again grandly in the 
 struggle, and at one time we nearly broke our dissel boom, 
 which, for the benefit of the uninitiated, I may explain 
 means the pole of the waggon. 
 
 Numbers of Matabeli warriors, with assegais and shields, 
 passed us. They seemed to be a very good-natured lot of folk. 
 
 The country was of granitic formation, with white quartz 
 cropping out here and there. 
 
46 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Passing on to the banks of the Mangue river we came 
 to the house of a Boer — an old hunter who has permission 
 from the king to live here. His wife was a victim to fever. 
 I had sundry articles from my friend to deliver to him, and 
 noticed with some interest the careful eye he kept upon 
 the balance-scales as I weighed out his quantity of dried 
 peaches* from America, and sugar — veritable luxuries in 
 this country. The old Boer was a smart man of business in 
 this particular. He told me that Lo-ben was in a bad 
 humour, and had been blotting out a few lives lately. 
 
 Our animals all looked very well on the night of the 
 20th of April ; but on the following day the yellow horse, as 
 I termed him, fell very ill, and during the night died. He 
 was a very good little beast, but had not had the sickness, 
 in other words was not " salted." 
 
 I watched the symptoms carefully, but was at a loss to 
 know what to do for him. This sickness seems to me to 
 be a regular fever, with quick and violent pulsation. The 
 nostrils are dilated, and there is evident pain in breathing. 
 A copious discharge of a very yellow fluid comes from the 
 nose, and, after death, a large amount of foam — likewise 
 yellow — is blown from the nostrils and mouth. 
 
 By this time the weather had greatly changed. Usually 
 I wore nothing but a shirt and light corduroy trousers, but 
 now a coat and waistcoat were not out of place, and far from 
 being too warm. We were getting high in elevation, the 
 camp then being 3,850 feet above the sea. 
 
 A few mornings after this, according to my usual habit, 
 I started out on horseback, leaving the waggons trekking 
 in a north-easterly direction. My intention was to cross 
 their spoor later in the day, as when I killed game I could 
 
 * The water in which the peaches are stewed is considered a valuable 
 medicine in fever cases. 
 
LOST ! 47 
 
 carry a portion of it on horseback to the camp. I had given 
 chase to some antelope, but after going a long way I looked 
 at my watch and found that I had been three hours in 
 the chase. 
 
 Turning abruptly round, I made off in what I thought 
 was the right direction to come up to the waggons. After 
 galloping hard for some time I came to the conclusion, not 
 having discovered the waggons' spoor, that I must have 
 inadvertently crossed the track, so I started upon a new 
 quest in a more southerly direction, keeping up a good 
 pace, as I knew the waggons would now be far away ahead, 
 and the boys would be out all over the country after me. 
 
 There was no doubt that I was properly lost. I would 
 at once have to shoot something for that night's supper. 
 Wandering for a time, I saw, about 200 yards off, a very 
 large pauw, which is a big grey bird, larger than a good- 
 sized turkey. I immediately jumped off my horse and 
 tied him to a tree. There was a very bad place to cross 
 before I could get to the bird, so I fired at 200 yards, 
 and was fortunate in hitting it fairly on the breast. The 
 bullet expanded, and glanced off instead of piercing : so 
 much for the boasted hollow bullets ; although it is right 
 to say that mine were hollowed too much. 
 
 I started after the pauw at my top speed, for in spite of 
 the shot, it was making good tracks, and I contemplated 
 making my supper off him. As I advanced I was astounded 
 to see suddenly a young Matabeli running alongside of me. 
 It seemed as if he had sprung out of the grass. With his 
 knobkerry he soon despatched the bird. 
 
 The young warrior's unexpected appearance was a surprise 
 as pleasant as it was mysterious. I was delighted to see 
 him. Now I would again find the spoor, and anticipations 
 of a feast on raw fowl — I had no matches — were dispelled. 
 
48 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Knowing only a few words of Zulu, I used them to the best 
 advantage, by trying to explain that I wished to find the 
 waggons' spoor, I mounted my horse and followed the 
 young warrior. He led me straight to his kraal, where I 
 dismounted, and approached a group of old men sitting 
 under the trees. They gazed at me with the utmost 
 astonishment. After an interview during which I en- 
 deavoured to make myself understood by signs, words 
 being exceedingly scarce, I offered my pocket-knife as an 
 inducement to the head man to send one of his young men 
 with me. 
 
 He agreed, and sent the young savage whom he seemed 
 to own body and bones. The youth was remarkably cute, 
 for after we had proceeded a little distance he feigned 
 ignorance as to where I wished to go, and kept pointing to 
 the long pauw feathers. I wanted to explain to him that he 
 might have them all if he would only show the road, and 
 at length I gave him them, much to his delight. 
 
 A very fine specimen of muscular humanity was this 
 youth. In his right hand he carried a sort of battle-axe, 
 and in his left hand some assegais and sticks. 
 
 At last we alighted upon the waggons' spoor. I then could 
 see how far I had diverged from the right direction, for 
 close to us was the large fig-tree under which we had 
 camped on the previous night. The camp fires were still 
 smouldering. 
 
 Of course I duly gave up the knife in payment for his 
 services. I was glad enough to be once more upon the 
 waggons' spoor, and after some hours' riding, late in the 
 afternoon, I came up with them, just in time to prevent a 
 general hunt being made for me. One boy had already 
 started off in the search, but Jim, a Hottentot, saddled up, 
 and went after him like the wind. 
 
LO- BEN'S EMISSARY. 49 
 
 A messenger, sent by King Lo-bengula, now arrived 
 from Selous. The object of his mission was to escort us 
 past numerous Matabeli maize-fields and villages which 
 now lay on our line of march to Buluwayo, the king's 
 town. 
 
 The messenger handed me a letter from Selous, which was 
 very welcome, because I was extremely anxious to hear some- 
 thing about the frame of mind of the monarch. Selous 
 said, "Lo-ben is friendly, and prospect fair for your getting 
 permission to go through his country." 
 
 Lo-ben's emissary was an immensely big fellow, and a 
 good type of the young and stalwart Matabeli warrior, 
 looking as though his life had been passed in a thriving 
 land of plenty. His head-dress consisted of ostrich feathers 
 cut short, and trimmed so as to form a large rosette, through 
 which a long black feather was stuck. He carried a black 
 ox-hide shield, interlaced with white thongs : he had three 
 assegais and a knobkerry. 
 
 A Matabeli garden was close to us on the top of the 
 hill ; properly speaking, it was a patch of land under culti- 
 vation, for all the fields of corn in this country are, by 
 the white man, called gardens. The garden, which was 
 named " Mavuba," overlooked an immense valley, partly 
 covered with trees, through which the road passed. I had 
 a hurried meal, cooked by Sebina, the black girl, who had 
 accompanied us all the way. Crowds of Matabeli people 
 came to look at us, and some of them pounced with wonder- 
 ful avidity at the remaining feathers of the pauw, which 
 were long and pretty, being of a greyish colour, crossed 
 here and there with white. They prize these feathers very 
 highly as ornaments for their heads, and any one would 
 admit that the decoration is remarkably becoming to the 
 wild-looking, black sons of Nature. 
 
 VOL. I. E 
 
50 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Getting under weigh, and crossing the long valley, we 
 soon ascended the southern slopes of the great granite 
 mountains which form the division between the waters flow- 
 ing to the Limpopo and Sabia rivers, and to the Zambesi. 
 We came to a large kraal situated in the open, and 
 having a background of jagged rocks. The place is called 
 Magu-buduani. Here we stopped, and were soon sur- 
 rounded by swarms of men, women and children, to whom 
 our arrival was a cause of much curiosity. 
 
 Then began a bustling, chattering tumult. The flurried 
 throng of men, women and children, forming an excited 
 circle of naked humanity, pressed closely around us with 
 their marketable produce, including Kaffir corn and meal, 
 hemp, pumpkins, sweet reed, and so forth. For some small 
 strips of cotton cloth — limbo it is called by the traders — 
 we bought some potatoes and other articles. One cotton 
 blanket was given for a goat, a transaction which occa- 
 sioned a good deal of bargaining. The noise was tremen- 
 dous ; what with husbands and wives quarrelling about the 
 amount of cloth they were to receive, girls chattering and 
 holding out their hands for beads, and other uproar, it 
 was impossible for any one to hear himself speak. 
 
 The whole scene was highly amusing. The fun of the 
 fair was noisy, but nearly all the people seemed to be 
 beaming with good-humour. All were well fed and happy. 
 One woman was really pretty, with teeth as white as the 
 proverbial pearl. She was full of sprightliness, and begged 
 most persistently for white calico ("ilimbo elimhlopi") 
 and beads. A small piece of white calico gave her lively 
 satisfaction. 
 
 " I praise you " (Ngi ya bonga), she shouted, as she went 
 on her way rejoicing. 
 
 Soon we left this lively fair. It was nearly dark, and 
 
THE "NEW VALHALLA." 51 
 
 we camped in the forest beyond. We were now upon the 
 great plateau of Matabeli-land. 
 
 During the next two days' journey we passed the villages 
 of Inthlathlangela and Umganen — the latter a favourite 
 village of the king — between which were interspersed 
 rich fields of waving maize. This was a thickly-inhabited 
 district, for we were now approaching Buluwayo, the town 
 of the great black king, Lo-bengula, the most powerful 
 monarch in South Africa.* 
 
 My curiosity was greatly excited as we neared the domi- 
 cile of Lo-ben, who had so much power either to aid or 
 thwart my effort. His subjects, masculine and feminine, of 
 all ages and conditions, flocked around the waggon in 
 scores, bringing tobacco and many other commodities 
 likely to be wanted in exchange for the coveted cloth and 
 beads. 
 
 They escorted us until we reached the " New Valhalla," 
 
 the name humorously given to the house of Mr. George 
 
 Fairbairn, a Scottish gentleman who trades in ivory, close 
 
 to the king's kraal, on the southern banks of the Umkhosi 
 
 ' river. A hearty welcome was given me here. 
 
 The country at the time was full of fever, and Fairbairn's 
 house was temporarily an hospital. Several deaths had 
 occurred in the immediate neighbourhood on the mission 
 station, one who succumbed being Mr. Thomas, who was 
 among the first of the white men who came to this country, 
 and who had established a small mission station of his own, 
 named Shiloh. 
 
 On my arrival I made inquiries concerning the progress 
 of Whitaker, the young and adventurous Canadian, of 
 
 * Buluwayo means " the one that is slain." Gubuluwayo is sometimes 
 used, the prefix Gu or Go, signifying at, to, or from. Bengula, the name 
 of the king, means " defender," the prefix Lo signifying the. 
 
 E 2 
 
52 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 whom we heard at the Tati gold fields as having been 
 making his way towards the Zambesi. 
 
 " Ah ! " said Fairbairn, " we buried poor Whitaker at 
 Hope Fountain Mission Station a few days ago. He was 
 very reluctant to take the medicines we offered him." 
 
 Fairbairn's abode was very full ; but there seemed to be 
 always room for one more. Of course in this country beds are 
 unknown articles of furniture ; cane mats being the familiar 
 couches for the luxury of repose. Thanks, however, to the 
 generous warmth of hospitality, we were soon comfortably 
 housed, although I must admit that it was with regretful 
 reluctance that I left the waggon, in which I had spent so 
 many pleasant weeks, even for the better accommodation 
 afforded by a house. 
 
 Fairbairn, Selous, and myself went up to see old King Lo- 
 bengula. I was very eager to know in what sort of humour 
 
 was the old gentleman. A missionary, Mr. S , who had 
 
 had a quarter of a century of Christian effort in Matabeli- 
 land, and was able to know the character of the people, had, 
 when we met him in full retreat in Bechuanaland, given 
 a dreadful account of the condition of affairs, saying that it 
 was impossible to live in Matabeli-land since the difficulty 
 about the hippo killing. The poor missionary's beard 
 had been pulled, and he had to suffer other indignities 
 which as an apostle of divinity he could not brook. But 
 what special exemption could he expect ? Many observers 
 note that after five-and-twenty years of missionary labour 
 there are no converts to the faith of our fathers. After so 
 long a period of profitless contention with a people who are 
 both deaf and blind to persuasion, it could hardly be ex- 
 pected that Mr. S would find more sympathetic treat- 
 ment than other whites. 
 
 Fairbairn informed me that with the payment of all the 
 
IT IS VERY FAR AWAY." 53 
 
 fines the troubles about the sea-cow row, to which I have 
 referred, had vanished, and that now the old man was in a 
 very good humour. 
 
 When we entered the king's kraal I could see him 
 seated under his roof porch. A few of his people were 
 around. All of us shook hands with him, and were 
 received with more courtesy than might be expected 
 from a savage king. We sat on the ground beside him, 
 and his prettiest slave girls brought in beer. Kneeling 
 before us they would drink first, and then hand the liquor 
 to us. 
 
 Lo-ben seemed very friendly, and evidently had quite 
 forgotten the troublesome episode of the shooting of the sea- 
 cow. When Selous asked permission to enter tlie hunting 
 veldt, the monarch granted his request with a smile, 
 remarking, " Selous is a young lion." 
 
 Looking at me, he then asked what I was about to do. 
 On being told that I was anxious to go through his country, 
 and subsequently through unexplored Mashona-land, to the 
 Zambesi, he simply remarked, " It is very far away." 
 
 A crowd of endunas began to assemble, and as it was 
 clear that a " big talk " was about to ensue, we departed 
 without making a further attempt to gain the desired per- 
 mission. Walking to the back of the house we saw numbers 
 of hive-shaped huts, the homes of the queens, the housing 
 of the royal harem. 
 
 Here was a novel scene ! Upon grass mats in front of the 
 huts singly, or in bevies here and there, the queens of the 
 Matabeli reclined gracefully and with careless ease, basking 
 their rather embonpoint, but yet symmetrical frames like 
 glossy seals lolling in the warmth of the sun. A strange but 
 not unpleasant odour filled the air, for these queens are in 
 the habit of scenting themselves with a perfume made from 
 
54 THE FAR INTERIOB. 
 
 wild flowers and herbs rolled into balls about the size of 
 small apples. 
 
 The picturesqueness of the figure-grouping, however, was 
 somewhat marred by the occupation of some of the royal 
 ladies, who were imbibing copious quantities of beer, and 
 eating largely of meat. Yet they were a happy-looking com- 
 pany, beaming with good-nature, and all running to port- 
 liness, which evidently increased with years. We sat down 
 and drank beer with some of them. They asked Fair- 
 bairn numerous questions about me, and with feminine 
 curiosity seemed particularly anxious to know where my 
 wives were, if I had any, and if so how many ? One in a 
 jesting humour called to some slave girls who passed, and 
 turning to me said : 
 
 " Now choose a wife from among these ; which shall it 
 be?" 
 
 Fairbaim was well acquainted with all the queens. He 
 seemed to have entree into every part of the kraal. It is a 
 very unusual privilege to be allowed to walk through the 
 harem. Slaves of both sexes and of all ages and sizes were 
 moving to and fro among the huts. 
 
 A new house was being erected for His Majesty, the 
 material being bricks, and the builder an old British tar, 
 a Yorkshireman named Johnny, who years before, while 
 cruising on the east coast, had suddenly left his ship of his 
 own accord, and found his way to the happier and freer 
 atmosphere of the far interior. Johnny was a genial soul, 
 and a very funny old boy. There he stood slinging mud 
 like a Thames dredger, and yet in feeling as free and inde- 
 pendent as an American senator. He has built the only 
 houses that are worthy the name in Matabeli-land. 
 
 Many of the Matabeli queens were peeping in at the 
 windows of the partially-finished house, and evidently made 
 
INTERIOR OF A QUEEN'S HUT. 55 
 
 a good deal of fun of Johnny, who would turn round every 
 now and then and give them the contents of his trowel. 
 
 I was astonished to see the interior of a queen's hut, which 
 had a cleanly black polished floor, and everything arranged 
 in the tidiest manner. Floors are composed of ant-heap, 
 ox-blood, and cow-dung, which when set becomes very hard. 
 The occupant of this hut showed me how the floor was 
 polished, by means of a fine smooth, round pebble, which, 
 held in both hands, was rubbed along the surface, the 
 operator spitting every now and then to supply the neces- 
 sary moisture. There was a rack on one side of the hut on 
 which were placed numerous baskets and all sorts of little 
 tricks, while against the walls, neatly folded up, were the 
 cane mats on which the dwellers slept. 
 
 A queen's mark of distinction is unique. All of them 
 shave their heads and wear at the top, and well at the 
 back, a small inverted cup of about one and a-half inches in 
 diameter made of red beads. Bound their waists they wear 
 kilts of black ox-hide, falling to the knees. 
 
 The kraal was full of slaves who had been caught during 
 war, and brought to the king by his fighting men. 
 
 Some days elapsed before we again visited Lo-ben, so 
 that we had ample time to think over the plans which 
 might be successfully adopted in approaching him with my 
 request. The most feasible seemed to be to present him 
 with a very elaborate silver-mounted sword-knife, and a fine 
 bull. 
 
 The day arrived when we should visit the king. We had 
 heard that he was suffering from gout, doubtless through 
 over-indulgence in native beer. He would soon leave for 
 one of his other towns, so Fairbairn and myself again 
 approached, and found him encircled by a multitude of 
 endunas. Preferring to await a favourable opportunity for 
 
56 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 our request, we sat down beside the monarch. Patience, 
 however, entailed great personal inconvenience. For four 
 weary hours we sat drinking beer and trying to devour great 
 chunks of beef handed to us upon the royal fork of His 
 Majesty ; who, while attending to the orations of his people, 
 was busily engaged in gorging himself with a mass of meat 
 which he held on a fork in his left hand, while with an 
 enormous carving-knife he fanned off the swarming flies. 
 Every now and then Fairbairn took a sly look at me to 
 see what my powers of reception were in the beef-eating 
 line. 
 
 Little slave boys, who had only recently been captured, 
 and were nothing but skin and bone, crouched up beside 
 us, and were glad to accept either morsels of beef or drops 
 of beer that we did not want. Gladly enough would I 
 have given them the whole lot ; but I was well aware that 
 the better I proved a capacity for eating and drinking, 
 the more would savage appreciation smile upon me and 
 favour my designs. The reader, therefore, may be assured 
 that I tried to be sufficiently omnivorous. 
 
 Evidently a case of no slight importance was being heard 
 by Lo-ben. All eyes were riveted upon him, and the 
 facial expressions showed how eager every hearer was to 
 catch even an echo of the weighty words which fell from the 
 monarch's mouth. Occasionally, as he conversed with the 
 assembled endunas, Lo-ben would utter some transcendent 
 expression of infallible wisdom, which when given forth 
 would get many responsive ejaculations of acquiescence and 
 sympathy. 
 
 " Yebo, yebo, Kumalo ! " cried the audience. " Ye, hay, 
 hay ! " * 
 
 * Yebo means yes. Kumalo is a courtesy title for the royal family. 
 The other exclamations indicate ajiproval. 
 
LO-BENGULA. 57 
 
 An oppressive subjection was evident among the crowd. 
 They sat willing, should the potentate so ordain, and 
 without a word of remonstrance, to see their own brothers 
 die the death, for here could be found the most vivid illus- 
 tration of the axiom, the " King can do no wrong." It was 
 strangely noticeable that all who passed the circle of 
 royalty had to cower to the earth, crouching as though they 
 were about to collapse altogether. 
 
 Sunset was approaching, and as everyone, excepting 
 those immediately connected with the royal household, 
 were bound to be outside by that time, I was beginning 
 to fear a further delay ; but luckily the crowd dispersed, 
 and as the king seemed to be in good-humour, Fairbairn 
 deftly put to him the momentous question. A frank 
 permission was the response ; I was to be allowed to 
 travel freely through the country. After this I presented 
 Lo-ben the sword-knife, giving him at the same time the 
 promise of a fine bull, for the purchase of which I had 
 already negotiated. 
 
 " You may go through my country," he said, " but it is 
 very far to the Zambesi." 
 
 I thanked him, and bade him good-bye. 
 
 " Go well, son of the sea," was his reply. 
 
 I thought this parting benediction of old Lo-ben was far 
 from being devoid of poetry ; but strangely enough I soon 
 had other examples of the exaltation in this respect which 
 assuredly characterises this remarkable people. 
 
 As I walked along with Fairbairn the far-off western sky 
 blazed resplendently across the heavens its fiery farewell. 
 The reflected glow of its light gave a crimson richness to 
 the dome-topped huts of the royal kraal, and gleamed softly 
 through the jagged spaces of the primitive citadel. The 
 departing sun told that it was time for us to take our leave, 
 
58 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 and make our way to the outer side of the encircling fence 
 before the " young men " would let the saplings fall so as 
 to unite the two horns of the fortress, and make an endless 
 line around the home of the monarch. 
 
 We had almost reached the wide portals of the enclosure, 
 when suddenly stentorian shouts rent the air, making us 
 pause in our progress. The shouts proceeded from a young 
 warrior who stood in an attitude which reminded one of 
 Ajax defying the lightning, looking a gladiatorial figure 
 shining red in the evening light. 
 
 " Inkosa miama ! " (black king) he exclaimed ; and then 
 continued to shout the following praises, which for con- 
 venience I will write in English, with the native equivalent. 
 
 " Calf of a black cow ! " (InJconiama inkomo !) 
 
 " Man-eater ! " (Ihlama doda !) 
 
 "Lion!" {Siluana!) 
 
 " Thou art as great as the world ! " (Uena Ngaga gelizwe !) 
 
 " Thou who appeared when people spoke confusedly ! " * 
 ( Uvela he vungasa !) 
 
 " Star that shot through the firmament in the day of 
 Zuangandaba ! " {Inkanyezi e ya tjega emini gwa Zuan- 
 gandaha ! f) 
 
 " Thou art in the plains ! " % (Uso hala !) 
 
 " Black mystery ! " (Indaha emniama !) 
 
 " Thou who pierceth the sky that is above ! " (Ihlahe 
 Zulu elipezvlu /) 
 
 " Calf of the terrible ! " (InJconiama gesilo !) 
 
 " The Letter Destroyer ! " ( Usa pula ngwalo l)\ 
 
 * In times of anarchy. 
 
 t Zuangandaba was the chief town of Lo-ben's enemies in the time of 
 the civil war, and he conquered it. 
 
 X He did not hide. 
 
 § The word ngwalo has reference to a correspondence of Lo-ben and his 
 endunas with Sir T. Shepstone respecting Kuruman, the rightful heir. 
 
VULGAR BEER! 59 
 
 " He crossed the great desert ! " ( Wa ddbula Ihalihali I) 
 
 " The black duck of Umzilagazi ! " (Itata elimniama 
 eliga Umzilagazil) 
 
 " The black calf of Buluwayo ! " {Itoli elimniama la gica 
 Buluwayo !) 
 
 Such were the pseans sung lustily at the gate. Fairbairn 
 and myself waited a little to listen ; but getting tired of the 
 endless shouts we pushed on homewards, the vehemence of 
 the sound lessening and dying as we proceeded. 
 
 At the time, when I heard the interpretation of the sen- 
 tences, I could not help thinking how barbarously delight- 
 ful was the poetry of this warlike race ! Their songs in 
 laudation of their king were disinterested songs of praise. 
 Perhaps a new Utopia was here, in which love was true 
 and loyalty unselfish. I was particularly told that the 
 people would come great distances to sing the praises of 
 Lo-ben. 
 
 Was there any ulterior motive ? The truly disinterested 
 man cannot be found among us whites ; was devotion so 
 true an attribute of the blacks, and flattery at last 
 sincere ? 
 
 I asked Fairbairn about the matter. 
 
 " Oh," was his reply, " the old man gives them uxuala ! " 
 
 Bah ! that was it. The poetry was gone. Vulgar beer ! 
 Not a spark of the divinity of poetry ! Henceforth I would 
 not believe in exceptional blacks, but would regard them 
 as ordinary mortals, as plain, practical men, with common 
 cravings and with modes of gratifying them similar to those 
 of the human family generally. 
 
 Eeturning to the " New Valhalla " we had a good supper 
 on sheep's head and trotters, which I enjoyed all the more 
 seeing that my mind was relieved from all doubts and fears 
 regarding the obstructions which, with good reason, had 
 
60 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 been prophesied to occur here, but were dispelled through 
 the courteous sanction and friendly demeanour of the much- 
 dreaded Lo-bengula. 
 
 The kraal or town of Buluwayo is situated on the outer 
 side of a great elliptic enclosure of about half a mile in 
 length, which is entirely occupied by royalty, its adherents 
 and belongings. 
 
 Once a year in this immense enclosure a great dance — 
 Inxwala — takes place. It is a national event, and is con- 
 sidered the first and most martial sight in South Africa. 
 The king stands in the centre of his 6,000 warriors, who are 
 bedecked with ostrich-feather capes and otter-skin turbans, 
 their arms being the assegai and the shield. Various war- 
 like evolutions are gone through, such as darting their 
 glistening weapons swift through the air, as all the warriors 
 join, and together tap their shields with rhythmic beat, 
 shouting and singing the while the song of the assegai and 
 the praises of the great black king. 
 
 " Come and see at Majobana's ; come and see 1 
 Here is the display, display of the assegai ! 
 Come and see at Majobana's ; come and see !" 
 
 Then stamping one foot, and pointing the assegai towards 
 the heavens, they exclaim in chorus, "Sh — shu — shu," 
 which literally means, " We stamp out — we will conquer ! " 
 This they never tire of repeating. 
 
 I was told that year after year the number of warriors at 
 this dance is diminishing. Opposing factions have assumed 
 or are assuming proportions which forebode a troublesome 
 future in the reign of the present king.* The scions or 
 
 * Lately I have heard from Matabeli-land that much strife and 
 bloodshed have occurred. In April 1885 the king sent an impi to 
 Lake Ngami, in the west of his country, in reality for the purpose 
 of acquiring a large stock of cattle, the lung-sickness of late years 
 
MASSACRES. 61 
 
 connections of royalty are not permitted to have very large 
 kraals. Their conduct is often a source of danger. Three 
 months previously to our visit, Lo-ben put to death his 
 uncle, Usikuana, and all his kraal, comprising about forty 
 people, a doom which was brought on through the uncle 
 exercising privileges which were only permitted in the 
 royal circle to the king himself. 
 
 Another massacre, which was found to be in order, re- 
 sulted in the merciless annihilation of a number of families. 
 On the death of XJmzilagazi, the father of Lo-ben, the body 
 was buried with all the deceased's effects. His wao-o-ons 
 and everything he had possessed were thrown into a cave 
 called Ntumbani, which is the name for the grave of a 
 king.* Near to this last resting-place of royalty a kraal 
 was erected, and the inhabitants were told to watch the 
 sepulchre that it might not be disturbed. But on burning 
 the high grass to clear the ground for harvest, an evil wind 
 arose, turning the relentless flames towards the grave of 
 the old conqueror, until it was licked clean of everything, 
 
 having thinned the Matabeli herds. The army returned in August, but 
 not triumphant. Many lives had been lost, but not a single head of cattle 
 was brought to the expectant king, who was very angry, and accused the 
 warriors of cowardice and also of robbing and burning a white man's 
 house, a crime which was committed against his strict injunctions. Tliis 
 shows the justness of the dealings of Lo-ben in relation to the white 
 man; for he decreed that for this particular breach of discipline the 
 endunas should pay the full loss, in cattle. My informant also said that 
 on the day previous to that on which he wrote, a fight had occurred 
 between the Imbezu and the people of another town about the ownership 
 of a boy. Before the combatants could be separated about twenty were 
 killed and a lot wounded, " So," says the writer, " this shows you what 
 a bloodthirsty lot we live among." 
 
 * The word Ntumbani literally means small mountain or hill. The 
 people are so superstitious that they dare not speak of the death or grave 
 of a departed potentate. Hence the indication of the sepulchre is included 
 in the name Ntumbani. 
 
62 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 the ironwork alone remaining to tell the tale of destruction. 
 For such neglect there could be but one punishment. So 
 at early dawn the executioners fell upon the unfortunate 
 watchers, closing their earthly career, and sending their 
 spirits to the crocodile and the hippo. Dogs and all were 
 slain. 
 
 The morals of the Matabeli, from a British standpoint 
 (which would take a Lord Chancellor to expound, and an 
 archbishop, at least, to exemplify), are unquestionably in the 
 lower scale. But in this respect they are far from being 
 beneath other types of the African races. Polygamy is a 
 recognised custom amongst them. Wives, in fact, mean 
 wealth : their number is a sign of greatness in the husband. 
 I would say that there is no immorality, for the knowledge 
 of sensual vice has no dwelling in the really savage mind. 
 His natural passions are not stimulated by subtle charms. 
 He is not a hlase creature, but a simple son of nature, free 
 and strong in the robustness of his manhood. There is no 
 socialism, for various grades exist, as they do in other 
 countries; but the king's license is regulated so that his 
 subjects are not compelled to be vicious instead of natural. 
 
 Fever was very prevalent in the country. The missionaries 
 were suffering greatly ; and, much to my sorrow, my friend 
 Selous was brought down by a very bad attack. 
 
 We heard repeatedly the dismal moans of the black people 
 when in the early morning they bewailed for their dead 
 friends as they Avent forth to bury them. 
 
 Selous' attacks were frequent, and very severe. It is 
 wonderful with what rapidity a strong, tough man can be 
 reduced to a state of childlike weakness. Pluck is most 
 important in battling against this strange malady. Any 
 one who has the slightest fear is almost sure to succumb. 
 But my friend was not troubled with the latter feeling, for 
 
M. COMTE DE LAPANOSE. 63 
 
 while exploring in remote regions, where neither medicine 
 nor even the common necessaries of life could be obtained, 
 he had pulled through a succession of fevers which would 
 have killed the strongest of men. 
 
 During our stay here we sometimes rode to the mission 
 stations, and to some of the principal kraals. While on one 
 of these excursions we encountered a French gentleman 
 living in a small shanty, with a few Kaffir huts near his 
 door, at which he sat in his shirt-sleeves, for he had evidently 
 been preparing his dinner. He appeared to be perfectly 
 happy, although his mode of life was indeed a great change 
 from the brilliant gaieties of Paris. I discovered him to be 
 M. Comte de Lapanose. 
 
 Time was passing, I thought somewhat unprc^tably. It 
 was with the greatest difficulty that I procured a cart of very 
 small dimensions. Keeping in view the fact that I inevit- 
 ably would have to abandon this mode of conveying my 
 stores, I did not wish to have the encumbrance of a waggon. 
 The cart looked quite unsuitable for a journey such as I was 
 about to attempt. But making up my mind that we would 
 get through somehow, I fitted it up as well as I could with 
 some kind of makeshift gun-racks and other conveniences. 
 
 The load consisted of blue and white calico, and beads of 
 different colours (these commodities being the necessary 
 articles of exchange), some coffee, tea, and sugar (a very 
 limited supply), rifles, and ammunition. Some idea of the 
 slenderness of the store of trading goods and provisions may 
 be arrived at when I say that the total weight of everything 
 on board was 450 lbs. The cause of this was that the 
 conveyance would certainly have to be abandoned, and 
 carriers become a dernier ressort. 
 
 It was now about the middle of May. Selous having 
 quite recovered from his serious attack of fever, started on 
 
64 TEE FAR INTEBIOR. 
 
 a hunting trip towards the Mababe and the Chobe rivers, 
 which lay about two months' travel to the far west. I was 
 very sorry to say " good-bye," for we had "hit it off" to- 
 gether most pleasantly. We had many exciting hunts, and 
 those weeks I spent in his waggon I shall never forget. 
 Neither shall I forget the help he afforded me in over- 
 coming many vicissitudes which necessarily confront one 
 who begins a journey of this description. " Your principal 
 difficulty," he said at parting, " will be in getting carriers. 
 Remember you don't take any Matabeli men, as in that 
 case you will be sure to have trouble with the Mashona 
 tribes." 
 
 Next day, in company with Fairbairn, I rode over to 
 Umganen, whence the king had gone to recover from his 
 fit of gout. A trader whom we met there, Stewart by name, 
 was thoroughly versed in the Matabeli tongue, so I seized 
 the opportunity of getting him to interpret a few questions 
 which I wished to ask the king, seeing that I had already 
 imposed on Mr. Fairbairn's good-nature to a very great 
 extent in interpreting for me at all my previous interviews. 
 
 This seems to be a fitting place to say something of 
 Lo-bengula. He is the son and successor of the great 
 and warlike Umzilagazi, the redoubtable conqueror of the 
 country, and the founder of this nation. His wife — 
 Lo-ben's mother — was a Swazi-Zulu. 
 
 Lo-ben is about eight-and-forty years of age. When a boy 
 he herded bucks in the Transvaal, at the time his father was 
 achieving conquests in the north. Kuruman, another son, 
 and the rightful heir, when quite young had been secreted 
 in some spot far from the country, a common custom with 
 savage heirs-apparent, to avoid the probability of their 
 being assassinated, or some other evil befalling them. 
 When Umzilagazi died, Kuruman could not be found, and 
 
MAJESTY MAKING MEDICINE. 65 
 
 it was supposed by many that he was dead. Lo-bengula, 
 as the second son, was then made king, the report going 
 forth that Kuruman had died in the Transvaal during the 
 previous year. But on more than one occasion I have 
 heard that there are still those who cling to the idea that 
 Kuruman yet lives, although he has never dared to come 
 forward to claim his rights as king. 
 
 If he still lives, his caution or cowardice may be due to a 
 vow which was made by all the natives at the coronation 
 of Lo-ben — a vow which announced that the name of 
 Kuruman should die, that all who spoke of him should 
 also perish, for now Lo-bengula was king of the Matabeli 
 for ever. 
 
 I met a man who had been sent to fetch from the east 
 coast the salt water used as an ingredient in majesty- 
 making medicine. I tried to get some information out of 
 him regarding the east coast lands, but although he was of 
 a very communicative disposition, he evidently thought my 
 questions irrelevant ; so he amused us by relating tales of 
 hunting the lion and other beasts, in which pursuits he had 
 evidently distinguished himself with the assegai. It is a 
 favourite sport with these people to attack the lion with 
 spears. All over his body this man was a mass of scars, but 
 they had not injured him much. According to my custom, 
 I strung him up on the ivory scales, and found that he 
 turned 200 lbs. He had not, I should say, an ounce of 
 superfluous flesh. 
 
 In conversation with the king, through Mr. Stewart, I 
 asked him : 
 
 " What is the law of Hlonipa ? " 
 
 " My mothers-in-law," responded the king, " cannot look 
 upon my face ; they must cover their faces when they pass 
 me ; they cannot use any word resembling my father 
 
 VOL. I. F 
 
66 TEE FAR INTERIOR, 
 
 Umzilagazi's name. For instance, for the word amanzi 
 (water) they would substitute the word mialia, for angazi 
 (I do not know) they would say anganC* 
 
 " What is the law with reference to twins," I inquired. 
 " Do not the Bechuana and Basuto kill them ? " 
 
 " Yes," was the reply, " the Bechuana do, but we let them 
 live ; it makes no difference with us. With the Bechuana, 
 when the lower teeth of any child appear first it is all right 
 — a good sign ; but when the upper front teeth appear first 
 it is bad, and they kill them,"t 
 
 " What do you think becomes of you after you die ? " was 
 my next question. 
 
 " The Zulus believe," replied the king, " that they turn 
 into some wild animal." 
 
 From the way he spoke, I could infer that Lo-ben did 
 not himself believe this ; at any rate, it did not seem to 
 trouble his mind. 
 
 " What do you think of the missionaries and their belief?" 
 I asked. 
 
 " I suppose it is right," said Lo-ben, " because they say 
 so ; but then they are paid for saying so." 
 
 At this juncture a man came in, and bending before the 
 king reported that sixty more cattle had died of lung sick- 
 ness, a plague that is very prevalent throughout South 
 Africa. I heard that over fifteen hundred head of cattle 
 were reported dead to the king in one week. The man's 
 announcement had the effect of checking our conversation. 
 I imagined, however that Lo-ben had little sym2)athy with 
 missionary efforts. One of the missionaries had told him of 
 
 * This, however, I found to be an ordinary rule in savage etiquette — a 
 rule, but not a law. 
 
 t The reason of this is, that they think if the child grows up, bad lack 
 and calamity will attend the kraal; all will lose their hvcs, the man 
 alone surviving. 
 
A PARTING DINNEIt. 67 
 
 a heaven abounding with milk and honey. This was a 
 mistake. Such an ideal is hardly compatible with the 
 blood-thirsty appetite of this tribe of warriors, who are not 
 allowed to touch milk after coming to man's estate.* 
 
 On resuming our conversation, I asked the king what the 
 war-cry was. He was, perhaps naturally, reluctant to state 
 that of his particular tribe, but told me that every tribe had 
 a cry peculiar to itself. Mr. Stewart then asked him about 
 the name " Amandabeli." 
 
 " Amandabeli," said Lo-bengula, "is an Abusuto word, 
 the proper name for my people is Zulu." 
 
 This ended our interview with the king. I bade him 
 good-bye, and he said : " When you come back to my 
 country I will send boys to meet you." We parted as the 
 best of friends, his farewell words being : 
 
 " Go pleasantly, and come back quickly, son of the sea ! " 
 
 On our return, Fairbairn, Stewart, old Johnny and myself 
 had a parting dinner together at the " New Valhalla." 
 
 The king, generally speaking, had a very fair notion 
 of Britons, distinguishing them readily from the Boers, 
 whom he invariably holds in great contempt. One day 
 Fairbairn had puzzled Lo-ben very greatly by predicting 
 an eclipse of the sun. He took care to be with the king 
 when the phenomena occurred, which was witnessed with 
 unbounded astonishment, the monarch having scorned to 
 entertain the idea that a prophecy of this description could 
 be realised, except as a purely accidental verification of the 
 word of the white witch. 
 
 Often, however, he would say, " You white men are very 
 artful, but you cannot cure the fever." 
 
 * It is stated that the Matabeli warriors are fed on raw meat, but this 
 is inaccurate. There is a certain ceremony gone through at the great 
 dance at which they ciit pieces of raw flesh from the hving ox. 
 
 V 2 
 
68 
 
 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Upon the following day I was to begin my travels alone. 
 
 Morning brought a good deal of busy, bustling work. 
 It took some time to pack the cart and to fix the rifles 
 firmly in the racks in case of breakage should an upset 
 occur, which was more than likely, as the vehicle to my 
 eyes looked very rotten ; indeed, from the first, I did not 
 like the appearance of the thing. 
 
 Sagwam. Karemba. Korana John. Taroman. 
 
 I'he *' Faithfuls." 
 
 Windvogel. 
 
 Now to describe my party — all told. Korana John was to 
 be my driver, interpreter and companion, for he could speak 
 broken English ; then there was a Makololo, called Taroman, 
 whom I styled the india-rubber man ; a Makalaka, named 
 Sagwam ; a Mashona, named Karemba, of whom I have 
 spoken before, and a Bushman, the higher ape, as I dubbed 
 
WHY, MAN, HE'S DRUNK!'' 69 
 
 him, a creature of disputed origin, and a very extraordinary 
 mortal, whose fancies in dress lay entirely in the line of 
 head ornament, for he bedecked his marvellously-formed 
 cranium with all sorts of articles, chiefly feathers. This 
 character had many names, among others WindvogeL* 
 
 The party was small, but I had learned that to take a 
 following of Matabeli people would be fatal to progress, 
 besides being dangerous, as they were constantly at war 
 with their neighbours. 
 
 Preparations being over, and everything complete and 
 ready for the start, I despatched the little caravan, and 
 after a lapse of a few hours Fairbairn and myself started 
 after it on horseback. When we were within half a mile 
 of the Umkhosi river I was astounded to see John coming 
 along toAvards us looking as though he had been grossly 
 insulted. 
 
 " Great thunder ! what is the matter ? Something broken 
 on that old rickety cart, I'll be bound ! " 
 
 I noticed that John's face had lost a shaving of its 
 outer covering, and from his general limp appearance I 
 concluded that he had been wrestling with the cart, and 
 decidedly had come off second best, hence his extreme 
 indignation. Much to my disgust and astonishment Fair- 
 bairn quietly said : 
 
 " Why, man, he's drunk ! " 
 
 Just at that moment a little Matabeli boy came running 
 up, and said that he had found my driver, interpreter and 
 companion having a serious fight with a thorn bush. By 
 this time he was making such a row that there could not 
 
 * I think it necessary to give these particulars regarding the party, so 
 that the reader may become familiar with their names, as they each have 
 an incidental individuality during the journey onwards. Besides this, 
 they were now ray only companions. 
 
70 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 be the slightest doubt that the cursed black snake had 
 found its way to my party in some surreptitious fashion. 
 
 The misgiving that first flashed through my mind was 
 a fear lest my chronometer and rifles had been broken. 
 While shaking his head in a most dismal manner, John 
 kept on reiterating the doleful tidings that the cart was 
 in the river, the news being varied by strong declarations 
 that he was not drunk ! 
 
 Arriving at the river we found that our conveyance had 
 become a total wreck. The dissel boom had broken off 
 short. Fortunately the cart was not actually in the water, 
 but it stood just tipped on the brink of the high bank. 
 With the tools I had I at once went to work to repair the 
 dissel boom. John sat amidst a group of admiring blacks 
 who had followed in the wake of the cart, and who seemed 
 beside themselves with delight at the entertaining scene. 
 His ailment had reached the whimpering stage, and he 
 tried to show his penitence by intermittent fits of weeping 
 and swearing, while ever and anon he would send forth a 
 spasmodic and violent shriek. 
 
 The heat was extreme, but I worked as hard as I could, 
 and in due time finished the repairs. Happily, nothing 
 important had been broken or lost; the rifle-racks had 
 proved an immense success. Now, however, I made up my 
 mind that a decrepit cart of this description was wholly 
 unfitted for the journey upon which I was only now at the 
 threshold. A waggon must be had, but where ? 
 
 Inspanning the oxen we crossed the river, and after 
 making camp and giving John instructions to await for my 
 return, I rode back to my friend Fairbairn's house. Ever 
 ready to assist, he at once came to the rescue, offering me 
 his light waggon. Mr. Stewart, whose waggons were close 
 beside Mr. Fairbairn's house, kindly lent me his oxen, so 
 
IN THE WAGGON. 71 
 
 that before night I was in a position to despatch the 
 waggon to the place where John was camped. Afterwards 
 we spent the evening in talking over the country, its people, 
 ■ 'leir habits and customs. I was up betimes : the sun 
 ', id not yet risen, and the leaden mists of dawn were 
 h mging over the cosy little domicile of the New Valhalla 
 when I bade a last farewell to the place and to my friend 
 Fairbairn, under whose hospitable roof I had spent so many 
 pleasant days, and whose friendly aid had helped me 
 onward. 
 
 Mounting a very good little horse, I galloped off towards 
 the Umkhosi river, and reached the waggon- camp just as 
 the sun peeped up in the eastern horizon. 
 
 John had his head tied up in a red pocket-handkerchief. 
 He was a picture of woe, and no doubt felt very " coppery." 
 His forehead was all torn through his plungings in the 
 thorn-bush. I could not help thinking, when I looked at 
 him, of a wooden god, with the paint badly rubbed off, 
 which I had seen in a Chinese joss-house. But I asked no 
 questions, neither did I condole with him on his pitiful 
 appearance, busying inyself with the transference of all 
 the goods from the cart to the waggon, the former being 
 returned with Mr. Stewart's oxen to Mr. Fairbairn. 
 
 Once we were off I felt relief, even happiness. The feeling 
 of rolling along over four firm wheels was infinitely better 
 than sittiag haphazard on the front of a small, over-loaded 
 cart, giving frequent chances of coming abruptly to grief by 
 being precipitated between the Hind legs of an irascible ox. 
 
 A difficulty which I had hardly foreseen soon became 
 apparent. The six very small oxen which had barely been 
 able to draw the cart, were, of course, far from being equal 
 to the work of dragging a waggon through the heavy river- 
 beds that lay ahead of us. My only chance of procuring 
 
72 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 trained oxen was at Shiloh, twenty-two miles distant, so we 
 pushed on with all haste, and that evening we arrived at 
 the house of Mr. Thomas, the gentleman to whom I referred 
 as having just died of fever when we were at Buluwayo, and 
 the father of the young man who was killed with Captain 
 Paterson's party. Mr. David Thomas, the deceased's eldest 
 son, gave us a hearty welcome. He was a brother of the 
 young trader whom I had met at Zeerust, in the Northern 
 Transvaal. 
 
 In 1878, Sir Theophilus Shepstone, administrator of the 
 Transvaal territory, wrote to King Lo-Bengula, complaining 
 of some assumed grievances of the traders. The delivery 
 of the letter was entrusted to Captain Paterson, who was 
 accompanied by Mr. Sergeant. The contents of the missive, 
 as well as the conversation with Lo-ben, were somewhat 
 injudicious, judging from the written copy of the trans- 
 actions which is in my possession. They could not fail to 
 arouse the suspicions of the endunas, as well as the doubts 
 of the king. The " big talk " ended in nothing but bad 
 feeling. 
 
 Captain Paterson, Mr. Sergeant, and party, resolved to 
 make a journey to the Victoria Falls of the Zambesi, if 
 permission could be obtained, and with this object they 
 asked the assistance of Mr. Morgan Thomas, who was ac- 
 quainted with the native tongue. Lo-ben's reply to the 
 request for permission to go through the country was to 
 the effect that Captain Paterson should first return with 
 the message to the great Queen, after which he might 
 return and make a journey to the Falls. Invariably 
 friendly to the white man, Lo-ben doubtless gave this 
 advice knowing the hostile attitude of his endunas, whose 
 wildest suspicions were aroused by the extraordinary mission 
 from the British. 
 
PATERSON'S TRAGEDY. 73 
 
 Influence, however, at length seemed to prevail with the 
 king, and Captain Paterson, Mr. Sergeant, and ]\Ir. Morgan 
 Thomas left on a journey towards the Falls, Lo-ben pro- 
 testing to Morgan's father against his allowing his son to 
 accompany the party, 
 
 A month after the party had left, Usinduana, a Matabeli, 
 returned, giving news that on the eighteenth day of their 
 journey they had suffered greatly from thirst, and having 
 entered the country of Zanki, called Ubenanzwa, of the 
 tribe of Amaholi, one of whom they encountered, they, 
 against the man's will, compelled him to show them 
 where water was to be found. Thereupon he led them 
 to a pool in the mountains, and all being parched, they 
 drank immoderately. Very shortly every member of the 
 party fell sick, the result being the death of Captain 
 Paterson, Mr. Sergeant, Mr. Morgan Thomas, and seven 
 coloured colonial servants. 
 
 My informant respecting this occurrence was the brother 
 of Morgan Thomas, who was one of the victims. The 
 messenger who brought the news also reported the death 
 of five of the Matabeli escort. White traders and others in 
 southern Matabeli-land asked permission to go and bury 
 the dead, but Lo-ben would not grant the request. 
 
 Evidence respecting the matter was very conflicting, and 
 young Mr. David Thomas has spared no pains in trying to 
 unravel the mystery. To divulge a secret of the king's 
 meant immediate death, but a man — the brother of a rain 
 doctor — privately said to Mr. David that when Umlugulu, 
 the headman of the town of Oyengweni, arrived with his 
 party at the king's kraal, they were despatched by Lo-ben 
 to overtake Captain Paterson's party and destroy them. 
 Usibigo, the man who explained this, said that Captain 
 Paterson's mission was distasteful to Lo-ben and his 
 
74 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 endunas. This story was corroborated by Umhelo, who 
 belonged to the town of Buluwayo, and was of the king's 
 regiment — Amahlogohlogo. 
 
 The voluminous evidence which Mr. Thomas's journal 
 contains, and also the word of men living in Matabeli-land, 
 and who belonged to the party, distinctly proves that the 
 people were not poisoned, but assegaied by order of the 
 king, who was compelled to act in accordance with the 
 wishes of his endunas. Bearing in mind his fair dealings 
 with the white man, however, it may be assumed that the 
 order was involuntary on his part. 
 
 I must say that this was the only place in Matabeli-land 
 where I observed signs of any real industry. The endeavour 
 to make a home and improve was very apparent. Young 
 Mr. Thomas worked hard, and had a large tract under culti- 
 vation, with plenty of fruit-trees — banana, orange and lemon 
 — all bearing well. He also irrigated on a small scale. 
 
 Such a man may well be emulated by the black people 
 who live around his home ; but industrial emulation is not 
 one of the predominant traits of their character, which looks 
 up to excellence in the art of war as the only goal of life's 
 purpose. I must be excused for thinking that a man who 
 shows the fruits of his labour in a form so substantial and 
 comprehensible, should in time be able to exercise a very 
 powerful influence over the warlike aborigine. He manifests 
 in a tangible way that there is something real in the white 
 man's ascendancy, showing that it is not a mere matter of 
 story, but a fruitful experience, carrying with it the bless- 
 ings of prosperity, and indicating that there is something 
 true in the labours of that best pioneer of civilisation and 
 progress— the practical teacher of the gospel of Work. 
 
 Mr. Thomas kindly said that he would assist me in any 
 way he could. The oxen, however, that he was good enough 
 
LONDON MISSIONARY STATION. 75 
 
 to offer as a loan were at the mission station, Umlilangeno 
 or Inyati, twenty-five miles to the north-east. So saddling 
 np the horses, and sending the waggon on with the same 
 oxen, we started. 
 
 The weather had looked very threatening ; heavy black 
 clouds went scudding across the sky, and just as we arrived 
 at Mr. Elliot's house (the mission station) they suddenly 
 burst, and down poured the rain in torrents. When the 
 waggon arrived, the boys all looked miserable enough. 
 This station is the last outpost of the London Missionary 
 Society. The mission has been in Matabeli-land for about 
 a quarter of a century. 
 
 Mr. Elliot, a most estimable gentleman who is now alone 
 at this station, will make a good impression upon the 
 natives, for he is an excellent doctor, and willing to dispense 
 all kinds of medicine if the people will only accept it. 
 
 We were most fortunate in collecting twelve good oxen, 
 the property of Mr. Thomas, to whom I was and am indebted 
 for this as well as many other favours. Had he not come 
 to my aid at that time, I do not know what could have been 
 done, trained oxen being very scarce. 
 
 As I now had little or no hope of seeing a white face for 
 a very long time, or of being able to procure any of the 
 articles necessary for exploration work, I busied myself for 
 the next tvvo days in preparing sketch maps, drawing-pad, 
 and so forth, and also made some observations of the sun 
 to find the variation of the compass, and test that all the 
 instruments were in working order. Mrs. Elliot kindly 
 made me many nice things for the road, and on the evening 
 of the 27th of May all was in readiness for a start. 
 
 The kindness shown to me by all was remarkable. When 
 I took leave of Inyati, and was saying good-bye to the 
 mission, Mr. Elliot said, as he handed me a letter : 
 
76 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 " Should you reach the Lakes in safety, please deliver this 
 letter to the missionaries there. You will be the first to 
 convey words of greeting from us here to those in the Lake 
 regions, who are working in the same good cause." 
 
 In the morning the weather had cleared ; for the last 
 time I bade adieu to my white friends. With unearthly 
 shouts and yells from Korana John (who had quite recovered 
 his senses, and was using his great cattle-whip with startling 
 effect), and the oxen straining in the yokes, we headed to 
 the north-east, and were soon hidden in the dense gloom 
 of the forest. The sun was sinking as we camped in a small 
 tree-environed plain, where we could hear the welcome 
 music of a small rill of crystal water. 
 
( 77 ) 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE "BIG game" COUNTRY. 
 
 Stocking the larder — My " C. L. K." rifle — A zebra hunt — " Gijiina, 
 gijima!" — Hollow bullets — An unpleasant ducking — ^The mountains 
 between the Zambesi, Sabia and Limpopo — Difficulty in liun hunting 
 — Humours of ox-driving — The Sepaque river — Out of the track — - 
 Clearing under difficulties — Elephant spoor — Fruitless pursuit — Umvuli 
 river — A catalogue of miseries — Story of Windvogel's victim — John and 
 the wolf — Lion incidents — A dangerous ford — An elephant hunt — The 
 honey-bird's note of warning — Thrilling moments — A good day's work 
 — Kaffir gluttony — Game and honey — Selous' deserted camp of 1883— 
 Taroman missing. 
 
 Our party was now so small that every man liad his special 
 work " cut out :" the occupation of hunter devolving upon 
 myself. The reader may be assured that every eifort was 
 made to keep the larder well stocked. As yet the majority 
 of African mammalia had not appeared in my records of the 
 chase, so that everything had the subtle charm of novelty ; 
 and we were now in a great game country. Anything 
 between a duiker, with its tiny feet and diminutive horns, 
 and the gigantic African elephant, with its world-coveted 
 tusks and formidable ears, which could be likened to the 
 wings of a gigantic eagle, might at any time become the 
 object of the chase. It is not, however, a part of the purpose 
 of the present work, to deal largely with descriptions of 
 hunting adventures. Already much has been written, and 
 well written, in various works devoted entirely to the subject 
 of the wild and exciting sports of Africa. Now and then. 
 
78 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 however, I must refer briefly to a few of the principal 
 trophies in sport which fell to my rifle. 
 
 The weather was lovely, the thermometer registering on 
 an average 50° at sunrise, and in day-time from 75° to 85° in 
 the shade. 
 
 We held an average course N.E., passing numerous rivu- 
 lets which give their waters to the rivers flowing north- 
 wards to the Zambesi. Forests of machabele, the food of 
 which the elephant is so fond, mopani and other strange 
 varieties of trees were passed in our route. 
 
 As a rule, I left the waggon in the morning, Karemba 
 being my only companion : our arms consisting of a shot- 
 gun and 500 Henry express rifle, the latter being ycleped 
 C. L. K., the initials being those of my father, the weapon 
 having been a present from him when I left home. A 
 most valuable article it proved — certainly the most valuable 
 in my whole outfit ; becoming the life of the expedition, 
 through being the means of supplying to the party the 
 necessaries of existence, all through the long journey until 
 I reached the sea. 
 
 Late one afternoon, when the sun was fast nearing the 
 tops of the tall forest trees, we came upon a large herd of 
 zebra (Burchell zebra). The herd was quite 150 yards off, 
 and had evidently been frightened, for they were going at a 
 good pace. The chance for stalking therefore was gone ; 
 but I fired at the leader, and having aimed carefully 
 at the shoulder, was astounded to find that the shot had 
 not the slightest result. I at once made up my mind that 
 I had missed him; but Karemba kept saying, "gijima, 
 gijima," which meant run, run, and although thinking the 
 pursuit a forlorn hope, I started off at my best speed 
 through the tall rank grass, which in some places was 
 higher than my head. After a run of nearly half a mile I 
 
HOLLOW BULLETS. 79 
 
 began to feel utterly " winded." But Karemba pointed to a 
 small clump of trees, and there, sure enough, stood the 
 zebra. I gave him another shot, and away he went again, 
 spinning along another 500 yards, during which other three 
 shots were sent after him. I then began to think that 
 my long-tried powers of endurance would soon come to an 
 end, but to my surprise and satisfaction the zebra fell ; 
 Karemba then making quick work in despatching life with 
 an assegai. Afterwards I discovered that nothing gave 
 greater satisfaction to Karemba than the act of extinguish- 
 ing life. 
 
 Examining the fallen zebra, I found that the first and 
 second shots had both hit the shoulder. The bullets, 
 however, being hollow, had been flattened to the thinness of 
 a sixpence. This, and many other experiences, j)roved that 
 such bullets were nearly, if not quite, useless for game 
 possessing the extraordinary vitality which distinguishes the 
 zebra and the antelope of Africa. In this matter I remem- 
 bered some words of Selous, who remarked that the bullets 
 were hollowed too deep, and that the lead at the apex was 
 insufficient. 
 
 Darkness was falling when Karemba and myself left the 
 scene of our adventure. We hurried off in the hope of 
 being able to find the waggon on the south bank of the 
 Goque river. But on arriving at the drift, on the south 
 bank, where the hunters' waggons always cross, Karemba 
 said that the waggon must have gone on to the north side. 
 There was a good deal of water in the river, and as Karemba 
 was almost nude I got upon his back and guided him 
 forward. He stopped at the brink like a donkey at a fence. 
 Without comprehending what he said I urged him on, and 
 very soon down we went into a deep pool. I fell off my 
 carrier's back, and just at the same moment the fact struck 
 
80 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 me that, of course, all these silent river pools were infested 
 by the slimy and loathsome crocodile. At once it flashed 
 across my mind that this was the cause of Karemba's un- 
 willingness to cross, although the poor fellow had spoken 
 in words which I could not understand. 
 
 It was very dark, and the sensation of immersion was 
 anything but pleasant. Scrambling out, however, we soon 
 came up to the waggon, where we found John seated beside 
 an immense fire, comfortably, and in dignified leisure enjoy- 
 ing his evening smoke. John informed me that it was not 
 safe to wade in these rivers. He was under the impression 
 that I was ahead, otherwise he would have waited on the 
 southern side. 
 
 Much to the delight of the boys (male servants, no matter 
 what may be their age, are always " boys "), the next day 
 was spent in cutting up meat and drying it in the sun. 
 
 We were now passing through a forest country, with 
 granite kopjies here and there breaking through the alluvial 
 land. Towards the south-east we beheld the rugged chain 
 of the granite mountains, which form a conspicuous and 
 clear dividing line between the waters of the Zambesi and 
 the waters of the Sabia and Limpopo rivers. Away to the 
 north-west, about a day's march, was the tsetse-fly country, 
 which abounds in big game of every description. 
 
 We soon lost the spoor of the hunters' waggons which 
 had gone in towards the Hanyane river a year ago, and 
 which Selous had told me to follow ; for by that means I 
 would be enabled to reach the borders of Mashona-land in 
 the shortest possible time. 
 
 A little to the north of the Gwailo river we stijck fast in 
 a small swamp. Oxen are often of a very stubborn dis- 
 position, which some of ours on this occasion showed to 
 perfection ; but I could plainly see that the poor beasts had 
 
SIGNS OF LIONS. 81 
 
 a rough time before them during the next month, for 
 the rivers which we had already crossed had tested their 
 strength with painful pitilessness. 
 
 Various ramblings in search of game showed the spoor 
 of lions and leopards, also their lairs. Lions I think must 
 have been plentiful ; but it was almost impossible to got 
 at them without dogs, as the grass was then so high that 
 there was some difficulty in distinguishing even the largest 
 antelopes. On one occasion, however, while on the way 
 back to the waggon, I came across a troupe of harte-beest, 
 and bowled one over as it ran past. Following in hot 
 haste, I saw, with no slight surprise, that I had a com- 
 panion in the chase, in the shape of a yellow dog, which 
 seemed to enter with great gusto into the spirit of the sport. 
 The half-starved angular figure of the tyke was not un- 
 familiar to me, as many a time had he spoilt my oppor- 
 tunities for a shot. So as he bounded through the grass I 
 took a snap shot at him, with the intention of giving him a 
 good scare ; but much to my amazement the shot took 
 effect, killing him in an instant. I was really very sorry 
 for this mishap ; especially as the Kaffir boy to whom the 
 dog belonged looked so dreadfully unhappy when he heard 
 of the demise of his hot-bottle, the favourite being one of a 
 group which huddled together at night in order to sustain 
 their warmth. However some cloth, a few beads, and a 
 large chunk of meat soon dispelled the sorrow and lightened 
 the heart of the mourner. 
 
 John having informed me that he was ill, I now for the first 
 time in my life assumed the responsibilities of an ox driver. 
 Many and many a time had I used the short-handled cattle 
 whip employed in herding on the western prairies of 
 America, but I had never used the gigantic and indispensable 
 whip common to all South African caravans. In becoming 
 
 VOL. I. G 
 
82 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 initiated into the mysteries of its use, I left numerous 
 marks upon my face and neck, and was more than once 
 nearly strangled. While vigorously pressing on the lead- 
 ing oxen I would fall heels over head into some deep hole. 
 Sometimes the oxen would wheel quickly round, rushing 
 through the forest and breaking the young trees, while the 
 old waggon rolled along like the grounding of a wrecked 
 balloon. When evening came after such experiences I felt 
 as though I had been mobbed and hustled at an election. 
 
 At the crossing of any of the large river-beds, how- 
 ever, John's aid was indispensable. He could crack the 
 whip and make a report like an Armstrong six-pounder; 
 while his shouts and fiendish yells resounded wildly through 
 kopjies in such a manner that even the hoarse roar of a fog- 
 horn, or the shrill shriek of a steam-whistle would have had 
 no chance against him. 
 
 By this tir&e we had an enormous supply of the zebra and 
 harte-beest meat stowed in the back of the waggon, in un- 
 comfortable proximity to the place where I slept. The 
 odour reminded me, in an uncertain sort of way, either of 
 Wombwell's Menagerie, No. 1, or of Smithfield Market ; 
 perhaps neither of one or of the other, distinctly, but a little 
 of both. The boys, however, and the dogs had plenty to 
 eat, and thus a chance of getting fat and hiding their stark 
 staring ribs which stuck out so prominently when we left 
 Invati. 
 
 As we trekked further towards the north the nights 
 became much colder. After fording the Sepaque river, 
 and passing the heavy pool through the Umnyati, two of 
 our oxen became footsore, so that the strength of the span 
 was now reduced to ten. 
 
 The caravan, otherwise, was becoming somewhat demoral- 
 ised. We had now completely lost the tracks of the hunters' 
 
CUTTING THROUGH FOBEST. 83 
 
 waggons. Having gone too far to the north, we were com- 
 pelled for days to cut our way through the forest, and this 
 heavy work had to be carried out with a single small hand 
 hatchet, as our equipment for foot travelling was as light as 
 I possibly could have it, and was totally wanting in heavy 
 axes or other implements suitable for clearing. This ^^<)rk 
 was very wearisome, although, fortunately, the trees were of 
 slight dimensions. As we neared the Umzwezwe, some 
 of the country through which we passed was exceedingly 
 rocky. Numerous kopjies, like piles of broken stone, edged 
 the river on its southern bank. 
 
 The lessening rays of the setting sun were kissing the 
 tops of the mopanis when we descended towards the river. 
 Far in the eastern sky the moon was rising, and the view 
 from the spot where I stood in the centre of the ^^'ater \vas 
 beautifully striking. Lower and lower the sun sank in the 
 horizon, casting, mirror-like, over the sky its ever varying 
 hues of lovely colours. On each side of the position rose 
 precipitous banks, while luxuriant foliage hung gracefully 
 over the silent pools of the stream, which in otlier places 
 dashed in crystal clearness and in merry mood through the 
 countless boulders and jagged rocks which formed the ford 
 over and through which we had to pass. A picture so 
 lovely, glowing beneath the glories of so beautiful an 
 evening sun, I have rarely seen. 
 
 On the succeeding day we came across the spoor of what 
 was evidently a large troupe of elephants. Trees were 
 uprooted, and their branches brokiiu, while great boulders 
 were unearthed. Some of the broken trees, must have been 
 snapped by the united strength of two or three of the 
 animals. John and myself went on the spoor from morning 
 till night, but returned to camp with nothing except 
 ravenous appetites. The weather was cold, so that "unless we 
 
 G 2 
 
84 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 found the spoor very early in the morning, the chances 
 were against our finding the elephants — I believe they 
 will travel great distances in cold weather, without the 
 mid-day halt which they invariably make during the days 
 of heat. 
 
 Several hunting excursions of this nature were taken. 
 On returning from one of them, an incident occurred which 
 may deserve notice. John, unconsciously of course, walked 
 straight up to a wolf which lay asleep amid the long 
 grass. The appearance of the recumbent animal, which 
 seemed rather reluctant to move, took John thoroughly 
 by surprise ; so much so, indeed, that he stood stock still, 
 and uttered some screams so thrillingly horrible that by 
 imitating them the divine Sara herself might have given 
 to her audiences a new and telling experience of terror. 
 Running up, for the shrill notes of the man's awful voice 
 had struck the chords of my inmost feelings, I saw the wolf 
 — a large one — bounding through the grass. I took a flying 
 shot, but only grazed the brute. He gave a growl, and 
 with another bound disappeared amid the sea of impene- 
 trable vegetation. 
 
 " My gaut, master," said John ; " I tink it was lion ! " 
 The waggon was camped under some large trees, upon a 
 favourite spot for hunters, who usually left their impedi- 
 menta there, before going down into what is called the " Fly 
 Country " (referring to the tsetse fly) to look for big game. 
 
 At this spot, too, was the grave, covered with wild 
 creepers, of one who had died by the capricious hand of 
 Windvogel, the bushman, or the higher ape, as he has been 
 called. Here Windvogel was initiated into the mysteries 
 of shooting; his first experience resulting in the fall of a 
 playmate, whom he shot stone dead in an instant. The 
 event occurred only a few years previously, and even now 
 
WINDVOGEL'S VICTIM. 85 
 
 the reckless assassin looked like a boy ; but on my saying 
 so to John he answered : 
 
 " Master, he is an olt man, and a very bad leetle man." 
 
 The course of the crime was as follows : Arming himself 
 with a regular Baron Munchausen blunderbuss, which be- 
 longed to the father of the poor boy he killed, he started 
 for the hunting country which was not more than one hun- 
 dred yards from where the waggons of his party stood. He 
 soon " cut the spoor " of his playmates, and, knowing well 
 his game, he gave them warning that he was about to lire. 
 The others, being unarmed, found they were handicapped, 
 and bolted. Unfortunately, however, the " higher ape's " 
 first shot was a bull's-eye, and ended the life of his poor 
 playmate. Perhaps he felt towards his young Korana 
 comrade as the Boers felt towards his forefathers, when, 
 but a few short years before, they would go out in search 
 of bushmen, and considered them " fair game." 
 
 This adventure led to the bushman's being " christened " 
 in a somewhat rough and ready manner. Tied to a waggon 
 wheel, in the cruel fashion practised by the Boers, when 
 their jaundiced humours are more than usually acute, he 
 was christened Windvogel ; the recollection of the christen- 
 ing being impressed upon the subject by the stinging lash 
 of the shambock, a name given to a rhinoceros-hide whip. 
 This ceremony reminds one of the manner in which game- 
 keepers " christen " a dog. When this story was laid before 
 the king, he ruled, as was the custom of the land, that the 
 father of the slain boy could either kill his slayer or keep 
 him as a slave. It was in this way that Windvogel fell into 
 John's hands whose slave he now was. 
 
 But to resume the personal narrative. Three days more 
 (June 12) brought us to the Umvuli river. Our catalogue of 
 miseries was pretty full. John was sick ; two oxen Avere foot- 
 
86 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 sore ; Karemba had been kicked by one of the oxen, which 
 he had been endeavouring to throw in order to examine 
 its feet ; Windvogel, the " higher ape," had dysentery, and 
 lay on his face writhing and groaning with pain, by all 
 odds the most dismal and dejected looking creature I ever 
 set eyes on; Sagwam had the sulks; and Taroman, the 
 india-rubber man, had so over-eaten himself, that he gave 
 up looking after the sheep and cattle, and overcome like a 
 cobra, with an overcharged stomach, had lain down to sleep 
 and so lost the live-stock. 
 
 The old drift through the river, where the hunters' 
 waggons used to cross, had been scoured out; leaving a 
 deep hole on the south side, while in the centre of the 
 water was a high mound of soft sand, making the place 
 quite impassable. The banks, too, were very steep. 
 
 Under these peculiarly adverse circumstances a short 
 halt had to be made. But as it was still early in the day 
 we made the best use of our time, by cutting branches, and 
 by preparing a ford to take the waggon over. 
 
 John and myself returned from our work on the river, 
 and were not a little surprised that no sign of life could be 
 seen near the waggon. It was nearly dusk, and as neither 
 boys nor oxen appeared, John and I started in different 
 directions to scour the country for the absentees. 
 
 This neighbourhood abounds with lions, and consequently 
 my anxious mind pictured horrible visions of the cattle 
 becoming a prey to the king of beasts. Only the previous 
 year, Selous, while hunting here, had stopped on the north 
 bank, his cattle being tied in the customary fashion, with 
 large fires encircling the camp, while the boys were seated 
 in a group close to the animals. In a little time a lion 
 came up close in front of the party, having passed the fires 
 with the utmost indifference. A moment later the lion 
 
DARING OF LIONS. -87 
 
 seized upon one of the fattest of the oxen, and brought it to 
 the ground; but the contents of a double-barrelled shot- 
 gun discharged at close quarters immediately checked his 
 meal and his earthly career at the same time. When a lion 
 is thoroughly hungry there is no limit to its audacity and 
 daring. I know of an occasion about the same place, of a 
 lion having attacked a man, in the night time, wliile ho was 
 seated before a blazing fire. 
 
 After an anxious walk of about two miles, I shouted, and 
 much to my astonishment, an answer came from Taroman, 
 whom I found under a tree where he had evidently been 
 taking a nap. The sheep were beside him, and in his hand 
 he held an enormous chunk of zebra. The time was now 
 approaching when Taroman wholly lost the use of his eyes, 
 which were of no service in the slightest shade of darkness. 
 On such occasions he even could not find his way, and this 
 I discovered to be true beyond doubt. 
 
 From Taroman's attitude at that time it was evident that 
 he expected to be thrashed ; but as I do not believe in 
 whipping or kicking as a means to any satisfactory end, I 
 merely asked him about the cattle. In reply he made 
 signs of a very vague character, and I hurried back to the 
 camp taking the sheep along with me, not, however, without 
 frightening Taroman by telling him to go and search for 
 them, knowing as well as he did it was Lion Veldt. When I 
 returned to camp I sent a boy to fetch the old humbug 
 home. I was aggravated at the time, for the loss of the 
 cattle would have been irretrievable. We were twelve days' 
 good travel from Inyati, and still very far distant from the 
 borders of Mashona-land. John by this time had found all 
 but two of our oxen. 
 
 It was a cold and stormy night. The wind blew with 
 terrific force, threatening to unroof the waggon, and leave 
 
88 THE FAB INTERIOR. 
 
 only the pitiless canopy of heaven as a substitute. The 
 wolves howled on every side, one approaching very near the 
 waggon, although I could not get a shot at him, as he was 
 wholly obscured by the shade of the trees. 
 
 The missing cattle having been luckily found, we, on the 
 following day, about noon, made a forward move towards 
 the ford which had been prepared. Starting down the steep 
 bank the oxen plunged into the water. 
 
 The ford was chiefly composed of small branches, among 
 which the legs of the animals sunk very deeply. At one 
 time both of the hind oxen fell, and looked as though they 
 would inevitably be crushed by the waggon, the fore wheels 
 of which were just on the brink of the river, giving the 
 whole affair the appearance of standing on end. 
 
 Awful thoughts weighed heavily upon my mind, regarding 
 the probability of a total wreck of the waggon in the middle 
 of the river. All hands had to be piped to keep the cattle 
 in a straight course. No one could help feeling for the 
 poor beasts as they strained their strength and contorted 
 their struggling bodies ; sometimes splashing in the pools, 
 but often sinking up to their bellies in the soft and shifting 
 sand. We had, however, to get out of the river, no matter 
 in what fashion. 
 
 While ascending the north bank, for there was no track 
 except that which we had scraped out with sharpened sticks, 
 the oxen in spite of the efforts of Karemba and myself, who 
 were pulling the leading yoke, suddenly swerved to the 
 right, breaking through the thorn bushes on the steep 
 bank, and amidst the thicket we were sent sprawling and 
 scrambling, to be cut and torn by the sharp and prickly 
 thorns. 
 
 At length, after very hard work, and a great many 
 demoniacal shouts and yells, with the old waggon cracking 
 
ON ELEPHANT SPOOR. 89 
 
 and creaking, and the oxen grunting and groaning all the 
 time — the yoke stays threatened to choke them — we with 
 one grand final effort reached the top of the bank. 
 
 After a brief period of rest, we were again on the forward 
 move ; and that evening I breathed more freely, as I sat 
 before the blazing camp fire, and pondered over what had 
 passed. 
 
 One morning happy thoughts dawned upon my mind 
 when John said he could see elephants in the distance. 
 At the time we were trekking through an immense sea of 
 yellow grass, fanned by a gentle breeze into waving billows, 
 through which the party, as it passed, left a wake behind, 
 like that of an ocean steamer tossing the glassy sea into a 
 turbulent foam. At intervals the grass was dotted by 
 thorny acacias and small clumps of trees. 
 
 Sure enough, as John had foreseen, we shortly came upon 
 the fresh spoor of what seemed a large troupe of elephants. 
 Anxious as I was to press on my journey, this was too great 
 a temptation to resist. Outspanning the oxen, I set out 
 with my Keilly, double eight-bore,* while John accom- 
 panied me with his waterpipe, as I termed it, much to 
 his disgust, although the description was tolerably true, 
 as the weapon had a suspicious resemblance to a branch 
 service-pipe, and he invariably sluiced it out with water 
 after the day's work. Karemba and Sagwam were gun- 
 carriers. 
 
 We were soon tracking up, and every sign tended to 
 show that our pursuit would not be a long one. From 
 the zig-zag appearance of the spoor, we judged that the 
 elephants were feeding. 
 
 To a hunter imbued with the spirit of the chase, there is 
 something intensely exhilarating in the feelings which are 
 
 • Eight drachms Curtis & Harvey's best, and 3-oz. coniciil bullet. 
 
90 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 aroused as he nears these monarchs of the forest, who roam 
 free through the wilderness of nature, without a consider- 
 able rival save man. The inexpressible glow of excitement 
 is perhaps a selfish feeling ; but it thrills through every 
 fibre of your system as you approach nearer and nearer to 
 the object whose life it is your ambition to take. Does not 
 this, almost with vividness show, that the instincts of the 
 lower forms of animal life, from which it is said that all 
 mankind have sprung, bud out through the higher intellect, 
 even in all its severely cultivated forms ? 
 
 There was a lull in the wind, which is an indispensable 
 agent to a successful stalk, and close to the left I soon 
 observed a moving object. The dull leaden colour of the 
 elephant serves admirably as a protection from the searching 
 glance of his pursuer, and in this he resembles most of the 
 wild animals, whose colour is akin to that of the vegetation 
 in which they live. There was soon revealed to our view a 
 large elephant cow ; and I had just brought my rifle to the 
 shoulder, when John pulled my sleeve and told me not to 
 shoot, because it was a "kooes-cop," i.e. an elephant with- 
 out tusks. 
 
 Whether she had scented us, or had been startled by 
 the honey birds,* which continued to chirp and lead us all 
 the way I know not, but suddenly, with gigantic strides 
 and curling her trunk close up under the mouth, she made 
 off towards her companions, who were standing huddled 
 together under some large gonte trees, fanning themselves 
 with their huge ears. 
 
 There was no time to lose. Happily the fugitive did not 
 trumpet, so that we were able to get within fairly good 
 range before she raised the alarm. I fired at the nearest 
 
 * These little birds are very troublesome during a stalk, for if the game 
 hear them they recognise the cry as a note of caution. 
 
AN EXCITING HUNT. 91 
 
 elephant, and the shot threw him into a state of the wildest 
 excitement, shown by successive shrill trumpetings. Wheel- 
 ing round and round he came heavily to the ground ; wliilc 
 away went the panic-striken herd, sounding aloud their far- 
 reaching bugle-call of retreat, and clearing all before them. 
 I never saw a quicker piece of roadmaking. They literally 
 crashed and ploughed their way through the young forest, 
 piling up, on each side of their track, mopani-trces, stacks 
 of rank grass, and great heaps of scrub bush. 
 
 Thinking, and as it proved rightly, that I had mortally 
 wounded the first elephant, I ran after the herd as fast as 
 I could, and coming within pretty close range fired, but 
 this time made a bad shot, hitting a young bull too far 
 back, after aiming at the shoulder. 
 
 John was now close to me in hot pursuit of a cow, wliich 
 he had hit several times. She had fallen behind the rest 
 of the herd, and just at this moment had almost stopped. 
 Turning towards us, John shouted : 
 
 " Look out, master, look out ! " 
 
 At this evidently critical moment I was endeavouring 
 with all the energy at my disposal to reload my rifle ; but, 
 as on many other occasions, of which one or two might 
 have cost me my life, the empty cases had stuck, and 
 do what I might, I could not extract them for some 
 time. 
 
 Meanwhile I heard other two shots, and when I last saw 
 John he was flying like the wind through the bush, while 
 his gun-carrier fled in another direction, shouting like a 
 demon. Karemba had left me, and rightly too, for he was 
 unarmed, and the noise made by the elephants sounded as 
 though they were actually upon us. Behind, and uttering 
 sharp screams, was the first elephant I had shot, while that 
 which John had wounded was in front, dasliing wildly 
 
92 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 about, and trumpeting with her angriest power, as she 
 revengefully searched for her pursuers. 
 
 I had not had such a time of excitement for many years. 
 I pulled and tugged at the cartridges, but for a time all 
 such eiforts were of no avail. Amidst the confusion, I 
 heard John roaring as though he were being torn limb from 
 limb. I had by this time succeeded in reloading, and, of 
 course, made off at my highest speed, for I really thought 
 that John was caught. On getting up I found that the 
 cow had charged him, and, John having run out of bullets, 
 had been obliged to take to his heels, in order to escape 
 from the infuriated monster. 
 
 A lively time had evidently been passed, for both John 
 and Sagwam looked dreadfully exhausted ; the former, too, 
 was quite crestfallen, because he had lost his elephant. 
 
 I had but one rifle with me, and a wounded elephant 
 still close by, but I pushed the weapon into John's hands, 
 and away he went, at once, on the blood spoor. Hui-rying 
 back to the camp, I snatched up C. L. K., and returned to 
 the wounded elephant, which I found standing under the 
 shade of a large tree. 
 
 Just as I came within range, however, I heard the sharp 
 report of the eight-bore, and, before my eyes down went the 
 elephant with a heavy thud. As the animal was not dead, 
 I quickly ran up and gave the coup de grace to end the 
 poor brute's sufferings. 
 
 The elephant wounded by John had been soon overtaken 
 by that worthy when he got my rifle in his hands; and 
 after despatching it, he had gone towards that wounded by 
 me, firing the shot I had heard just as I arrived from the 
 camp with C. L. K. After cutting out the hearts, we re- 
 turned to the camp, situated two miles north of the Simbo 
 river, and there in dreams I, over and over again, went 
 
A LAND OF PLENTY. 93 
 
 through the eventful and exciting scenes of the day's hunt, 
 chasing in nocturnal fancies the phantom forms of multi- 
 tudes of the forest's denizens. 
 
 Very early in the morning we were again upon the scene 
 of yesterday's exploits, and all hands went to work cutting 
 up elephant flesh, and chopping out the tusks. The Kaffirs, 
 according to their custom, had a fire lit ; and during 
 their intervals of rest they warmed (it could not be called 
 cooking) what they considered dainty morsels from the 
 inside, which they would devour much in the same condi- 
 tion as they found them ; for cleansing, or any other culinary 
 preparation, was unknown. As feeders, the Kaffirs are the 
 foulest people imaginable ; it is not saying too much to 
 affirm that they will eat nearly anything, and jDretty nearly 
 in any condition. After they had devoured their honne 
 houc\e, they Avould disappear once more inside the carcase, 
 in order to cut out the fat, which is much valued as a 
 curative salve for rheumatism and other ailments. Special 
 morsels which they came across were taken out by alternate 
 members of the party, in order to be warmed at the fire and 
 demolished. Inside the carcase the happy rascals would 
 wallow in blood, bathing and rubbing themselves all over 
 with it, which seems to be a custom among the people. The 
 blood is left on, until it naturally wears off. 
 
 After we cut out the first pair of tusks, we inspanned 
 the oxen and departed ; telling Karemba and Sagwam to 
 proceed to the carcase of the other elephant, and cut out 
 the ivory. On their return to camp, they reported that on 
 their arrival at the elephant, they found two large leopards, 
 "impisi," feeding upon its flesh. I felt sorry I had not 
 accompanied the boys. 
 
 Now we were in a land of plenty. Game was abundant, 
 and honey seemed to be inexhaustible. Whenever the 
 
94 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 boys had an opportunity, they would disappear, so that 
 they might watch their little winged friends, the white- 
 backed honey guides {Indicator major), the unfailing pilots 
 to Nature's sweetest stores. The honey was remarkably 
 good, with a strong flavour of wild flowers. 
 
 From the Umvuli river we had been followed by lions. 
 They could be heard at night, bat did not come close to 
 the waggon. 
 
 We were now within two days' journey of Selous' farthest 
 hunting camp to the north-east. Crossing two small rivers, 
 the Sarue and Karemwe, we took a course more to the 
 north, cutting our way through low, light forests, until we 
 emerged into a beautiful open, park-like country. The 
 variegated colouring on the trees, that hemmed us in on 
 every side, was very striking. 
 
 Away in the far distance we could faintly see the smoky, 
 yellow haze of the prairie grass fires, lit by the Mashona 
 people. Towards the north-east could be seen the distant 
 leaden outline of the Umvukwe mountains, towering high 
 above the level of the plateau. Of these mountains we 
 were destined to know much in the future. 
 
 A long and very fatiguing trek, tiresome alike for men 
 and oxen, brought us to a suitable spot where we pitched 
 camp, just as the light of parting day was throwing its 
 darkening shadows from the great forest trees, which sur- 
 rounded the position. 
 
 Another step of the journey was accomplished. We 
 were now upon my friend Selous' deserted hunting camp 
 of 1883, situated at an elevation of 4050 feet above the 
 sea, and on the southern bank of the Hanyane river; the 
 banks of which were clothed with high forest, shutting out 
 our view to the north. Taroman, with the sheep, and two 
 foot-sore oxen were missing. 
 
SELOUS' DESERTED CAMP. 95 
 
 Our present position was very far in the interior, so far 
 indeed that henceforth the journey would be a course of 
 exploration. 
 
 What a sombre and dreary scene surrounded us, with its 
 quietness undisturbed, even by the slightest tremor in the 
 voiceless air ! I sat on the front box of the waggon , 
 waiting to make an observation for latitude. Looking 
 at the flickering flames of fires, around which the boys 
 lay fast asleep, I could see that the little hunting camp 
 had become grass-grown, with wild hemp intermingled, 
 while a rich garden of pumpkins studded the ground, 
 and creepers innumerable, and of every descrij^tion, hung 
 gracefully from the boughs, kissing the tops of the grass 
 sugar-loaf huts, which rose slightly above the netted 
 vegetation. 
 
 I succeeded in getting two successful observations for 
 latitude, and the following day was devoted to fixing the 
 longitude, finding the variation of the compass, and arrang- 
 ing other smaller matters with reference to survey work ; 
 for onwards, from this point, it was my intention to map 
 the country as accurately as I could. 
 
96 TEE FAR INTEBIOR. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 INTO MASHONA-LAND. 
 
 Food supplies — John's concertina — Stirring dreams — Protection at night — 
 John has an eye to the future — We leave Taroman behind — His 
 revenge — The prairie on fire — A close escape — Matabeli raids — Sudden 
 appearance of Mashona hunters — Chibero's — Description of a Mashona 
 stronghold — Matabeli war tactics — ^Desolating results — Advantages 
 of silence — Chibero is stubborn — ^The carrier difficulty — Stupid advice 
 — Little Unyamwenda — One of Nature's dungeons — Native trading — 
 Recruiting volunteers — "Villum" orChirumutu — Writing unknown — 
 Harassing bargains — "I melt de fat of de olifant, Master" — That 
 exasperating fellow Taroman — Harte-beest hunting — Mashona mode of 
 hunting — Netting game — General appearance of the Mashona — • 
 Mashona girls — Weapons — ^The assegai — A persecuted race — ^Diet — 
 Cattle — A dilatory start — The waggon abandoned — " Tussa, tussa!" — 
 Baggage for the journey — The body-guard — Taroman incensed — Help- 
 lessness of the whites among the blacks — The company start on foot 
 for the north. 
 
 Early in the morning I sent John in search of Taroman, 
 whom I had not seen during all the previous day, when 
 I had been hunting. It was not long before John returned 
 with the wanderer, and also with the missing oxen. 
 
 " Master," said John, " dat olt man go back to de olt 
 bones of de olifant what we keel ! " 
 
 Taroman's general appearance might have led any one to 
 believe that he had spent the night in a dust-bin, for he 
 was coated with an ashen hue, while his face showed un- 
 mistakable signs that the honey-birds had piloted his steps 
 to sweet stores of plenty. He looked on this occasion as he 
 always looked after a return from absence without leave ; 
 
A TOUGH TRUNK. 97 
 
 that is to say, with a guilty expression suggestive of the Jog 
 which has been hunting on its own account in your favourite 
 pheasantry. Sometimes he looked as if he had lost some- 
 thing and was anxious for an immediate search. 
 
 " Umtagate ! " (which means anything but a gentleman) 
 was the subdued chorus which rose from the group of fire- 
 squatters on such reappearances. 
 
 Enquiry got no response from this unrivalled torment, 
 who generally excused himself by saying he had heard 
 lions. Perhaps his sight had left him unusually early in 
 the afternoon, and he had sought refuge in a high tree, 
 where he had spent the night. On my suggesting that ho 
 had better go and feed, the stolidity of his face thawed ; it 
 broke up, grew wider than it had before been long, through 
 the lively emotions of anticipated bliss. 
 
 We had a very busy day. To our stock of provisions was 
 now added a number of pumpkins, forming a very welcome 
 accession, as the supply of vegetables was remarkably poor. 
 Of meat we had a superabundance ; the waggon was filled 
 with it, in almost every variety, piled up in absolute con- 
 fusion, so that everything appeared to be upside down. 
 Close beside my head, where I rested, was an immense 
 piece of an elephant's trunk. The sight of it was becoming 
 tiresome, but in spite of the most strenuous efforts of the 
 boys they could not " wear it out." 
 
 The wind rose towards evening, and brought on a thick 
 mist. I was thoroughly fatigued, for I had again been 
 hunting, and, notwithstanding the confusion around me, 
 was glad to lay down on my somewhat limited bed, where 
 I was lulled to sleep by the wildly erratic tones of Korana 
 John's concertina, sounding as though it was screeching in 
 defiance of the impediment of a chronic asthma. 
 
 All the surrounding conditions, and in fact even the 
 
 VOL. I. H 
 
98 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 atmosphere, reminded me that we were in a game country. 
 The thought conduced to create thrilling dreams of sport, 
 especially after a supper of elephant's trunk, when the 
 digestive organs would be sadly impaired, and would send 
 tumultuous throbs to the brain, awakening the most awful 
 visions of imagination. At one time I would be breathlessly 
 creeping up, like a snake, to some fearful monster, and just 
 as I came close to him my gun would not come to the 
 shoulder. In a second he would be upon me, but I was off, 
 whirling through space, as though I were shot from a 
 Krupp; jumping, in one bound, rivers which had taken 
 hours to cross : and at length dashing meteor-like through 
 the ethereal sky, only to see my dreaded enemy, in the 
 shape of a larger world, directly before me, and coming 
 nearer and nearer with a velocity equal to my own. Of 
 course just as we were about to collide, with terrific force, 
 I awoke. 
 
 I then found that the drawing board which I was accus- 
 tomed to place at my head, to protect me from the wind, as 
 it blew through the waggon as if through a funnel, had 
 fallen upon my cranium, bringing down at the same time 
 the lantern, while the sail flap at the end of the conveyance 
 was lashing and cracking about my ears, being agitated by 
 the heavy gale. 
 
 What a gipsy life this was ! But it was pleasant withal, 
 almost captivating, for hitherto no real or serious obstacle 
 had come in my way. 
 
 When morning broke the mist lifted, and the grey of the 
 dawn proved the harbinger of another lovely day for our 
 journey. Breakfast, before starting, consisted of tea, and 
 about six inches of elephant's trunk, which I worked on 
 strenuously with my teeth for a quarter of an hour ; but 
 making no impression upon the stuff", and noticing the 
 
FAT AND LAZY. 99 
 
 " higher ape" watching for an opportunity to try his powers, 
 I flung the bit to him, and saw it go down his throat like a 
 worm into a young sparrow, for by this time he had quite 
 recovered. 
 
 John had succeeded in making a small tent-cover for my 
 bed, using for the purpose some cotton drill (trading stuff 
 that I carried). The cover was necessary, because the 
 dews were now very heavy at night, and we would soon 
 have to abandon the waggon. This was the only way to 
 avoid having constantly, or rather as long as the climate 
 would allow me, to sleep in wet blankets. Damp means 
 fever. 
 
 I was not sorry when the time came to leave the camp, as 
 my Kaffirs would soon become useless through their exces- 
 sive feasting. They had been eating at every spare moment, 
 and the fire had always a pot full of pumpkin, while long 
 pieces of meat were being roasted. The " higher ape " at this 
 time was a fearful looking picture, his outline resembling 
 that of a drowned man. Poor Taroman had assumed the 
 aspect of a well-developed pumpkin, and was forced to find 
 that there was a limit to the elasticity of the walls even 
 of his wonderful paunch, which he continued to rub with 
 earnest fervour, groaning all the time, as he declared that 
 he had a pain in his head ! Like other people in all parts 
 of the world, it is noticeable that as the Kaffir grows fat he 
 becomes lazy. 
 
 Karemba was now in his own country, although his home 
 was a great distance towards the south-east. 
 
 At 6 o'clock in the morning the thermometer registered 
 40°, the dew laying heavy on the grass. Before noon we 
 made a start, although it certainly was rather difficult, for 
 one of John's harassing peculiarities was his at all times 
 far-calculating disposition ; his keen eye to future business 
 
 H 2 
 
100 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 being always wide awake, as he thought of the happy day 
 when he would return to Buluwayo with a waggon-load of 
 interior produce. This idiosyncrasy was at times very 
 funny. He would often say, " Master, I want harte-beest 
 skins," but this morning he had been gathering together 
 the pumpkins, and just as we were about to start he said, 
 " Master, I have a beeg load on ; pumpkins I am going to 
 take back when I go home. The waggon will stick this 
 day." Home, it should be observed, was John's brightest 
 star of hope. 
 
 It was now my intention to travel on the southern side 
 of the Hanyane river towards the south-east, until I reached 
 some of the Mashona kraals. 
 
 Striking through an open, undulating country, charac- 
 terised by a succession of low, wave-like hills, and showing 
 avenues of stunted forest growth fringing the edges of its 
 innumerable narrow watercourses, we shortly made a halt 
 beneath the shelter of a small clump of trees. The sun was 
 excessively hot. We were surrounded by plains covered 
 with long rank grass, portions of which had been burnt by 
 the Mashona people. 
 
 After a short rest we shouted for Taroman, and cracked 
 the cattle whip, which is a custom in South Africa in letting 
 the herdsmen know that it is time to bring the cattle to 
 inspan, for the report of the whip can be heard at a great 
 distance. Taroman, however, was nowhere to be seen, 
 although we succeeded in finding the cattle after a long 
 search in the high grass. 
 
 So we were forced to start without our herdsman, aban- 
 doning him to whatever fate might be in store for him. 
 After a little time I gave a last look behind, thinking I 
 might perchance see the notorious absentee. 
 
 Instead of that I was startled to find that the whole 
 
TAROMAN FIRES THE GRASS. 101 
 
 prairie was on fire. It was evident that old Taroman had 
 awoke from his lazy sleep, and, whether through spite at 
 being left behind, or for some other reason unknown to 
 me, he must have taken a wand from the camp fire and 
 ignited the long grass, which burnt with great rapidity, the 
 conflagration being borne swiftly towards us by a brisk 
 wind, which fanned the furious flames and drove them 
 impetuously onward. 
 
 We at once saw that we were chased by a dangerous and 
 relentless enemy, and a very annoying time we had during 
 the pursuit. John's really vigorous endeavours to urge the 
 oxen forward seemed to be inadequate, for the fire kept 
 steadily gaining upon us. What I was afraid of was the 
 waggon and all the valuables for trading. Previously we 
 had always taken precautions against such emergencies, but 
 only at night. Usually the grass was fired surrounding our 
 camp, so as to prevent a surprise. Where the grass is low 
 and thin, the fire can be fought pretty successfully with 
 branches of shrubs ; but with long grass in flames, furiously 
 swept forward by a mighty wind, it is obviously impossible 
 to stand near it. Now and then, when ploughing through 
 streaks of wet, black, loamy soil (where, by the way, we 
 saw the spoor of black rhinoceros), the waggon stuck fast. 
 At such times my anxiety was intensified to a troublesome 
 degree. To be overtaken meant immediate ruin. 
 
 I was seriously thinking of pitching all John's pumpkins 
 overboard, when we fortunately pulled out, and striking a 
 very dry belt, put the oxen at a run, and presently, crossing 
 a small rivulet, found ourselves in a position of safety, 
 where we could bid defiance to the devouring rage of the 
 pursuing fire. 
 
 Two days' travel brought us to the outlying kraals of the 
 Mashona tribe. 
 
102 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 During this journey we passed over numerous deserted 
 Mashona fields, which had evidently been devastated during 
 the frequent raids of the Matabeli impi (army or warriors). 
 The savage invaders had driven the more industrious 
 Mashona away to the eastward, killing all who came within 
 reach. Thus the once well-tilled fields were left to assume 
 again the unprofitable wildness of their primitive condition ; 
 the furrows and ridges of the formerly cultivated land alone 
 remaining to tell the sorrowful tale of conquest and desolation. 
 
 While hunting for rhinoceros one morning I came upon 
 some antelopes, one of which I wounded. In the course of 
 the swift pursuit which followed, I was thoroughly startled 
 by the sudden appearance in the chase of two men, who 
 turned out to be Mashona hunters. Both were armed 
 with flint-lock muskets. Their persons were adorned with 
 bracelets of buffalo hide, and necklaces of bone and claws, 
 also pieces of the hoof of the small gazelle. Bound their 
 loins they wore sporans of leather, interwoven with beads of 
 iron and brass. They carried their powder in horns. 
 
 As I could not speak the language, I signed to them 
 to come to the waggon, which we could see indistinctly, 
 almost buried in the long grass. On coming up to the 
 caravan they asked for caps, and in reply we told them that 
 we were going to the Zambesi, and if they would accompany 
 us we would give them caps there. But they shook their 
 heads, saying that it was very far, offering, however, to go 
 on a hunting trip to get meat. 
 
 I was quite glad to see a strange face, for since leaving 
 the mission station at Umhlangene, nearly a month before, 
 we had not met a single soul. The hunters informed us that 
 there was a Mashona kraal close by, and hinted that perhaps 
 the chief, whose name was Chibero, would give us help. 
 
 After about three hours' trek we came upon numerous 
 
MASHONA PEOPLE. 103 
 
 little patches of cultivated ground. A stream of human 
 beings kept pouring towards us, gradually swelling to a 
 large crowd, until at length, with the babble of innumerable 
 voices, varied by the strange notes of Mashona musical 
 instruments, which some of our happy escort carried with 
 them, we entered a lovely green valley where a few cattle 
 could be seen grazing. The valley was walled in by low 
 mountain ridges, and overlooked by the rocky fastnesses of 
 the Mashona chief. We camped about 500 yards from 
 where the town stood. 
 
 Taroman, the "thorn" of our party, had not appeared 
 since the prairie fire. The sheep, of which there were only 
 three left, and one goat, were such pets that they followed 
 close under the waggon without herding. 
 
 The people were all very friendly, and eager to get some 
 of the white man's treasures. They are a very diiferent type 
 to the bloodthirsty warriors whose country we had just 
 left, and of whom they live in constant terror. Judging 
 from first appearances, I could perceive that the physique 
 of the Mashona was very inferior to that of the Matabeli. 
 Their skin is darker too, and altogether they have a greater 
 resemblance to the genuine negro. I sent word to the chief 
 that I would visit him in the morning, and was not sorry 
 when morning came, for the night was very stormy, and the 
 waggon had its head to the wind, which passed through with 
 great power, so that I might say that my lullaby was the 
 loud voice of a hurricane. 
 
 Karemba and myself started across the plain, and walked 
 into the fastnesses of a rugged mountain, composed of im- 
 mense boulders, over and around which wound a tortuous 
 path running right and left, up and down, and screwing in 
 all directions, so as to avoid the rocks that jutted out over 
 this wonderfully intricate track of the mountaineers. 
 
104 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Situated on the highest point of the mountain was the 
 citadel. The spaces between the massive rocks which formed 
 an impregnable barrier around the town, and whose sides 
 were so smooth that even a cat could not scale them, were 
 filled with stout posts interlaced with thorny bushes. It 
 appeared to me that it would be impossible to effect an 
 entrance without the aid of someone inside. All this power- 
 ful fortifying is carried out in order to secure their lives 
 against the murderous attacks of their dreaded foes. Un- 
 disputed by the owners and tillers of the soil, all property 
 in the form of com and cattle must be abandoned to the 
 caprice of the conquering Matabeli. 
 
 Attack is entirely a matter of cunning and stalking. A 
 Matabeli impi (army) will approach as stealthily, and as in- 
 visibly as snakes, crawling as closely upon the ground, and 
 concealed by the undergrowth, they watch the movements of 
 their intended victims, the timid Mashona. Then, when a 
 favourable opportunity occurs, up they rise like a wild black 
 cloud of destruction. Hissing and shrieking their fiercest 
 battle cry, they bound and leap like the *' klipspringer," * 
 from rock to rock, dealing with fearful precision the death- 
 giving blow of the assegai ; and ever and anon shouting 
 with thrilling ecstasy, their terrific cry of triumph, as they 
 tear out the yet beating hearts of their victims. 
 
 After a pursuit of the flying and panic-striken horde, the 
 ravagers herd in the straying cattle, and then the devastating 
 cloud moves away, gathering, in its circuitous route, other 
 nebulae in the shape of slave girls and boys, as well as the 
 cattle from perhaps hundreds of hitherto quiet and smiling 
 valleys. They return to their king with news of victory ; 
 dancing as they sing the story of their soul-stirring and 
 daring deeds, while in feasting they drink the beer made by 
 
 * A small but extremely agile antelope living in the rocky kopjies. 
 
CHIBERO THE CHIEF. 105 
 
 the hands of the girls whose parents' lives and property were 
 the fruits of the chase, their bones lying bleaching in the 
 sun amid the weather-worn rocks of the deserted highland 
 home. 
 
 On such occasions the king rewards his generals mnch in 
 the same way as is done by the English. He gives them 
 the currency of the country (cattle), although perhaps blood 
 does not call for so high a premium in a savage country as 
 it does in our own land. 
 
 The gateway of the barrier seemed to be the only access 
 to the town. It was composed of trunks of trees laid in a 
 horizontal position, one above the other, and the whole 
 " shored up " from the back by strong poles. 
 
 Karemba soon succeeded in persuading the inhabitants 
 that we were on a friendly mission, and had come to consult 
 the " old man." Satisfied with this assurance, they, after a 
 good deal of work, pulled away a sufficient number of the 
 logs to leave a small opening, through which we crawled 
 with a little difficulty. 
 
 Our appearance caused not a little curiosity among the 
 crowd of Mashona, great and small, who witnessed our 
 entrance. Immediately on our left, and half hidden under 
 the shadow of a huge rock — against which were laid whole 
 stacks of assegais, battle axes, and clubs — sat the chief 
 Chibero. His position was close to a large fire, where a 
 number of his vassals, exceedingly wretched, half-fed look- 
 ing creatures, also crowded in their efforts to absorb in their 
 miserable bodies some share of the scanty heat, for the 
 morning air was bitterly cold. 
 
 I felt, and I am sure I looked, like a mummy. We seated 
 ourselves, with awful solemnity, upon the ground, looking 
 and acting all the while as though our mission was of a 
 most funereal character. It should be remembered that 
 
f 
 106 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 in the company of the savage the longer you remain 
 mute, the greater weight will be carried by your words, 
 whenever you deem it fitting to divulge the ruminations 
 of your mind. Does not this bear in some degree upon 
 certain features or frailties in civilised life ? Many a 
 man, but few women (for obvious reasons), have high 
 reputations for wit as well as wisdom built upon the 
 negative but commanding virtue of silence. The virtue 
 seems to be exceptionally useful — golden not silvern — in 
 the world of business. In my position at that time 
 any appearance of anxious solicitation would have been 
 disastrous; just as it invariably is, in dealings with our 
 white brothers, who are ever ready to take advantage of 
 human weaknesses. 
 
 At length, with all the decorum due to so important an 
 assemblage, for to me the occasion and its results were of 
 the greatest moment, Karemba inquired if the chief could 
 give the white man boys to go to Kunyungwi, that being 
 the name given by these people to Tette, the Portuguese 
 settlement, or rather outpost, on the Zambesi, which in 
 the meantime was my intended destination. 
 
 Chibero, however, declared that he could give no boys, 
 while all those who were beside the fire laughed with dis- 
 dainful heedlessness. The Mashona have not the slightest 
 idea of the lapse of time, their days being passed with pur- 
 poseless indifierence, and even with less exertion than is 
 shown by the degenerate Mexicans. 
 
 It soon became evident that nothing could be done with 
 Chibero and his " boys," so we left the stubborn chief, and 
 retraced our steps through the intricacies of the path 
 towards the waggon. 
 
 I had failed to satisfy my wishes ; but I had learned a 
 useful lesson. In future I would not say, " I wish the boys 
 
THE CABRIER DIFFICULTY. 107 
 
 to go with me to Kunyungwi." As I judged from the sur- 
 prised faces of the natives, the distance to them was too 
 great. Then and there I determined to find out through 
 the medium of Karemba the name of tlie next chief, whose 
 country lay towards the north-east, and thus, from one 
 chief to another, gradually work my way through to the 
 Zambesi. The little failure about getting boys, reminded 
 me of the warning words uttered by Selous, who said, " Your 
 great difficulty will be to get carriers : they do not like to 
 go far from home." 
 
 This assertion greatly differed from the statement con- 
 tained in a letter I received while yet in the vicinity of the 
 Diamond Fields. The letter was from a friend, who informed 
 me that he had just met a gentleman who had arrived from 
 the Victoria Falls of the Zambesi. On that account this 
 gentleman considered himself an infallible authority on 
 African travel, and said that he thought there would be no 
 trouble whatever in getting boys. Here it is advisable to 
 remind the reader that there is a traders' wap-fj-on route — as 
 wide as the very broad road that is so familiar in pulpit 
 oratory — reaching to within a couple of days' journey from 
 the Victoria Falls, which are situated on the great southern 
 bend of the river, about 360 miles (as the crow flies) N.N.W. 
 of Shoshong. My present position was about 450 miles (as 
 the crow flies) N.E. of Shoshong, so that I was yet 220 
 miles, in a direct route, from Tette on the Zambesi, which 
 was the ultimate point of this section of my journey. The 
 actual distance, however, which I traversed even here was 
 more than doubled through the intricate wanderings and 
 reverses experienced during my progress through an un- 
 known country. 
 
 These facts are mentioned only for the purpose of showing 
 how readily some African travellers, who are but freshmen 
 
108 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 on the field, will venture opinions upon modes of travelling 
 in regions of which they have no experience, and unsup- 
 ported even by the dictates of common sense. 
 
 On reaching the waggon we soon spanned in the oxen, and 
 a short trek brought us to the town of Little Unyamwenda, 
 which was under the rule of a headman, or enduna, of the 
 chief Unyamwenda, whose town is further on, being situated 
 close to the southern bank of the Hanyani river. 
 
 I had already made up my mind that on no account 
 would I risk taking the waggon across the Hanyane river, as 
 all our future movements where enveloped in obscurity. 
 No one could say how our journey was to proceed. There- 
 fore I concluded to make this town the final halting place 
 for the waggon and the animals ; for it was well to anticipate 
 the difficulties which lay before us to the northward ; among 
 other obstacles being the dreaded tsetse fly, which would 
 certainly kill our oxen. 
 
 We pulled the waggon as near as we possibly could to 
 the apparently inaccessible town, the track being of a most 
 uncomfortable description, full of sharp corners which we 
 had to round with the greatest care in order to avoid 
 collisions wdth rocks, while in some instances we slid over 
 slippery boulders whose treacherous sides provoked many a 
 mishap. At length we reached a secure spot, and it was 
 indeed a miracle that the waggon had not been upset or 
 smashed. Taking everything into consideration, I was very 
 well satisfied when we came to an anchor. 
 
 It would have puzzled anyone who was not thoroughly 
 familiar with the peculiarities of these rugged mountains to 
 tell how we had ever managed to gain our present position. 
 We stood in the centre of a small basin, enclosed by im- 
 mense boulders whose massive summits, bold and grey, 
 frowned upon us on every side. In colour they admirably 
 
ABANDONING THE WAGGON. 109 
 
 matched the dull leaden hue of the atmosphere, imprei^nated 
 with smoke from the forest fires. The smoke seemed to be 
 prevented from rising by the heavy clouds which hung 
 overhead, making one think of the state of affairs which, 
 with the pith of proverbial slang, is called a " blue look 
 out." 
 
 We seemed to have wound our way into one of Nature's 
 dungeons, and the resemblance was the more striking owing 
 to the changing weather having brought a spell of cold, 
 with occasional drifts of searching misty rains. 
 
 The waggon was here to be abandoned, and I could 
 not help looking upon it with all the affection usually given 
 to an old but comfortable arm-chair, on Avhich every grease 
 spot, and every charred hole, showing where the mild 
 regalia had fallen during drowsy moments, bring to one's 
 recollection the memory of special stories, which in their 
 turn revive other associations, all tending to cheer the weary 
 mind, and make us forget for the time the presence of 
 dreary surroundings. 
 
 There the old waggon stood, reminding me strongly of a 
 worn and torn craft which had braved the buffeting billows 
 during a long and tempestuous voyage. The sail which 
 formed the cover now hung in shreds, torn by the angry 
 thorns of the dense forests through which we had ploughed 
 our way. The top was covered with the skins of wild 
 animals. The dissel boom, or pole, was a rough unhewn 
 tree, and the wheels were thickly caked with black sun- 
 hardened clay. 
 
 The whole turn-out looked shabby and dilapidated, but I 
 watched with a happy heart the poor foot-sore oxen (whose 
 bones were now forming sharp angles and threatening to 
 break through their hides) as they wended their way down 
 the narrow, rocky trail to the fresh green valley beneath. 
 
110 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 where I knew that for months they would be released from 
 work. 
 
 Animation was soon given to the scene by the arrival of 
 the Mashona people, who began to crowd around ; the young 
 men all being eager and anxious to know what the white 
 man was going to do. " Was he going to hunt for meat ? " 
 " Did he wish to trade ? " and so forth, were the class of 
 questions asked. 
 
 Gradually the crowd of visitors began to swell to con- 
 siderable dimensions, and we had quite a lively market 
 scene, which brought with it a shower of light to our gloomy 
 spirits, enlivened by the turmoil of countless voices. Pro- 
 duce of all descriptions common to the country was brought 
 forward. We had rice, com, meal, sweet potatoes, ivory, 
 ostrich feathers, and assegais. On every rock the native 
 merchants and their friends were perched like living 
 statues, watching our movements and commenting upon us 
 all the while. Abundance of light and shade could be seen 
 in the style of conversation and in the mode of trading. 
 Indeed their ever-changing countenances formed a special 
 study. A great deal of acuteness was shown in trading 
 transactions. They wrangled boisterously even about the 
 value of a small wooden saucer filled with meal, or about 
 the quantity of beads they had received in exchange for 
 any special article which they sold. 
 
 Indignant at times, they would stare wildly at their 
 associates, looking as though they meant to break for ever 
 the link of friendship. In hot dispute their tones would 
 show the highest excitement, succeeded by the lowering 
 frowns of sulkiness, and anon by wild bursts of uproarious 
 laughter ; all showing that the barometer of their temper 
 was of a thoroughly mercurial character, subject to rises and 
 falls of no ordinary abruptness and extent. 
 
RECRUITING. Ill 
 
 As I at all times kept in mind the fact that a day would 
 inevitably arrive when serious obstacles must cross my 
 path, I was anxious to make the most of the time at my dis- 
 posal ; for I knew that the prospects of long marches in the 
 high, wet grass of the Zambesi valley would certainly be 
 realised should the rains overtake us. 
 
 Remembering this I at once commenced to engage volun- 
 teers who showed any real willingness to proceed. While 
 they seemed to be in a favourable mood, the sooner I could 
 catch them the better ; at least so I thought. 
 
 One of the first to come forward was a very strongly built 
 and extremely fat man, extraordinarily so for a ^fashona. 
 John said he knew him as one who had often gone with 
 hunters to the fly country. The man had been nicknamed 
 " Villum," but his real name was Chirimutu. 
 
 Five others quickly followed the example of our first 
 recruit, all saying that they would go with me to Kunyungwi, 
 These I found were Chibero men, who had followed us from 
 the town at which we last stopped. In this way I continued 
 to enlist the boys, as long as the novelty of the occasion 
 captivated and enchanted their childish minds. 
 
 My modus o'perandi was as follows : Taking out a sample 
 cotton blanket and two varieties of beads (small red beads 
 with white eyes seemed to be the favourites), I tried to come 
 to terms with each individual ; and in an effort to instil 
 some degree of method and discipline into the wild and 
 babbling crowd, I wrote each man's name in my note book. 
 All this time, however, I was pestered by annoying inter- 
 ruptions of a most extraordinary character. The man who 
 had just been at ray shoulder, anxious to know what he was 
 to receive, after giving me his name, and seeing it written 
 down — an operation which afforded him pantomimic delight 
 — would wander away as though nothing had taken place; 
 
112 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 in all likelihood thinking that when I was writing his 
 name I was merely consulting my spirit as to the advisa- 
 bility of accepting his services.* Before he had gone fifty 
 yards, the whole transaction was obliterated from his erratic 
 mind. 
 
 He would wander off and meet a friend who, after a snuff, 
 would inquire if he had seen the white man. On receiving 
 an emphatic reply in the negative, they would return to me 
 in company ; the man I had just arranged with coming up 
 unabashed as a distinctly new man ; and, looking as though 
 he had never seen me before in his lifetime, he would ask 
 for quite a different and a fresh lot of things, thus upsetting 
 all the former agreement which I had written against his 
 name, for I was especially careful not to give anything away 
 until all was in readiness for an immediate start. It seems 
 to be indispensable that the natives should get presents. 
 In fact they must get them, or they will do nothing ; and 
 even afterwards they must have promises of other donations 
 to follow. 
 
 Sometimes it would seem quite hopeless to try and do 
 anything with such volatile and insensate beings. Any 
 number of them were ready to go on a hunt for meat ; but 
 the fact of being required as carriers seemed to be utterly 
 beyond their comprehension. Sadly perplexed by such 
 troubles, I turned round to look for John, especially as I 
 was coming to terms with an unusually tractable black. 
 Where was he? Certainly nowhere within the range of 
 vision ; but, after looking about for some time, I found him 
 behind a rock, in company with the higher ape and 
 Sagwam, melting down elephant's fat, and at the same 
 
 * The natives have not the slightest idea of the meaning of writing. 
 So far as I can make out, they fancy tliat the white man discovers every- 
 thing in his papers, and these he finds " ready made." 
 
OLD T AROM AN AGAIN ! 113 
 
 time busily chewing the gristly bits, that would not liquefy 
 into a money-getting commodity. 
 
 " What are you doing, John ? " 
 
 " I melt de fat of de olifant, master, to take back when I 
 go home. Dar is man in Natal, dat give me one pound for 
 de small cup full." 
 
 Hurriedly taking the melter away from his absorbing- 
 occupation, I ran back with him to the place a\ here stood 
 the hesitating recruit, who had just been on the eve of 
 accepting the bounty. He was gone ! 
 
 Where was Karemba ? There he was dancing with a group 
 of brother Mashona, who keep time as he deftly touches 
 the iron keys of the native piano ; for Karemba a\ as budding 
 out, and here he unexpectedly turned up as a musician of 
 note among his own feather. 
 
 Amidst all this confusion and distraction, the reader may 
 imagine how difficult a matter it was to keep the temper 
 within the bounds of reason. And yet, just as I was 
 struggling against the formidable flood of annoyances, 
 another provocation to wrath made its appearance in the 
 person of the long lost and incorrigible old scoundrel 
 Taroman, whom we had not seen since he had sent the 
 prairie fire careering after us to accomplish our destruction. 
 In my present state of worrying excitement I could have 
 annihilated the fellow; and yet there he stood, grinning 
 from ear to ear, and calmly saying that he would " like a 
 blanket!" 
 
 Words cannot express the wildness of my feelings at this 
 particular moment. Without egotism I can repeat the 
 oft spoken simile that compared to my outward resignation 
 Job's patience was not a circumstance. The patriarch 
 would have gone " bald crazy " had he been similarly 
 situated. More than once I felt inclined to retire and have 
 
 VOL. I. I 
 
114 TBE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 a solemnly independent dance, by myself, daring which I 
 would endeavour to remember some lines of Dante's 
 "Inferno," while I hummed the strains of Beethoven's 
 " Funeral March." 
 
 Having heard that meat was an indispensable article as 
 an incentive before starting on a journey, I lost no time in 
 going forth in search of it. Taking C. L. K., and followed 
 by a number of Mashona who carried their bows and 
 arrows and spears, off we went, crossing the small range 
 of mountains which lay to the north of the town, and then 
 descending to a large plain, which was completely black 
 through all the high grass having been burnt. Only ant- 
 heaps, like huge molehills, could be seen to vary the dead 
 flatness of the blackened surface. 
 
 My garments here were the cause of some consideration. 
 I had donned a new pair of corduroy " unmentionables," 
 a flannel shirt, and a cartridge belt, which, with a Boer hat, 
 completed my costume. I fancied myself " quite too much " 
 like a clothes pole in front of a Hebrew store in Oxford 
 Street, altogether too clean for hunting, as I stood like 
 a white pillar upon the jet-like blackness of the ground. 
 This chalkiness, however, was soon ebonised by rolling my 
 body freely in the charred straw. After this charcoal 
 shampoo I felt more like my work, and noticed that the 
 Mashona highly appreciated the little stroke of hunter's 
 policy ; doubtless thinking that the white man was getting 
 a good " ready " on, like the cock which stamps and jumps 
 about before he is pitted. 
 
 During this operation the keen-eyed mountaineers had 
 espied a herd of tsessebe antelope {Alcelafhus lunatus) at 
 about 600 yards' distance. Stalking on these flats is very 
 nice work. We make use of the ant-heaps, and crawl alli- 
 gator-like along the ground. I dropped two fine bulls, but 
 
MASHONA METHOD OF HUNTING. llo 
 
 the second was lost after having chased him until my store 
 of wind had completely run out, and I had taken an involun- 
 tary plunge into a small black bog, that threw up coarse- 
 high reeds upon which I was nearly impaled. Smeared 
 with green slime and black mud I emerged from this pit- 
 fall, using language which I am certain could hardly be 
 characterised as that of meek affliction. 
 
 On my way back I found the Mashona in great glee 
 carrying off the meat. 1 was not sorry when the sun had 
 set. ^ The day's work had been hard and trying, but at the 
 same time when I closed my eyes I had the satisfaction of 
 thinking that what I had done would facilitate our depar- 
 ture, which I sincerely hoped would be managed on the 
 succeeding afternoon. 
 
 The Mashona mode of hunting is principally by netting 
 the game. This they do at night by staking out long lines 
 of nets, towards which they drive the game so as to become 
 entangled in the snare, and render the capture an easy task. 
 The Mashona say that the nets are sufficiently strong to 
 stop an eland, the heaviest antelope in Africa. The rhi- 
 noceros and elephant, however, make playful havoc with 
 the obstruction. The nets are very neatly made from the 
 bark of the machabele-tree, extensively used by these people 
 for many purposes, which I will endeavour to explain in 
 succeeding pages of the present book. 
 
 The Mashona is careless of his person generally, with the 
 exception of his head, covered with curly and crisp hair, 
 which he loves to adorn in a manner that shows no incon- 
 siderable degree of skill and even taste. Artistic arrangement 
 is rarely absent, and the observer is forced to acknowledge 
 their power in the department of hair-dressing. The women 
 are the adorners and barbers. With a pointed piece of 
 bone they divide the hair into a great variety of fantastic 
 
 * I 2 
 
116 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 shapes. Sometimes the partings are made from back to 
 front, showing cockscomb-like ridges which form a most 
 becoming head-dress. Another fashion is the separation of 
 the hair into circular tufts. Pulling it out to the full 
 length they bind it round with the fine mimosa bark, so 
 that it stretches outwards from the head, leaving a tuft of 
 curly hair at the end of the newly-formed stalk. A very 
 liberal supply of the fat of some wild animal, or perhaps of 
 the oil of the ground-nut, is then employed to anoint the 
 head-gear, showing the finishing touch of the master coif- 
 feur's hand, the appearance of the whole adornment being 
 shiny and fleecy, and resembling in a peculiar manner a 
 luxuriant bunch of wild blackberries. 
 
 The women shave their heads, while the young girls have 
 a fashion of stringing beads in their hair, and by the 
 increased bulk cause their tops to look like the hooded 
 bantam, especially as they shave all round the sides and 
 back, leaving nothing but this odd-looking mop-like tuft. 
 
 Many of the youthful Mashona charmers, while very 
 young, have lithe and graceful figures, although their 
 features are far from lovely. 
 
 So far as I could see and learn, the morals of the people 
 were much superior to the morals of the Matabeli, of whom 
 I have already spoken in that connection. 
 
 It was interesting to notice the tribal or distinctive mark 
 of the Mashona, which was shown by the practice of filing 
 out spaces between the two upper front teeth, the aperture 
 having the shape of the letter V inverted. 
 
 Their weapons are the bow and arrow, the axe and the 
 assegai. Of the latter every man carries two or three of 
 various sizes, but all, as a rule, much larger than those used 
 by the Zulus; they are also much broader in the blade. 
 The butt end of the assegai is shod with a piece of pointed 
 
A PERSECUTED RACE. 117 
 
 iron, which is utilized for all manner of purposes, such as 
 making holes in which to place the stakes of their game- 
 nets, and other kindred uses common in the fiehls. It is 
 rather a clumsy weapon, very different from the assegais of 
 warlike tribes, in which the shafts are as light and as 
 springy as whip handles, while only the spear-head end is 
 used, the head being fitted into the shaft and bound neatly 
 but firmly with pieces of raw hide, which is allowed to dry, 
 so that by the shrinking process the binding holds with a 
 vicedike firmness. The weapon I describe is a Aveapon solely 
 intended for bloodshed, either that of animals or of men. 
 
 A persecuted and a hunted race are the j)oor ]\Iashona. 
 Dwelling in the mountain fastnesses, where their towns 
 are hidden in most inaccessible sj>ots amidst the great 
 igneous belts which form such a prominent characteristic of 
 the landscape, their huts are exceedingly primitive in con- 
 struction, thatched with wild coarse grass, and usually 
 perched upon the summit of isolated rocks. The only 
 means of communication are, in some cases, a rough notched 
 pole, which they can pull quickly up in the event of attack 
 so as to make their retreat secure, or through innumerable 
 intricate windings among their almost impenetrable rocky 
 environment. 
 
 Many a time, as I dodged through the wild, goblin-like 
 caverns of the place, did I think how thoroughly harass- 
 ing, if not demoralising, it would be for an aggressive 
 army to fight its way through the maze. Single rank 
 would be the only formation that could advance, and men 
 looking for their next uncertain foothold would be sure to 
 be annihilated either from above, or from the innumerable 
 black devils' gates which abound on every side, and in 
 which the Mashona crouch during the attacks of the foe. 
 In spite of all these natural advantages for defence, 
 
118 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 the Matabeli always seem to be able to out-general the 
 unfortunate inhabitants. 
 
 Almost every nook and cavern of these well-nigh inacces- 
 sible mountain fastnesses contains a village or town of this 
 hunted people, who never build their kraals on the flats or 
 in the valleys. Here we see the struggle for existence 
 admirably portrayed — not the individual struggling for life, 
 but also the tribe, which is likewise a unit among African 
 races. History repeats itself, and even the savage com- 
 munity must have its birth, infancy, maturity, decline and 
 death. Mashona unity is broken ; they have no longer such 
 power of organisation as their neighbours, the Matabeli. 
 They live in detached tribes, each one being a little king- 
 dom in itself, and only looking towards its own existence. 
 It seems as though the ambition for supremacy amongst 
 them has faded from their minds, and that their only prayer 
 is now for a quiet life. For them all glory has fled. 
 
 The diet of the Mashona consists generally of maize, 
 meal and nuts (Arachis). They are particularly fond of the 
 latter. A special partiality is also extended to meat of 
 every description, which they cook in the crudest manner. 
 They are not at all particular as to the time when it was 
 killed, provided it has not wholly assumed another form of 
 animal life. 
 
 Their cattle are very diminutive, but peculiarly hardy. 
 Some have even been trained and used by hunters in their 
 waggon work, and have been found to be very tough crea- 
 tures, not so liable to get footsore as larger cattle, such as 
 the Boer trek oxen. Towards nightfall the timid people 
 herd their cattle and goats into the town, the nimble-footed 
 beasts scrambling up the narrow rocky paths with the 
 utmost ease and confidence. Before the sun has set the 
 gateway is barricaded with immense trunks of trees. 
 
THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. 119 
 
 Respecting these people, the impression left upon my 
 mind is that they are a declining race, exemplifying 
 strongly the Darwinian doctrine of the survival of tlie 
 fittest. The stronger blood of the tribes of Zulu origin 
 they cannot resist; consequently their adversaries have 
 been encroaching upon their lands and liberties for many, 
 many years, and in all probability will continue their 
 depredations unchecked until the memory of the oppressed 
 Mashona is but a thing of the traditional past. 
 
 Another day dawned, and the morning light shone 
 brightly upon fresh scenes. Great numbers of people 
 came to visit us, bringing ivory, skins of baboons, and all 
 kinds of earthenware pots, also long sacks made of bark, 
 woven in the most ingenious and neat-fingered fashion, 
 and quite watertight. I bought some of the sacks in which 
 to carry cartridges, so that the powder would not be damaged 
 by wet. 
 
 I am sure that it would be very tiresome for my reader 
 were I to attempt to describe the scene of confusion, dis- 
 order, and utterly hopeless abandonment of discipline which 
 lay before us, showing the perplexing impossibility of doing 
 anything. The babel even stopped the chance of hearing 
 one's own voice. 
 
 " Oh dear, oh dear, oh damn ! There is the sun again 
 moving slowly down the clear western sky, carrying with it 
 every prospect of a start for to-day ! But I must positively 
 get oft' to-morrow." And with the latter consoling thought 
 lingering in my anxious mind I sank, but only for a few 
 hours, into the peace of a refreshing oblivion. 
 
 Daybreak saw us again at work, packing into small 
 bundles all the actual necessities for our journey. Many 
 things had to be left behind in a padlocked box in the 
 waggon. They consisted of ivory, feathers, hides, and a 
 
120 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 number of trading articles, some of which I was very 
 reluctant to leave, but did so because I felt that the 
 lighter the equipment the quicker would be the progress. 
 A kraal, too, had to be made, into which the cattle could be 
 brought every night for shelter. 
 
 Amidst all the skurry and turmoil of departure, it was 
 painfully evident that the natives thought such a moment 
 an especially favourable one for begging " presents." Oh, 
 how the eternal repetition of that word " tussa " (present) 
 rang like a chronic singing in my afflicted ears ! You 
 may talk of the "backsheesh" of the Arabs if you like, 
 but I will back the duskier denizens of southern Africa for 
 genuine all-round begging against the world. Their greed 
 is insatiable, for the more you try to gratify their desires 
 the more they are encouraged to demand. 
 
 On the eve of our departure, Chibero, the chief, turned 
 up from the other town. As he sat down on a rock a ring 
 was immediately formed around him, and every one of the 
 company clapped their hands, such being the Mashona mode 
 of saluting a visitor. 
 
 ' At length everything seemed to be ready for the start, 
 except, of course, the indispensable Mashona escort. My 
 baggage, I am afraid, would have made but a poor show 
 beside the enormous stores carried by some expeditions to 
 the interior of the dark continent ; and, far away from even 
 the slightest evidence of civilisation, there was, as a matter 
 of course, no chance of replenishing should the supplies be 
 exhausted. Provisions taken with us from this point con- 
 sisted of some meal and rice, a small packet of tea, about 
 thirty pounds of sugar, three pounds of coffee, three tins of 
 salmon, one box of sardines, three small tins of condensed 
 milk, two bottles of "three-star" brandy, two boxes of 
 Huntley and Palmer's biscuits, two pounds of sago, five 
 
A NEW BODY-GUARD. 121 
 
 packets of maizena, and two bottles of lime juice. In case 
 the system might be overtaxed by such luxuries, relief 
 was to be found in the following medicines : One bottle 
 Eno, one small bottle of spirits of ammonia, two ounces 
 quinine, one ounce podophylin (the most effectively indus- 
 trious searching medicine in the whole pharmacoposia, and 
 principally used to dose those who were shamming, and 
 who after one trial rarely called a second time at my drug 
 store), one small bottle of chlorodyne, and two bottles of 
 castor oil. The ammunition comprised two hundred and 
 fifty rounds of elephant-gun cartridges, five hundred rounds 
 of C. L. K. brass shells, ten pounds lead, reloading apparatus, 
 and a few boxes of Curtis & Harvey's best powder. 
 
 The articles for trade included cotton blankets, white 
 calico, blue calico, fancy handkerchiefs, four varieties of 
 beads, a few yards of very pretty cloth kept for extra- 
 ordinary occasions, as a gift perhaps to a cantankerous 
 chief or a youthfnl princess. I also had some books — a 
 small edition of Shakespeare, a Nautical Almanac, loga- 
 rithmic tables, and Proctor's Star Atlas. The remainder 
 of the effects were made up by instruments for observa- 
 tion, etc. 
 
 The total weight of the baggage was about four hundred 
 and fifty pounds, which gave to the twenty-five men about 
 eighteen pounds each as their share of the burden, and even 
 at that many of them grumbled. What a contrast to the 
 Zanzibar porters, who lift and carry for immense distances 
 fifty pounds weight — ayje, even more — without a murmur ! 
 
 The body-guard consisted of the Koyal Household of blacks, 
 headed by John, who was followed by a young Mashona, 
 also carrying a weapon. Sagwam bore upon his unwilling 
 shoulder the "80-ton gun," which he hated with all the 
 intensity of a lazy man's dislike to burthens. Karemba, 
 
122 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 with C. L. K. and fifty rounds of cartridges, was my imme- 
 diate attendant. The higher ape, whose duties were now to 
 be those of a cook and royal dishwasher, had a load that 
 could not be considered trifling, especially as he carried on 
 his head so many ornaments in the shape of a large and 
 wonderfully worked hat, adorned with long feathers, his 
 lower parts being enveloped in a shirt which I had given 
 him, and which reached nearly to his heels. Besides this 
 natural burden, he carried my shot gun, upon which were 
 hanging a small kettle, two tin plates, two axle grease pots 
 (now used for cooking in place of a cast-iron pot), a small 
 gridiron (a Buluwayo production, suspiciously like an old 
 preventer of rubbish in the mouth of a drain), and two tin 
 bowls for tea, for ours was a teetotal caravan. John informed 
 me that this itinerant kitchen had a love affair on, so that 
 we should have to keep an eye upon him in case he should 
 elope. 
 
 Personally I carried a compass, watch, and telescope, the 
 latter having an unusual and melancholy interest through 
 its being the last to signal the fading lights of the unfor- 
 tunate Captain before she went down in the Bay of Biscay. 
 
 I also carried a small Matabeli stabbing assegai, which 
 Karemba, with throbs of sanguinary delight, invariably used 
 in giving the coup de grace to expiring game. 
 
 I now paid Taroman, giving him a cotton blanket, and 
 telling him that if the cattle were all right on my return, 
 I would give him another, also plenty of beads. The old 
 man was highly incensed. Working up his passion, he 
 fumed and stormed, showing more energy for the time than 
 could be noted in the aggregate of his exertions since I had 
 enlisted his services. 
 
 What ridiculous capers he cut ! With exclamations of 
 utter disgust he was constantly turning away as though he 
 
HELPLESSNESS OF WHITES. 123 
 
 intended to leave us to the tender mercies of an inexorable 
 fate. Then he would return, primed and ready with a new 
 and a more powerful charge of withering words, which ho 
 poured forth with astonishing volubility. 
 
 Although the attack slightly disturbed my arrange- 
 ments, my equanimity was not upset. I was resigned, 
 and bowed even to the aggravating circumstancfss, having 
 long before become aware that I was utterly unable to frame 
 a sentence which could in the slightest degree do justice to 
 the occasion. Even in an inflamed vocabulary there was 
 nothing sufficiently sulphurous. 
 
 Like a gipsy pedlar I kept on, undoing bundles perhaps 
 to show a piece of cloth or a blanket to a man who said he 
 would like to see what he was to get at the next town, not 
 to speak of what he received before he started. 
 
 Amidst these scenes of bargaining John's temper and 
 countenance had undergone many changes. In the heat of 
 his rage he would call every one thieves. His face would 
 change from a livid genuine yellow Hottentot rage to a 
 stolid and sickly imperturbability which told of the sheer 
 abandonment of despair. It was painfully evident that the 
 comforts of philosophy had not touched the mind of poor 
 John. When most was expected from him he would sit 
 down as indi£ferent to all his surroundings as a monkey with 
 the colic. 
 
 Oh, how often I wished that the man could understand 
 me, when after one of his outbursts I would look at him in 
 despair, and say, " What is the use of your trying to worry 
 at the words, when you know that I have tried it and 
 ignominiously failed ? " 
 
 How helpless are the whites among the blacks when the 
 latter are in their own lands ! At such times we must 
 pocket indignation, and thoroughly temper impatience. 
 
124 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 only dreaming of the blissful time when we shall be released 
 from the bitter thraldom of dependence, and once again find 
 ourselves free to give effect and direction to our wills among 
 reasonable beings. 
 
 At length after much wrangling, and after paying each 
 of the carriers a fathom of cotton calico, without which not 
 one of them would have moved a single forward step, the 
 caravan started for the north. As I anticipated desertion, 
 we had thirty-three " regulars," and a multitudinous rabble 
 of nude creatures of all sorts and sizes who followed in our 
 wake. 
 
 Karemba and myself remained behind until all had left. 
 I then gave two fathoms of fine striped cloth, which might 
 almost be called beautiful, to the head man of the town of 
 Little Unyamwenda, telling him to see that the cattle were 
 coral led every night, and the waggon carefully guarded 
 after our departure. Under its shelter I left numbers of 
 things to be delivered to Fairbairn at Buluwayo, whenever 
 John should make the homeward trip. 
 
 As for myself, I had made up my mind never to return to 
 the waggon. Henceforth our journey through this wild land 
 was to be performed on foot. Nature alone would decide 
 the places for our rest. Although I had not literally '" burnt 
 my boats," I had done so in mental determination. Come 
 weal, come woe, the object of my journey would not be 
 abandoned ! 
 
( 125 ) 
 
 CHAPTEE VI. 
 
 MASHONA-LAND, 
 
 A funny ceremony — Working on superstition — Hypocritical ''J'aroman — 
 An immense prairie fire — Meditations on the journey — Cold dews — 
 The slumbering cam^i — Unyamwenda, tlie chief — -A tough-skiuned 
 fellow — Desertions — Bundles of wisdom — Old Sebaii api)cars — The 
 charred plain — The Zururu river — John's success in hunting — Gorging 
 the crowd — Furious quarrels over meat — The best way to manage 
 natives — Sterile rocks of Mashona-land — Making a skerm — Masliona 
 music — Karemba's repute as a performer — Native danciug^ — Pleasure 
 in primitive life — " Ah, master, I never see people like here ! " — 
 Craving for limbo and beads — The Umvukwe and Eusaka mountains — 
 Etsatse river — A troublesome goat — Curious hut — Prosjiecting for 
 gold — Mashona ablutions — Honest natives — Unexpected appearance of 
 Mchesa, the Vulcan of Mashona-land — Pursued by grass fires — lUack- 
 smithing in the wildernesses — A primitive forge — Ironstone of the 
 country — Troubles in camp — A night scene — Clannislmess — Throat to 
 kill Sagwam — Quarrels in camp — A doubtful expedition. 
 
 Much as I was impressed with the natural honesty of these 
 simple aborigines, I still thought it unadvisable to neglect 
 precautions for securing the safety of property. To effect 
 this, a somewhat curious and highly amusing ceremony had 
 to be performed. 
 
 Before we set out, the wily Karemba suggested that I 
 should stand in front of the waggon, and merely show 
 the people my watch. The sight, he said, of such an 
 extraordinary fetish would make them afraid to steal 
 during our absence. To put into effect this shrewd notion 
 of Karemba's was the work of a minute. Standing in front 
 of the waggon, I assumed a portentous demeanour of a 
 
126 TEE FAB INTERIOR. 
 
 most Satanic description, looking all the time devilishly 
 upon the upturned face of the watch. I then walked slowly 
 and solemnly round the waggon, describing a fair circle, 
 from which I mysteriously waved the crowd away, tacitly 
 intimating that within the charmed radius mortal man 
 dare not come. I then stood still, and again gazing at the 
 watch declared in fearful tones that whoever stole during 
 my absence would be known and overtaken by a dreadful 
 vengeance. It was amusing to observe the terror and awe 
 depicted upon the faces of the astonished crowd. 
 
 We were hardly half a mile on our way when Karemba 
 gave out the interesting news that we had forgotten the 
 sheep and the goat. No time was to be lost, so back we 
 went at " the double." Again the endless question turned 
 up, " Where, in the devil's name, was Taroman ? " Only 
 after a long search did we discover the scoundrel talking 
 to some Mashona women. 
 
 He said he had lost one of the sheep, so that now we had 
 only two left, besides the poor goat, which was just like a 
 dog in its tameness. 
 
 Had the old humbug lost all the sheep I could have 
 understood the calamity, but to lose one, when the little 
 beasts were always inseparable, was beyond the limits of 
 comprehension. I could not help thinking that Taroman, 
 with his rascal instincts, had one of the animals slyly 
 hidden for future " lifting." 
 
 " Ah ! " said the hypocritical delinquent, " I shall never 
 see master again." 
 
 " And lucky for me, too ! " I thought ; for I would 
 certainly become prematurely aged if he remained long 
 in my train. 
 
 We soon overtook the party, which by this time had 
 reached the southern bank of the Hanyane river. The 
 
A TROUBLESOME INCUBUS. 
 
 127 
 
 waterway at this point was about sixty yards wide and 
 averaging three feet deep. We crossed to the northern 
 bank, and much to my delight I found that tlio majority 
 of the camp-followers — altogether a troublesome iucuLus — 
 had remained on the other side of the river, being averse 
 to the wetting. 
 
 Crossing the Umtenge river, a small affluent of the 
 Hanyane, meandering through a country splendidly adapted 
 
 MODE OF CROSSING RIVERS. 
 
 for farming, and overgrown by coarse, yellow-tinged grass 
 closely resembling fields of ripened wheat, the party sud- 
 denly came to a dead stop, the chorus being that they 
 would camp and sleep on this favoured spot. As a matter 
 of course, John lay down, and said that he was sick, very 
 sick indeed ! But I was both anxious as well as determined 
 to proceed, and would allow no loitering or malingering 
 at this point. A vigorous protest was necessary ; so I at 
 
128 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 once declared an intention to reach the town of the chief 
 Unyamwenda that very night. 
 
 Just as the day was over we camped, and could look back 
 upon the great granite crags and rugged mountain sides 
 up which we had clambered, and which were now glowing 
 with the streaming light of a magnificent evening sun. 
 The first day's march was over, and, so far, had brought 
 nothing but fresh troubles to my mind. 
 
 After a very light repast in the shape of supper, I left 
 the camp's oddly uninviting scene, with its rabble of 
 vociferous natives, and climbed high among the gigantic 
 rocks, until I reached the topmost point of one of the many 
 huge granite eminences which were so prominent in the 
 surrounding scene. While there I looked about, and 
 suddenly saw before me one of the grandest sights I ever 
 witnessed. 
 
 It was an immense prairie fire. Far away, stretching for 
 many miles, nothing could be seen but a vast chain of lurid 
 fire, showing a wild appearance, as though the whole country 
 was enveloped by its devouring flames. It was indeed a 
 sight of awful grandeur. The long and fierce red line 
 advanced like the phalanx of a great living and destructive 
 army. The conflagration seethed and hissed horribly as it 
 was swept onwards by the impelling force of a hurricane, 
 Avhile tortuous tongues of fire leaped upwards in flashing 
 redness to pierce the dense black clouds of darkening smoke 
 which rolled in volumes over the scene and intensified the- 
 blackness of the night. Burnt stalks fell like black snow- 
 flakes on every hand. 
 
 Quite alone, without a fear of mortal disturbance, I crept 
 into a small crevice in the rocks, and there, sheltered from 
 the elements of mischief, I sat and viewed with charmed 
 eyes the fiery panorama which lay outstretched before me. 
 
A STBANGE POSITION. 129 
 
 ever growing wider and wilder as it coursed along. In this 
 position, wild as the wind whistled, angrily as it howled, and 
 fierce as was the scene, I felt a pleasing sense, even of 
 repose, far different from the agitation produced by the 
 noisy babble I had left in camp. 
 
 Naturally I meditated much upon my project, Eeflecting 
 upon what had occurred during the day, I thought that, 
 although we were but a short stage on our journey, I could 
 already detect among my party signs which were decidedly 
 antagonistic to the plan of reaching the Zambesi by the 
 intended route. The position was odd. I had no com- 
 panion, no one even upon whom I could unhesitatingly 
 rely. I was a helpless wanderer, directed by the mysterious 
 hand of Fate. 
 
 Why had I not gone to Mababe to hunt with Selous, 
 at once the best of companions and friends ? Aye, why ? 
 
 An answer might be found in the fact that I still had 
 an almost absorbing interest uppermost in my mind, namely, 
 to study the life-surroundings, and satisfy myself as to the 
 character, of the black man in his aboriginal home. I also 
 wished to gain as much knowledge as I could regarding 
 the real value of the Dark Continent to the countries of 
 Christendom. 
 
 To stop now was utterly out of the question. I had 
 started, and was determined to get through without turning 
 my back upon the far extending prospect of the new but 
 wild regions. Adventure at all times has its charms. 
 
 Thoughts such as these flashed rapidly through my uneasy 
 mind, until, overcome both bodily and mentally, by the 
 fatigues of the day, I dropped off into a sound sleep. Not 
 until the early hours of the morning did I awake with a 
 start, to find myself still in the crevice of the rocks. 
 
 The mountain was enveloped in smoke and mist, and I 
 
 VOL. I. K 
 
130 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 soon became painfully conscious that my body was saturated 
 with an ice-cold dew. In the highlands of the Mashona 
 country these dews are very heavy at this time of the year 
 (June), while the morning air is sharp and biting. 
 
 Giving myself a good shaking, just to see that I was all 
 there, because I had little actual feeling left, I returned 
 hurriedly to the camp, where no sound broke the silence 
 of the night except a general round of snoring, rising with 
 drone-like monotony from the somnolent company, distri- 
 buted upon every available space around fires now reduced 
 to a few smouldering embers. EoUed in blankets, I soon 
 was as unconscious as the rest of the slumberers. 
 
 Unyamwenda, the old chief, visited us in the morning. 
 Seating himself upon a boulder, he said he wished to speak 
 with the white man. 
 
 I approached with John and Karemba, who acted as 
 interpreters. 
 
 The dusky old gentleman had paid no attention to the 
 niceties of the toilet. Mark Twain has said somewhere 
 that the "women of the Sandwich Islands wear a long, 
 loose, coarse garment ; the men don't," and certainly little 
 description is required for the costume of Unyamwenda, 
 whose figure the Lord Chamberlain would, without a second 
 thought, have banished even from the modem British stage, 
 and that is saying a good deal. The said apparel consisted 
 of a small skin carried over the shoulders, while a sporran 
 of the same material completed the simple garb. 
 
 His Highness was exceedingly dirty, and might be con- 
 sidered a thoroughly good specimen of smoke-dried, well- 
 cured humanity. With a back resembling a side of corned 
 beef, his skin was literally baked, this being attributable 
 to a custom of the people, who sleep with their bodies 
 exposed to the heat of immense fires, which often entirely 
 
UNYAMWENDA. 131 
 
 destroy the epidermis, giving a fearful disfigurement to the 
 poor souls. 
 
 As Unyamwenda sat silently looking at me for some 
 time, I judged from his indulging in extraordinary facial 
 contortions that he was suffering from surprise and injured 
 dignity ; perhaps being impressed by the notion that the 
 white man had treated him with too much levity, for I had 
 not even sent him a present in advance of my arrival. 
 
 Thinking that I would anticipate his reproaches I pre- 
 sented him with a fathom of striped calico of a very dazzling 
 pattern, also two empty cartridge-cases. The latter are 
 used as snuff-boxes by these people, and are worn hanging 
 pendant-like from necklaces. 
 
 He then looked round at the other pieces of partially- 
 cooked humanity who were grouped as his escort, and who 
 all this time were exercising to an awful extent their 
 frightful chattering faculties. 
 
 The gift appeared to unhinge his mental equilibrium ; but 
 he soon recovered the balance, and, not because he wanted 
 anything more, but simply from the evidently hereditary 
 conception of the race that the chief end of man is to beg, 
 he asked for another snuff-box, a very moderate demand, 
 which was at once acceded to. 
 
 " Have you a waggon ? " was the next question. 
 
 " Yes," I replied. 
 
 " Then why did you not bring it here ? " asked the chief. 
 
 " Because you have not made a road for a waggon ; so I 
 had to come on foot." 
 
 Unyamwenda rose on hearing this reply. He scratched 
 his stomach for a little time, then shook himself, and drawing 
 his shaggy leathern cloak about his shoulders, he disap- 
 peared, without uttering a word, towards the inner recesses 
 of his rocky den. 
 
 K 2 
 
132 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 For hours I now tried to effect a forward movement ; but, 
 as I had ominously anticipated, the " roll-call " showed an 
 extraordinary reduction in the strength of the party. I had 
 to lose no time in making overtures, as winning as possible, 
 to the expectant crowd of Mashona, who stood eyeing, with 
 the hankering stare of avarice, the white calico which lay at 
 my side. 
 
 Elbowing their way through the encircling crowd came 
 some old grey -haired men, who by their interminable 
 loquacity seriously delayed our arrangements. These old 
 bundles of wisdom were unconscionably tiresome; they 
 would sit and talk by the hour, and, assuming the appear- 
 ance of transcendant sagacity, would contradict everything 
 that was said by others, a weakness of vanity that is by no 
 means confined to the untutored savages of remote regions. 
 
 I managed, however, to single out one whose word ap- 
 peared to have most weight with the boys, and giving him 
 a present of some white calico, I soon had the satisfaction 
 of finding him a staunch advocate of my cause. 
 
 The old fellow looked as though he could number a 
 hundred years of life. From constant roasting at the 
 blazing fires, of which I have just spoken, his hide had 
 taken the appearance of gold-beater's skin, stretched upon 
 layers of rich leather, and looking as though it could stand, 
 without a flinch or a quiver, the application of a fiery poker, 
 or the touch of a flaming torch. 
 
 After a tremendous amount of talk, we managed to find 
 recruits to fill the deserted ranks ; but it required not a little 
 energy and tact before a start could be effected. 
 
 The old man never left us for a moment. Karemba said 
 that he was wishing us a good journey, and telling the boys 
 that they must go well and come back well with the white 
 man. If talking could have done anything towards the 
 
8EBAII, TEE WISE MAN. 133 
 
 realisation of our object, we would have gone on like an 
 express train. 
 
 This reference to talking reminds me of a singularly 
 solemn and rather small-looking man named Sebaii, who 
 joined us here, and offered his services as a guide. He had 
 a very remarkable gift of volubility, and said he was a son 
 of a chief called Macheangombe, whose town was not very 
 far distant. 
 
 He had heard of me and had come, of course in a 
 disinterested way, to see if he could be of any service. 
 Sebaii knew the Zambesi well ; he knew all the mountains ; 
 he knew all the rivers ; in short, he was a walking vade 
 mecum, a doubly-concentrated itinerant encyelopasdia of 
 African knowledge. As he was engaged to direct our way, 
 his load was to be as light as his responsibilities were heavy. 
 Therefore, excepting his own meat, his pillow, and assegais, 
 he carried only our canteen, which consisted of two bottles 
 of brandy. 
 
 Parenthetically it should be observed that all the Mashona 
 people carry a small carved wooden pillow, measuring about 
 nine inches in height, and perhaps about three inches wide, 
 the article being intended, not only to keep the head from 
 the earth, but also to prevent so dire a disaster as the dis- 
 arrangement of their wonderfully artistic head-gear. 
 
 From our rock-bound camp at Unyamwenda we descended 
 to the great plain which lay towards the north-east. On 
 the level everything smelt of fire. The whole atmosphere 
 was obscured by thick clouds of ashes, rising from the 
 burnt grass, which were wafted hither and thither over 
 the parched and blackened plain. As I peered through 
 this heavy smoke-like mist, I felt an unusual depression 
 of spirits; indeed, little else could be expected in such 
 a scene. 
 
134 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Sometimes the immense waste seemed to have the appear- 
 ance of an Indian shawl of gigantic dimensions ; the yel- 
 lowish brown grass encircling the blackened spots, and thus 
 forming a curiously eccentric pattern, varied by the fickle 
 freaks of the wind, or abruptly decked out by the moist 
 places in the verdure. 
 
 We now steered about N.N.E. in direction (magnetic). 
 
 Intending to spur on stragglers, I was purposely in rear 
 of the party. The first waverer I came across was a man 
 who had become tired of carrying a load of cartridges, and 
 had quietly laid them down. I met him on his way back. 
 He said the load was very heavy. Consigning him with 
 weighty words to a snowless region, I got his abandoned 
 burden placed upon one of the spare men, whose actions, 
 when he raised the bundle, occasioned grave thoughts that 
 he, too, would cave in and follow his brother homewards. 
 It was not so this time, however, and we forthwith proceeded 
 to drive on the remainder of the party. 
 
 We had marched only about three hours when we came 
 to a small rivulet called the Zururu. The afternoon was 
 now well advanced, and I could see from the demeanour of 
 the Mashona that they had not yet comprehended the fact 
 that we were actually en route for the north, intending to 
 push on in right good earnest. 
 
 I consulted with John as to what was to be done. The 
 result was that John went ofi", taking C. L. K., in search of 
 game. It was necessary that I should stay in camp. 
 
 " Good luck, John," I called out ; " for Heaven's sake get 
 meat, even if you shoot away the whole belt of cartridges ! 
 We must keep up our names as hunters, or these people 
 won't follow us." 
 
 I then pitched the small tent which I formerly described, 
 stowing inside most of the things I wished to keep dry. 
 
A FIOHT FOR MEAT. 135 
 
 Big fires, the great essentiality in Mashona comfort, were 
 built by the boys, and soon after dusk John returned. He 
 had killed one eland (Oreas canna) bull and two cows. 
 John, as he often proved, was a splendid hunter, and in 
 the present instance I warmly congratulated him upon his 
 success. 
 
 No sooner did the Mashona hear of the meat than they 
 were off in numbers, nearly all carrying firebrands, bent 
 upon gorging themselves all night, and bringing what was 
 left to the camp in the morning. 
 
 A silvery sunrise, which brightened the vast plains, found 
 the camp in an active bustle. Of course, as usual, I was 
 anxious to be off, but I had to curb impatience until the 
 necessary distributions of meat had been carried out. 
 
 When it was all brought in, Karemba began to give it 
 out in portions to all those who said they would go further ; 
 but of course there was no knowing how far any of the 
 carriers would go. After they had been served, the followers 
 from the town were let loose into the wild-looking shambles, 
 and then the meat seemed to fly in all directions. Squab- 
 bling and wrangling over what were considered dainty bits, 
 they reminded me of a herd of wild dogs, especially when 
 now and then one of the number would wriggle out of the 
 crowd and rush with his portion to some secluded spot. 
 
 As I had taken the precaution to keep a lot of meat in 
 reserve, I was ready, should it be necessary, to give some 
 to those unfortunates who, spiritless or feeble, would come 
 out of the scramble without a bite, for a few of the more 
 energetic had made a " corner " in the meat market, and 
 seemed to have established a monopoly. 
 
 At length there was only one " bone of contention," and 
 that happened to be a leg, at which two men hauled and 
 jerked with might and main, making a single " tug of war " 
 
136 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 of the affair, which was watched with much interest, until 
 the stronger man of the two walked triumphantly off with 
 the gory trophy. 
 
 The defeated one immediately began to shout most 
 lustily, and being joined by three or four others, there was 
 soon noise enough for any indignation meeting, even at home. 
 Thinking the meat was all gone, the fellows seemed beside 
 themselves with rage. The scene baffles description. The 
 men seemed to be talking against time ; they threw their 
 arms wildly about, and positively foamed at the mouth. 
 
 Excepting on one occasion, I had never seen a human 
 being foam at the mouth, and the man I had seen had been 
 drinking. But these combatants had nothing to imbibe 
 except pure water, so that their symptoms of rage could 
 well be considered as a prodigious, even a masterly, effort. 
 
 On inquiry, I learned that all this maddening row resulted 
 from the circumstance of each being allowed to help him- 
 self. The men who were left out were headmen of Unyam- 
 wenda, who had expected me to give them the meat to take 
 back to the chief. They said we had been killing game in 
 their country, and had not given any to the chief, to whom 
 the whole country belonged. Hiding, therefore, had proved 
 auspicious. The store in reserve settled the whole difficulty. 
 
 With the same noise, turmoil, and trouble we again 
 managed to get off. This time, however, I felt that all 
 those who were with me were for the day my men. The 
 hungry rabble had returned meat-laden to the town, carry- 
 ing with them food for the families of those who were 
 accompanying us. 
 
 Some readers may think that I always seemed to be in 
 a great hurry to push on ; but, under the circumstances, 
 activity in that respect was absolutely necessary. I had a 
 very long journey to do, and very little to do it on. 
 
ASTUTENESS OF NATIVES. 137 
 
 I have already described some peculiarities of the 
 Mashona, and may now add that they will carry only very 
 light loads, and require more to eat than any people I ever 
 saw. They must have meal, and when they get plenty of 
 meal, which is rather heavy and has to be carried, they must 
 have meat, and this you must kill every day, for they will 
 only carry very small pieces when they are with you. As 
 a matter of course, the more men the more provisions. A 
 corresponding weight has to be provided for, and, besides, 
 there is a limit to carrying capacity in connection with the 
 very bulky and heavy medium of exchange, such as cotton 
 goods, porcelain, beads, &c. 
 
 On every possible occasion the natives will ask for cloth, 
 and they are not such fools as not to see keenly how tho- 
 roughly you are in their hands, if not at their mercy. True 
 to the instincts of human frailty, they in many ways take 
 advantage of their position, so that, in my place, patience, 
 perseverance, and never-ceasing energy were the all-im- 
 portant qualities which might help to carry me through. 
 With all such primitive-mannered races there is nothing 
 so influential as a perfect self-control in temper. 
 
 Another momentous fact had also to be borne in mind. 
 If my small stock of goods became exhausted before I 
 reached the Zambesi, I should be in a mightily awkward 
 predicament. The people there do " nothing for nothing." 
 Remuneration is not called " pay " — it is " present ;" but 
 these " presents " mount up to an indefinite extent, assum- 
 ing at last the proportions of unlimited loot. 
 
 The country through which we were passing at this time 
 resembled a tract of Scottish moorland from which the 
 heather had been burnt. The wind was high, and ashen- 
 hued clouds were scudding over the desolate-looking plains. 
 All the country had a bare, flat-like appearance, almost 
 
138 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 destitute of vegetation, while the ground was covered with 
 small stones, brightened here and there by patches of short 
 coarse grass. 
 
 Away to the eastward lay expanded a very sterile country, 
 of extreme flatness, until the horizon was broken by a chain 
 of craggy mountains, stark upheavals of spire-like rocks, 
 whose wild recesses concealed Neanda, a large Mashona 
 town, of which Setouro was the chief, and he was said to 
 be friendly towards the Unyamwenda people. As I have 
 previously remarked, these heights of rock are peculiar to 
 the country ; they often tower hundreds of feet above the 
 land level, and almost invariably guide the traveller to the 
 sequestered towns of the oppressed Mashona. 
 
 Though not very late in the day, the boys were making 
 constant halts which boded that a camp would soon have to 
 be formed ; and as I always preferred to anticipate the 
 wishes, and not allow them to " run " me altogether, which 
 in reality they were doing, I announced that we would 
 make a camp close to the nearest water. 
 
 We soon arrived at the sloping banks of a small swiftly 
 running river, called the Gwiwi, which flows towards the 
 Hanyane. 
 
 Wading through the water, we had to force our way 
 through tall reeds which grew as thickly as grass. We 
 passed through a small black swamp, and, reaching the 
 other side, climbed the slopes, from which we could see a 
 small kopjie surrounded by young forest trees. 
 
 For a camp the place had quite an inviting appearance, 
 and consequently a halt was made. 
 
 As all the Mashona carry a small axe (the blade of 
 which, at the cutting edge, is not more than two inches in 
 width), they soon succeeded in clearing a comfortable spot ; 
 forming indeed a capital enclosure (skerm) of young trees, 
 
A POWERFUL FEAST. 139 
 
 and branches which wound in and out ; the whole being a 
 circular fence about six feet in height, having a small 
 opening as a sort of gateway, which at night was closed up 
 with scrub. 
 
 Although the night was dark, its gloom seemed to have 
 but little effect upon the spirits of. the company, which 
 were very much improved since the word-storm of the 
 morning. 
 
 Immense fires were soon alight, with forked sticks on 
 either side, and another stretching across. Upon the latter 
 were hung long strips of eland meat, so that the little 
 camp was a great kitchen, redolent with the odour of 
 savoury roast, but never too strong, because there was no 
 trouble about ventilation so long as the mighty star-lit sky 
 was our only roof. 
 
 The scene was novel in every way. Indeed it was notice- 
 able that, although I had now been camping for months, 
 newness in surroundings and experience was continually 
 present. Such changes might almost be called kaleido- 
 scopic in their variety. At present I was wandering with 
 a following of Mashona whose every act was new to me, 
 and supplied many oddities to arouse all sorts of quaint 
 reflections. 
 
 John and the worthy trio were the only companions whose 
 character and peculiarities I knew well. 
 
 Animation of a very lively description brightened the 
 camp as soon as the first repast was finished ; and it must 
 be noted, that with the Mashona, dinner is not over until 
 everything in the shape of raw material is demolished, or 
 the gormandising powers of the carnivorous horde have 
 been defeated by repletion. A rebellion of nature alone 
 can curb the appetite of the insatiable cormorants. 
 
 Another indispensable part of the peculiar enjoyment of 
 
140 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 the Mashona is their music. They never forget their 
 pianos. Karemba, as I have said before, was quite an 
 eminent musician, and every day his reputation as a per- 
 former was becoming greater and greater. He was invariably 
 the first to touch the keys, and to pipe the wild opening 
 notes of their weird-toned song, which began with a high 
 long-drawn sound, and then suddenly dropped an octave, 
 to mount again shrilly on high as the most coveted notes of 
 a Mario. 
 
 All the time he was singing he danced vigorously, now 
 facing to the right, then to the left, and throwing out his 
 feet sideways just as a fat brood hen does when she is 
 making a nice big basin nest in your favourite border. 
 Sometimes, as if mysteriously moved by a sudden impulse, 
 he would bound rapidly forward, holding out one leg in 
 front while jumping with the other. On the elevated limb 
 he continued to gaze intently, as though it were something 
 particularly new, and of marvellous beauty. He would 
 circle about two or three times, and getting thoroughly 
 warmed to his work, as well as strongly excited, he would 
 stoop forward looking earnestly upon the ground, and then, 
 quickly throwing his body back, he would gaze into the 
 starry sky. 
 
 With leaps and bounds he described a small circle, 
 around which by this time all the company had gathered 
 closely, and in sympathetic admiration enjoying the per- 
 formance, clapping their hands and singing, while each 
 one who entered the circle vied with his predecessor in 
 endeavouring to reach the highest perfection of emotional 
 dancing. 
 
 The "higher ape," not to be outstripped by Karemba 
 (who was in himself a veritable show), jumped into the ring 
 trying to look dreadfully fierce. He span round like a top. 
 
MERRY NIGHTS. 141 
 
 first from the left to the right and then vice versa, until, 
 giddy and exhausted, with great beads of perspiration 
 rolling down his body, he fell out of the ring to make room 
 for another aspirant to the honours of the native ballet. 
 During the course of the dance the " higher ape " enlivened 
 his efforts by hideous imitations of all sorts of wild animals. 
 
 Entertainments such as these may be spoken of as being 
 the drama of the people. Through them our little camp 
 was cheered by the mirth of its wild inmates, who alter- 
 nately slept and awoke, ate, sung, and danced throughout 
 the livelong night. 
 
 Possibly it may seem strange to those for whom " roughing 
 it " and wandering have no charms, when I afiirm that the 
 memory of a night of this description is ever cherished in 
 my breast, and a mental revival of the scene always arouses 
 feelings of grateful pleasure. Oh, how thoroughly have I 
 enjoyed those hours of relaxation in camp after a long and 
 tedious day ! Perhaps it may have been a day rendered 
 miserable by indescribable difficulties and troubles, which 
 as a rule I do not care to dwell upon in thought, they being 
 past and buried. 
 
 It is only natural to have a feeling of happiness when one 
 finds himseK unfettered and free among a primitive race in 
 a primitive country, where all the evidences of the human 
 kind speak of the natural (that is the wild) state of man. 
 To me there always has been, and I suppose ever will be, a 
 pronounced fascination in the circumstances of a genuine 
 wild life. My readers must not misapprehend my meaning. 
 I do not mean " roughing it " on a bottle of soda water and 
 a ship's biscuit in a frail skiff on the upper waters of the 
 Thames ; but away in the core of some marvellous region 
 whose land has rarely been trodden by the feet of civilised 
 man and whose story is unrevealed. Each day in such a 
 
142 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 country brings a new intercourse with unspoiled Nature, 
 new adventures, and new knowledge, all giving ample and 
 important subjects for steady reflection in times present and 
 times to come. In the condition of life which men call 
 civilisation it is indispensable that the miod should be 
 regularly occupied. That strangely inexplicable soul- 
 yeaming which is inherent in every man's nature should 
 never cease to urge us on to the accomplishment of the 
 purposes of life, and to the acquisition of a knowledge of 
 its circumstances. 
 
 In this way, as years roll by, one's little pile of know- 
 ledge will be ever increasing. We may not aspire to reach 
 the higher rungs of the shining and slippery ladder of 
 fame, but our accumulation of knowledge will be sure to 
 comfort us at some depressed period of our lives : it may 
 also perch us a step or two upwards with a secure footing. 
 " The mind of man in a long life will become a magazine of 
 wisdom or folly, and will consequently discharge itself in 
 something impertinent or improving." 
 
 But what am I thinking about ! By this time the sun is 
 high over the little kopjie at the back of the camp and we 
 must be off. John sits motionless beside the fire. 
 " What's the matter now, John ?" 
 
 " Ah, master, I never see people like here ! They want 
 to take all de tings. My Gaut ! my Gaut ! Limbo and 
 beads, limbo and beads, limbo and beads, everee day all de 
 same ! What shall us do ?" 
 
 I will not weary my readers with details as to how we 
 settled such diflficulties. The story would be far too long. 
 Amidst all our annoyances even the administrative power 
 of a Napoleon would have been frustrated. I began to 
 think what such a man would have done under the circum- 
 stances; but soon came to the conclusion that he would 
 
OSTRICHES. 143 
 
 never have placed himself in such a weak position, so again 
 I turned round to face the facts, the too palpable too hard 
 facts. 
 
 The sun near meridian, and not a soul moving ! On 
 every hand I have to accede to loud and incessant craving, 
 so that limbo (calico) and red white-eyed beads are dis- 
 tributed all round. 
 
 Some Mashona who had been driven from their homes 
 during the latest raid of the Matabeli came to see us. 
 They said that there were some ostriches on the plain' 
 beyond, and they brought numbers of the prettily-striped 
 skins of the little ground squirrels. Much as I would have 
 liked to have bagged some ostriches I could not suffer the 
 delay, so after the usual pangs had harassed my temper in 
 the endeavour to effect a move, we were again tramping 
 northwards over the bare earth, which was parched and 
 smooth through the grass being burnt. 
 
 We held on the same course during the following days. 
 The nights were spent in uproar caused by the singing, 
 dancing, and wild gorging of meat which I have previously 
 described. These evening entertainments became so familiar, 
 that they hardly disturbed me, and I think I could now 
 sleep serenely amidst any surroundings, even amidst the 
 fervour of an "Irish night" in Parliament. That is to 
 say if I was not troubled in mind. 
 
 At that time there was enough to trouble the mind. 
 The Unyamwenda men were an ever increasing source of 
 anxiety and bother. They were then trying all they could 
 to frighten the six Chibero meu, who, up to the present, 
 had done tolerably well, but were now becoming nearly as 
 bad as the others. 
 
 The course carried us through vast undulating plains, 
 broken by bald hills, and very sparsely dotted with solitary- 
 
144 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 looking, scraggy upland trees. Numerous rivulets were 
 crossed, such as the Akanizita, Watadzi, Inyaoko, and the 
 Mswatadze. The shimmering and murmuring waters of 
 these tiny streams run a winding course, north, south, and. 
 west, until they fall into the Umquadzi which conveys all 
 the water of this great valley into the Hanyane. The im- 
 mense dome-shaped, mountains, conspicuous on account of 
 their naked summits, belonging to the prominent Umvukwe 
 range, suddenly spring into view on our left. These rough 
 eminences form the western barrier of the Umquadzi valley. 
 Our line of march was on the elevated but flat-looking 
 eastern side which sloped gently towards the river. 
 
 Game, such as eland, bastard hartebeest, roan antelope, 
 and so forth, was very plentiful, but the herds could not 
 be spoken of as being large. Hartebeest were seen in the 
 largest numbers. Birds of any description were very scarce. 
 In the forest belts small baboons were numerous. 
 
 We passed another town, lorded in this case by a chief 
 named Mchesa, the Vulcan of Mashona-land. His town was 
 another example of the vast monumental looking groups 
 of granite blocks, tossed and tilted in every direction, with 
 deep rents yawning in their polished adamantine sides. 
 
 After Mchesa's town was passed, the country became more 
 broken. On either side, suddenly, the view opened out 
 larger, for we were now on the great watershed between the 
 Umquadzi valley in the west, and the rugged country which 
 extended far to the east, and abounded with rough and 
 barren-looking heights, showing no resemblance to the 
 massive solid-like slabs of rock which composed the hills 
 we had recently passed ; they could only be compared to 
 gigantic piles of shapeless broken stones. 
 
 These ridges are known as the Kusaka mountains. They 
 skirt the Grumapudzi, which winds its way through the 
 
KILLING TEE SHEEP. 145 
 
 foothills, and flows in a north-easterly direction to discharge 
 into the Amazoe, a tributary of the Zambesi. 
 
 Many a good hunt was missed in this part of our journey, 
 simply because I had to be constantly on the alert among 
 the party, knowing that the less time they had for trifling 
 talk the better were the chances of making them work and 
 push on. At one time a Koodoo cow, which John shot, did 
 a little in the way of keeping them at rest ; but on reach- 
 ing the Etsatse river the Unyamwenda men declared they 
 were tired, and that they wished some days of rest. 
 
 Well did I know what that meant ! The cormorants 
 were calculating upon having an out and out game of 
 plunder. 
 
 With the greatest diflSculty I had been able to induce 
 them to pass Mchesa's town. Now, however, I silently ac- 
 quiesced to their demands for a halt, although I was at all 
 times extremely loth to do so. The fact was I felt rather 
 tired, not on account of the marching but through the con- 
 stantly recurring difficulties, which ever and anon threatened 
 to become insurmountable obstacles. 
 
 To relieve the tedium and anxiety of a halt, I went out 
 in search of game, a usual resource in such circumstances. 
 Luck in this case was obstinate. I had two good stalks, 
 but missed ; evidently I could not see straight, although on 
 the way home I shot two reed bucks (Cervieapra arundi- 
 nacea). 
 
 Kemembering that ere long we should reach the tsetse- 
 fly country, we now killed the two remaining sheep, sparing 
 the goat which by this time had taken up Taroman's place 
 as a nuisance, although the four-footed beast was preferable 
 on account of its livelier nature. We had plenty of pro- 
 visions for the next day, and I made up my mind never to 
 kill the goat, which was as tame as a dog, choosing to let 
 
 VOL. I. L 
 
146 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 him run his chance of becoming a victim to the deadly 
 flies, and then give him a decent funeral. 
 
 The night was dark and very dreary. The dismal air 
 deadened the spirits of the whole party. Even the sprightly 
 levity of the Mashona seemed to be buried. Up the valley 
 the wind blew " great guns," bringing with it a penetrating, 
 wetting mist. Wrapped in our blankets, John and myself 
 crouched close to the hissing, badly burning fire. 
 
 Melancholy experiences once more made John think of 
 his home and his " leetle wife " far away in the Tati gold- 
 fields. Lugubrious meditations respecting the girl he left 
 behind him were evidently surging through his depressed 
 brain when he would give vent to an expression of this 
 kind: 
 
 " Oh ! my master, I go well all de years ; but dis year I 
 go varee bad. When de master goes to hunt, de people 
 wants to fight wid me all de time." 
 
 Knowing that sleep would be the most beneficial thing 
 under such gloomy circumstances, I crawled into the 
 diminutive tent which Karemba had almost filled with 
 sacks of meal and other stores that had to be kept dry. At 
 my head was the chronometer ; on one side were the rifles, 
 gun, and cartridges ; on the other the provisions, the latter 
 being packed so closely that very little room was left for 
 the old goat, who had pretty much of his own way in the 
 tent, seeing that I was always happier when he remained 
 inside, for the simple reason that when he was outside he 
 invariably chewed the cords, so as to demolish the humble 
 erection, an efibrt which was more than once crowned with 
 complete success. 
 
 On this especial night, some time after I had got soundly 
 ofi" to sleep, I was startled by a sharp blow on my back, 
 which was quickly followed by the collapse of the whole 
 
A MAN AND GOAT FIG JIT. 147 
 
 tent. This was not my first experience of similar catas- 
 trophes, but my restive lodger had never before treated me 
 quite so ungraciously. Annoyed by being cramped to an 
 unusual extent, the old goat must have moved up towards 
 my head in order to get more room, and meeting with dis- 
 appointment he was consequently in proper form to fight 
 for his rights ; so he banged away in a most unceremonious 
 manner, I all the time making wild clutches in the darkness, 
 expecting to seize a horn or a leg. But no : my irate com- 
 panion was struggling to get out of the canvas, and as I 
 was bent upon the same object we had a regular rough and 
 tumble set-to. The old goat managed to make things pretty 
 uncomfortable for the remainder of the busy night. 
 
 Before noon next day a good deal more game had been 
 shot, and numbers of people, from a town hidden in the 
 recesses of the contiguous hills, came up to us, bringing 
 with them a most varied store of commodities for sale, or 
 rather in exchange for meat. Like a couple of butchers, 
 John and myself stood over the heaps of game, carving and 
 cutting off the pieces, for which we got in exchange sweet 
 potatoes (very good when roasted), and other provisions for 
 the party. 
 
 Not a few of our visitors, too, brought witli them gold 
 dust, stuffed in large quills stopped at the end with small 
 pieces of bark. Of this gold dust, and of the gold- 
 yielding region generally, it is my intention to speak 
 more fully further on. For the gold dust I gave cloth in 
 exchange ; but, commercially speaking, I found that I had 
 invariably made bad bargains, the people placing an extra- 
 ordinary value upon the stuff, as they made signs that they 
 had worked very hard to procure it. For two fathoms of 
 white calico I bought a very fine assegai, of the kind used 
 in elephant hunting. 
 
 L 2 
 
148 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 An afternoon was spent in prospecting, my object being 
 to see whether I could find quartz reefs in the immediate 
 vicinity. With this purpose in view I roved observantly 
 through the rocky hills- — they could not be called mountains 
 — which lay a little to the west of our camp, taking the 
 aneroid with me. 
 
 I found that the divide between the Umquadzi valley and 
 the Etsatse (where we now were encamped) was 4450 feet 
 above the sea. Although I did not succeed in reaching the 
 Umquadzi river, I inferred from natural evidences that it 
 should have a large volume of water. The area drained 
 by the river is of great extent. 
 
 A curious hut was seen during the course of this wander- 
 ing. It was built of green branches closely matted together, 
 and running up to a point. The structure was not unlike a 
 North American Indian's hut, although it had no aperture 
 for the escape of smoke, nor was there a visible means of 
 getting in or out. We shouted here for some time before 
 we received any response. Finally the timid inmates 
 became convinced that we were friendly, and assured of 
 this made a small hole by pulling aside some of the inter- 
 laced branches. 
 
 I crept through the opening, and found myself in what 
 seemed to be the near atmosphere of a strong kitchen fire. 
 Breathing or seeing was impossible, owing to the intensity 
 of the smoke, which of course had no outlet with the excep- 
 tion of the crevices between the leaves and branches of 
 the walls, which formed the remarkable fortification. 
 
 Inside the Mashona were all cowering over the fire. A 
 few small boys and dogs, busily knawing bones, completed 
 the select and very high-smelling circle. The men were 
 smoking wild hemp. 
 
 The boys who had been hunting with me also had to 
 
CROWDED QUARTERS. 149 
 
 enter. I suppose it is Mashona etiquette that no stranger 
 should remain out of doors. A Kaffir hut seems to be 
 another of those extraordinary places which always has 
 room for one more : a tram-car, for example, in which an 
 emergency is seldom known when one extra passenger 
 cannot be squeezed in. The only difference I could see 
 was that the unenlightened black quietly allowed his 
 neighbour to be accommodated without looking at him as 
 though he was a dangerous intruder, perhaps an escaped, 
 deeply-dyed defaulter. In those wilds, happily, there are 
 no austere-looking dames whose withering looks are calcu- 
 lated to make a hardened heart quiver through conscious 
 depravity when the possessor takes his rightful seat in a 
 railway carriage, an omnibus, or a theatre. 
 
 The company and the quarters were not in this instance 
 sufficiently attractive to enthral me for more than a few 
 moments, so we were soon on the move. After a tramp of 
 over ten miles we once more found ourselves in camp. I 
 had not found metalliferous rock of any description ; the 
 gold-bearing veins are evidently on the Amazoe river, which 
 lay to the east. 
 
 The scene in camp contrasted strongly with that of the 
 previous night. A babble of numerous voices broke the 
 stillness of the night air ; the stars shone out brightly ; and 
 the gleam of the wood fires was reflected in the ruddy glare 
 of hundreds of glittering spears. 
 
 A whole community seemed to have sprung up during 
 my absence. There must have been at least a hundred 
 and fifty strangers from the Grumapudzi river. All had 
 flocked to see the white man. Each carried three assegais, 
 and every one sat round the fire eating and chattering 
 vigorously. 
 
 John said that during my absence he had bought some 
 
150 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 gold for me with cloth. Meat we exchanged only for meal 
 or other provisions. 
 
 Something of more importance, however, was his telling me 
 that he had overheard what the two leaders (Shedabarume 
 and Saiika) of the Unyamwenda had been saying. From 
 their remarks he did not think that they would go any 
 farther without a further supply of cloth. At that rate, I 
 thought, I should soon be bankrupt. 
 
 Amidst all the inconvenience I managed to get an obser- 
 vation of a star, and so fixed the latitude. Using the top 
 of the sextant-box as a table, and kneeling — for the shelter 
 was only three feet high — I plotted my route on the rough 
 chart, which I kept filling up as I proceeded, giving for 
 each day the distance accomplished. One fact made me feel 
 very uneasy. The position showed that we were holding too 
 much to the north ; and although I had already protested 
 upon this point, the Unyamwenda men positively refused 
 to go more to the eastward. 
 
 I found that we were still a very long way oif from Tette. 
 In a perfectly straight line the place was 157 miles distant. 
 But in Africa mileage is not to be defined by time. 
 
 I tried to cheer John a bit; because I uncomfortably 
 began to think that his reflections were gravely inclined 
 towards a retreat homewards. Should we only get the men 
 to go on with us until we came to some big chief, I still 
 had sufficient exchange to pay for an entirely fresh lot of 
 followers. Full of worrying thoughts and speculations I 
 lay down to rest, rolling myself in a good blanket, in the 
 comfortable folds of which I soon exchanged the woes of 
 the world for the visions of sweet dreamland. 
 
 The night was much warmer than the previous one. 
 Earwigs swarmed in the tent, but the little pests run off as 
 soon as you begin to move about. 
 
AN AWAKENING CAMP. 151 
 
 Before daybreak I was awakened by the usual babble of 
 voices, which invariably began a discordant chorus about 
 the same time ; for the Mashona goes through a great deal 
 of exertion before he springs up alert to the day's duties. . 
 First of all he will raise himself and gaze intently into the 
 fire. Then in an absent-minded manner he will beirin to 
 sing, straining harshly the fibres of his wind-pipe in the 
 wild effort to reach the topmost notes of his vocal register. 
 This performance done he will get up, shake himself, and 
 begin his morning ablutions, for which purpose a friend 
 holds a calabash of water, pouring it into the palm of the 
 bather's hands, so that he may wash his face, hands, and 
 especially his mouth ; for he rubs his singularly hard teeth 
 vigorously, using his fore-finger as a tooth-brush. A morn- 
 ing wash is essential to the Mashona ; because his eyes get 
 full of dirt, arising from the fires, blown into them during 
 the night. 
 
 Disputes usually begin with the awakening of the facul- 
 ties. The matutinal quarrel, as a rule, is about meat ; but 
 upon this particular morning, the subject was whether the 
 Amazuiti, as those people call the Matabeli, would or would 
 not beat them in the next fight. Some said that they 
 would, others that they would not ; nay on the contrary that 
 they would kill all the Matabeli the next time they came. 
 
 Evidently there was a great difference of opinion. Now 
 and then their wild shouts of laughter would ring through 
 the morning air, while at other times they might be seen 
 crouching closely up to the fires, awaiting their turn of the 
 pipe {ikutu), from which they would inhale the irritating 
 fumes of the wild hemp. How curious it was to hear these 
 borne-down people talking and laughing loudly about their 
 prospects against inevitable conquerors! Feeble as they 
 were, they evidently could look destiny fairly in the face. 
 
152 THE FAR INTEBIOR. 
 
 At how many firesides, I wonder, in civilised life would 
 laughter be heard while anticipation was rife respecting 
 the imminent invasion of predatory and merciless foes ? 
 
 The pipe of wild hemp, as it was passed from one to 
 another, made the smokers cough with extraordinary vigour, 
 as though they were making a strong effort to burst a 
 blood-vessel. At the time I speak of, they had reached this 
 coughing stage, and what with the disputation, the cough- 
 ing, laughing and singing, the confusion may be better 
 imagined than described. 
 
 Nevertheless John and I commenced to get everything 
 ready for the advance, which it was clear was to be a 
 formidable matter in the way of tactical difficulties. 
 
 As I could readily perceive that it would be next to im- 
 possible to set out before noon, I produced my sextant, in 
 order to take a meridian altitude of the sun. 
 
 The awestruck astonished look on the faces of the black 
 crowd, which surrounded me, was highly amusing; one, 
 more bold than the others, I allowed to look through the 
 telescope of the sextant, covered by the red sun-glass, 
 through which he caught a glimpse of two red suns. 
 
 The sight evidently disconcerted him, for he quickly 
 walked away, saying to his comrades : " There are two suns, 
 two, two ; " at the same time holding up two fingers, so that 
 there should be no mistake about his " seeing double." I 
 am sure that they thought the " white curio " was anything 
 but " canny." 
 
 Among our numerous visitors were a few more of those 
 old grey haired bundles of sense, whose appearance never 
 boded good. I tried to get some recruits, but not one 
 would consent to be engaged for more than a single day's 
 journey. Under these conditions I could not afford to pay 
 cloth. Shedabarume and Saiika caused more trouble than 
 
NO THEFTS. 153 
 
 all the rest, for they were perpetually inciting qnarrels, and 
 I had a disagreeable suspicion that I would yet have a good 
 deal more difficulty with the intractable pair. 
 
 Whatever may be the faults of these people, actual 
 experience does not allow the accusation of theft. Very 
 easily, and without the slightest risk of punishment, they 
 could have helped themselves to the stores which lay 
 about the camp ; but we had no instance of larceny in that 
 respect. On the contrary, I record with pleasure the oc- 
 currence of a simple event, which exemplifies their innate 
 honesty. Our hatchet, a most indispensable article, was 
 dropped on the way; and in the course of a short time 
 it was brought back to us by a total stranger. Eeaders 
 who are inclined to consider this a slight incident, must 
 remember that an implement of that description is an 
 exceptionally valuable acquisition for the equipment of 
 these unarrayed children of the wild. As a matter of 
 course, the restorer of the property was duly rewarded for 
 his trouble. 
 
 I called up Sebaii (who was supposed to be our guide, 
 but for some incomprehensible reason was at all times the 
 rear man in the company), and speaking through John, in- 
 formed him that we were not going in the proper direction. 
 Sebaii was a cunning old scoundrel. Looking downwards 
 with an amazingly knowing leer, his only answer was : 
 
 " Ahay, Ahay, Seree ! " 
 
 Karemba, I suppose, had taught him this sentence, which 
 might be supposed to comprise all that was necessary for a 
 conversation with a white man. This, at any rate, was all 
 I could get out of our precious guide ! I had constantly 
 been told that we would soon take a turn to the eastward, 
 but now by incessant disappointment I was beginning to be 
 stubborn. 
 
154 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 When at length we succeeded in getting the party oif in 
 sections, crowds of Mashona followed in the wake. I was 
 the last to leave, my companions being Karemba and the 
 ** higher ape." The latter at the time would have been a 
 fine figure-head for a circus. His top dressing was a marvel 
 of what was evidently considered the perfection of beauty. 
 Feathers stuck out in all directions from his head, while 
 down his back monkey skins hung in ample folds. He had 
 also purchased an assegai to add to his load. Clearly the 
 ape was imbued with a notion that in his fearful and won- 
 derfully made body lodged the lingering spirit of some 
 great defunct chief, so that it was his bounden duty to 
 decorate to the utmost the abode of the ghostly genius. 
 How he managed to buy the adornments was of course an 
 unfathomable mystery. 
 
 Scarcely a quarter of a mile of our route had been covered 
 when a tremendous hubbub broke out in our rear. Startled 
 by the shouting we looked back and distinguished a number 
 of blacks pursuing at breakneck speed. We waited until 
 they came up, and then the disclosure was made that a 
 great indiscretion had been committed by having passed 
 through a country without seeing the chief to whom it 
 belonged. 
 
 Our visitors were the slaves of Mchesa, the chief. They 
 kept signing to me to sit down. 
 
 " You cannot go farther," said Karemba ; " the chief is 
 coming," an intimation which he repeated with great 
 emphasis. 
 
 Concluding that the best plan would be to sit still I did 
 so, after sending a boy ahead to stop the party. 
 
 Very soon we descried in the distance the lithe figure of 
 a tall man, loosely robed in a large sheet half blue and half 
 white. On he came, running and walking alternately, his 
 
MCHESA IS INDIGNANT. 155 
 
 great strides making him appear as though his very life 
 depended upon every step. For a mighty chief, this hasty 
 gait appeared a very undignified mode of locomotion. His 
 anxiety, however, was sufficient to show that the old gentle- 
 man had a very great interest in what was before him. In 
 his mind, of course, calculations were rife, and visions loom- 
 ing, regarding the quantity of cloth he was going to receive. 
 I had previously sent up to his town a message to the effect 
 that I wished to buy some assegais, but no response having 
 been given for nearly two days, I had given up all hope. 
 Now I felt that the chief might score one at least, for he 
 had caught me. Not that I had been endeavouring to 
 evade him, but in the anxiety to get ahead I had forgotten 
 a strong point in savage etiquette. 
 
 I was sitting under a small bush trying to find a shade 
 against the excessively hot sun, when Mchesa arrived, 
 panting, and apparently excessively choleric. He at once 
 squatted on the ground, his followers doing the same, all 
 clapping their hands. 
 
 A cemetery-like silence prevailed for some time. Then 
 the old gentleman having caught his second wind, began 
 to pour forth eloquence, speaking with so much earnest 
 volubility, that it was not difficult to perceive that he was 
 getting rid of a superfluity of bottled rage which had 
 generated and accumulated during his somewhat arduous 
 journey. His town was at least twelve miles in the rear of 
 our position. 
 
 After he had finished his expostulatory oration, Karemba 
 and Sagwam (the latter having come back to see what was 
 the matter) explained to me as well as they could what 
 Mchesa had said. 
 
 " His heart was sore," it appeared, " that the white man 
 had gone through his country without seeing him. Ho 
 
156 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 wanted to show assegais to the stranger, and how he could 
 fashion them with his own hands. For the latter purpose, 
 he had brought with him the whole paraphernalia of manu- 
 facture, bellows, iron, &c., to make them on the spot, and 
 that he had travelled very far, and would not go farther ! " 
 
 Answering the old man I said, " I had travelled much 
 farther than he had — many, many moons — in order to see 
 his country, and that I had sent his people to say I wished 
 to see his assegais, but thought he was not coming ; there- 
 fore I left. If he now wished me to buy some assegais, and 
 to give him cloth in exchange, he must come with me to 
 where my party was. 
 
 To this the chief consented, but not without a great deal 
 of coaxing. It is very unlikely that he would have left me, 
 but he had a hope that I would bring the cloth to him. 
 We soon overtook the party and marched on to the Waynge 
 river. Surrounded by rocks, trees, and rivers, we selected a 
 sheltered spot, where we might be secure from a grass fire, 
 which had been following pretty closely all along the 
 march, threatening to swallow up the camp. We were in 
 such a fix that I was on the point of ordering the party to 
 take the things across the river, so that I was very glad 
 of the assistance of the numbers who had followed us. To 
 help in fighting against the advancing fire all hands turned 
 out, breaking small branches from the trees, and moving 
 forward in a line beat out the flames. Fortunately, the 
 wind changed, and lulled a little, otherwise these operations 
 would not have been successful, the grass being long and 
 very dry. 
 
 Three skerms were made, one for the old chief Mchesa 
 and his following, one for the people from the Grumapudze 
 river, and one for ourselves. 
 
 A follower of Mchesa's sold me a fine assegai, for which 
 
VULCAN IS REEDY. 157 
 
 he received cloth in payment. But when my attention was 
 engaged with something else, the assegai disappeared. In 
 a short time I walked over to where the chief was talking 
 to the interpreters. We went in and took our places in the 
 circle that was formed. 
 
 The old man was speechless, looking as though his feelings 
 had been unpardonably tampered with ; his resentment 
 seeming to be a powerfully concentrated essence of indigna- 
 tion. I thought I would take the cork out soon ; for close 
 behind him I saw, sticking in the ground, the assegai which 
 I had bought. I gave notice that I was about to speak. 
 
 Through Sagwam, who acted as interpreter, I strongly 
 protested against the fraud of the assegai being taken back 
 after I had lawfully bought it ; telling the chief that when 
 a white man made a bargain he never asked his cloth back 
 again. 
 
 Mchesa's reply was to the effect that the assegai belonged 
 to him, and not to the man who had sold it. 
 
 On my remarking that I wished to see him work, he 
 answered that his heart was sore, because after he had come 
 so far I had not given him mataJca (present). He had 
 prepared his forge outside, but could not go to work until 
 I had given him something. 
 
 I gave him a tolerable present of red white-eyed beads, 
 but he said that his heart was still aching (for more), so I 
 gave him a couple of yards of splendid striped calico 
 showing very brilliant and pretty colours, yet he did not 
 half appreciate its beauty. 
 
 Vulcan's face still wore the cloud of disappointed greed. 
 I asked for the assegai, and he had the audacity to say that 
 what I had given him was a present for his having come 
 so far. 
 
 "You grasping old wretch!" I muttered between my 
 
158 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 teeth; "had it not been that I know that farther down 
 where I intend going iron in all likelihood will not be 
 found, and consequently no native blacksmiths, I would 
 leave you to yourself." 
 
 Though I had to pocket my pride, I was determined to 
 see this primitive artificer at work ; so I continued to give 
 him beads, and as he called for more doled them out by 
 degrees, thus removing gradually the symptoms of disap- 
 pointment, until at length his countenance cleared, and it 
 became apparent that his heart was healed. 
 
 I then took possession of the stolen assegai, and the old 
 man proceeded to work. Negotiating in this fashion took 
 up a very long time, particularly as I was becoming a more 
 adroit trader, and although I had given him beads many 
 times, the aggregate was not very great. 
 
 Old Mchesa's blacksmithing was really a good effort. 
 Throwing aside his ample robe, undecked nudity was his 
 working condition. 
 
 He burrowed a hole in the rather sandy soil close to 
 a place where the underlying rock protruded, to form a 
 natural anvil. 
 
 The tue " iron " was fashioned with clay baked to the 
 hardness of firebrick. The small nozzle he had brought 
 with him. The bellows were of a duplex pattern, consisting 
 of the whole skins of goats made perfectly air-tight, except- 
 ing the neck and one of the legs, which respectively formed 
 the inlet and outlet for the air. A strap was fixed across 
 the opening at the neck, so as to facilitate the raising of 
 the bellows after the air had been forced to fan the fire. 
 The motive power employed to work the wind was an old 
 man ; who, seating himself between the two goat-skin bags^ 
 placed a hand upon the openings in each neck, and fell 
 to action, pressing down one bag, and grasping tightly the 
 
VULCAN AT WOBK. 159 
 
 place where the hole was, so as to prevent the escape of 
 air. As he did so he would relax his hold upon the other 
 bag, raising it up meanwhile so as to allow it to refill. In 
 this way a continual blast of air was kept up to the fire. 
 This novel apparatus completed the improvised smithy. 
 
 The workman's tools consisted of two small square blocks 
 of iron weighing about three pounds each — these Avere 
 hammers — and a pair of tongs, made from the grcenbark 
 of the Machabele-tree. With these appliances at hand all 
 was ready for operations. 
 
 Taking a piece of crude iron, which still retained some of 
 the slag of the native smelting furnace, Mchesa heated it, 
 and went through the regular process of " drawing it out " 
 by means of hammering, his sledge hammer being a piece 
 of water-polished black basalt, as hard as iron, taken from 
 the bed of the Waynge river close by. The sledge was used 
 by a lusty savage, who, taking two steps backwards, would 
 then come forward with an energetic impetus, bringing 
 down the stone on the iron like a trip hammer. 
 
 Mchesa conducted himself as a thorough tradesman (and 
 seemed to be fully aware of the fact), knocking the dust off 
 his hands, and watching with a knowing eye the appearance 
 of the glowing flame. He never stood erect, but always 
 worked in a sitting posture, and everything he did was 
 accomplished with ease, dexterity, and I might almost say 
 gracefulness. The tongs had to be renewed now and 
 again. 
 
 No one could have the slightest doubt that the chief was 
 looked upon as a remarkably clever man by all around him. 
 He talked all the while to the old boy at the bellows, who 
 never spoke, excepting when he gave vent to a monosyllabic 
 negative or affirmative, and who deported himself in a 
 wonderful manner, starting or stopping at any part of the 
 
160 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 stroke like a well-regulated engine, hanging his head to one 
 side as though the weight of his brain when thoroughly 
 set in motion would weigh him to the earth. 
 
 A delightful feeling came over me. Now shall I show 
 my knowledge of character by overcoming this cantankerous 
 old tiger, and making him perfectly good-natured, for as he 
 is capable of being so dreadfully cross, he must also have 
 the power of being the reverse. I must endeavour to see 
 the other side of his face. 
 
 The assegai was fashioned, and the chief asked me if I 
 wanted it. Knowing his character, I said I would buy it 
 from him. He then made me some more, for all of which 
 I gave in exchange some article that pleased his fancy. 
 
 So as to observe the effect I tried to flatter Mchesa, telling 
 him that he was very clever, that the assegais were beauti- 
 fully made, that I would take them home and show them 
 to my white brothers, and that I did not know of any white 
 man who could make an assegai so well. 
 
 He seemed pleased to hear all this, but was altogether 
 too great a man to show his emotion, saying, however, that 
 it was not his fault that he did not make me lots of assegais. 
 I thought that at the price such a transaction would be a 
 considerable commercial failure on my side. 
 
 It ought to be mentioned that the ironstone (a piece of 
 which they brought to me) as found by the natives of this 
 locality looks like a brown haematite. 
 
 Mchesa, when seen closely, was a man of moderate stature, 
 about forty-five years of age. His garb consisted of the 
 plain white and blue cotton robe of which I have spoken, 
 but on his head he wore a wreath-like ornament of otter 
 skin, decorated with white fossil shells found in the bed 
 of the Zambesi. Known to be by nature rather cross, the 
 Vulcan was in fact an exceedingly crabbed old party. 
 
THE BOY UMFANA. 161 
 
 i fearing a great uproar in the camp, I hurried biurk, and 
 found that Sagwam and a strange boy had been conversing, 
 and had aroused the Unyamwenda by something they hud 
 said. 
 
 Shedabarume and Saiika were by this time very obnoxious, 
 almost unbearable in their manner. I had observed on the 
 road from the last river that neither had carried their loads 
 to this place, but had transferred them to two strangers. 
 People in those climes will impose uj)on each other as nefa- 
 riously as any race I know of. I have watched them piling 
 their loads upon others, and giving in return for the relief 
 a small piece of meat or a few beads, sufficient of the latter, 
 perhaps, to make an earring. The unfortunates continue 
 to carry their burdens until the limit of endurance has been 
 passed, and then down go the things and a row ensues. 
 
 The aspect of affairs clearly showed that a disturbing 
 element was developing in the camp. Trouble of some 
 description seemed to be imminent. 
 
 Inquiring of John about the matter, he said that a 
 Mashona boy who had been captured during a JMatabeli 
 raid, and had been taken to Buluwayo, but had effected 
 an escape, was in camp, and he it was who liad been 
 speaking to Sagwam, and whose remarks had aroused the 
 trouble. 
 
 The boy had declared that they were taking the white man 
 in a wrong direction. He had, it seemed, seen other white 
 men when he was at Buluwayo, and as he looked rather a 
 bright youth I told John to enlist him. He was christened 
 " Umfana," which is the Matabeli word for boy. 
 
 I was very glad to get the recruit, if only for the reason 
 that the merest ray of light from the outer world was most 
 acceptable in these utterly barren life-scenes. 
 
 On that night the view of the camp was weirdlike in its 
 
 VOL. I. M 
 
162 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 wildness, reminding one strongly of the romance pictures 
 of the home of a horde of brigands. 
 
 Towering on every side around were great precipitous 
 rocky cliffs, with ragged nooks and crannies vividly exposed 
 under the blood-red light radiating from the dancing flames 
 of our primitive fires. It was this wildly picturesque back- 
 ground that gave to the shelter its brigandish appearance, 
 only the camp was perfectly open in its display of warlike 
 appurtenances, for on every side a perfect forest of glancing 
 spearheads reflected the light of the starlit sky. Groups of 
 men circled round the crackling blaze, and their black skins 
 shone so that individually they looked like wet bronze 
 statues under the glare of an electric light. 
 
 As the darkness deepened, one could see how the instinct 
 of clanship strengthened. The party divided into its three 
 natural parts, each going to its especial enclosure, in the 
 shape of a rough hedge hastily and rudely formed from 
 branches and trunks of trees, with the coarse wild grass 
 peeping up here and there through the crevices, and some- 
 times drooping gracefully to mingle with the verdant foliage, 
 which in the daytime imparted a certain luxuriance to the 
 romantic scene. Is it possible, amidst such a scene, that 
 in anyone's mind there would not crop up some reflections 
 upon the universality of the rules in Nature's guidance 
 of man ? In that diminutive and strangely placed camp 
 the nations of the world, in a manner, were pictured. 
 
 Multitudes had been divided. Each individual assem- 
 blage had been formed into its family — its clan — and had 
 become a body animated in itself by fraternal ties and 
 kindred aspirations. Contrasts of content and discontent 
 were to be found. On one hand might be seen the family 
 which was ever ready to listen patiently to the voice, and 
 attend humbly to the commands of its head who had risen 
 
TROUBLES THREATENING. 163 
 
 to despotic power, and ruled his people with an inflexible 
 hand. On the other side might be observed the nomad clan 
 — chiefless, perhaps —wandering thriftless but thoroughly 
 contented in a land where the necessaries of life were 
 plentiful, and where they would sink without a thought into 
 impotent rest. In the third place were the reckless people, 
 destined to drift helplessly toward the darkness of anarchy 
 and the doom of dissolution. 
 
 Not without reason, I had a strong idea that the latter 
 was the condition of my camp. 
 
 I lay in the small tent for hours trying to gain a little 
 sleep. Towards midnight, however, the ever-increasing hum 
 of excited voices reached such a pitch that I turned out, 
 being convinced that what Artemus Ward would have called 
 " a fite " was on the verge of commencing. 
 
 So far as I could see, Shedabarume and Saiika were having 
 the best of the trouble. The Chibero men seemed to have 
 separated themselves entirely from the Unyamwenda, and 
 were sitting apart at a special fire. 
 
 I walked around the crowd, sitting first at one fire and 
 then at another, without understanding a single word of 
 what was being spoken. 
 
 My wish was always to look utterly regardless — a feat, 
 however, which was not at all times successful. In the 
 present instance I wandered indifferently about for a time, 
 and at last got alongside of John, who declared that he 
 quite understood what all the row was about. 
 
 The people had been threatening to kill Sagwam, for 
 having interpreted their sayings, and those of the new-comer. 
 Very little love was lost between them and Sagwam, who, 
 although of Makalaka origin, was born and reared in Mata- 
 beli-land, and was instinctively of Matabeli habits and 
 notions. He was always committing the unfortunate blunder 
 
 M 2 
 
164 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 of calling the people "umtagate," which means most of 
 things that are bad. Mayhap Sagwam was right, for their 
 incessant and discordant chatter, and angry tones of dis- 
 agreement, indicated the hatching of all sorts of schemes 
 to lead the white man astray. Had I known all that was 
 said, my mind might have been more perplexed than it 
 was even then. 
 
 . Shedabarume and Saiika were at length quieted, and 
 things began to wear a more promising aspect of peace. 
 The resistless power of sleep, too, seized the majority of the 
 crowd, so that I took an early opportunity to crawl back to 
 my rude shelter, and try to find the same relief. 
 
 A very restless slumber rewarded me, and I was up 
 betimes in the morning. Getting up under the circum- 
 stances did not entail much trouble, for at night I never 
 took off my clothes, and a rough shake was the only dress 
 preparation for the day. 
 
 On mingling among the people I learned that the 
 disturbance on the previous night had culminated in a 
 separation. 
 
 Some said they would go on with me ; others, including 
 of course all the Unyamwenda, refused to go another step. 
 Forgetting all the cloth, beads, and so forth I had given 
 them, never to speak of such requisites as meat and meal, 
 they were quite ready to desert in the open veldt, and of 
 course they thought they had cornered me. 
 
 Meditating upon every contingency of the situation, I 
 finally concluded that from these Unyamwenda I could 
 never expect to have any peace. Besides, with my slender 
 stock of goods, doled out at the rate I had been paying them, 
 I could never hope to reach the Zambesi. Henceforth I 
 decided to look upon them as strangers. I would grasp at 
 no more straws floating upon the waters of conciliation. 
 
KAREMBA IS DOUBTFUL. 165 
 
 We were then upon the southern bank of the Waynge 
 river, and I was determined to get away somewhere, of 
 course towards the north. With this resohition firmly im- 
 planted in my mind, I tore off some strips of white calico, 
 and spread them out before me, placing upon each a small 
 palm full of beads, and saying that I would give to each of 
 four boys who would accompany me to the nearest chief 
 towards the north-east, pointing at the same time in that 
 direction, one of the separate portions of calico and beads. 
 
 Out of the numbers present four said they would go. 
 Even these were recruited from among outsiders, and did 
 not seem particularly anxious to proceed. Naturally I had 
 to try to induce Karemba to come on, as it was my intention 
 to leave all the rest with John, including Sagwam, the new 
 boy Umfana, and the " higher ape." 
 
 Karemba, I could see, was troubled in his mind. 
 
 Up to this time, as the reader cannot have failed to notice, 
 there had been perpetual objections on the part of the 
 Unyamwenda to move in the direction in which I wished 
 to proceed. The present mutiny was clearly a troublesome 
 development of this untoward obstinacy. 
 
 Taking Karemba aside, I said I wished him to accompany 
 me to the nearest chief, in order to try and procure boys to 
 carry. He replied that he was tired, and, besides, the other 
 natives had told him that the tribe living on the Ruia river 
 would be sure to " kill the white man and all his boys." 
 
 Although I could converse with Karemba, and understand 
 his remarks well enough, still on important occasions I 
 would make him communicate his speech through John. 
 I assured him that he was thoroughly safe. In fact it was 
 a part of ray diplomacy to impress upon all the men their 
 absolute immunity from danger, so that they must have 
 wondered what could be my concealed power of protection. 
 
166 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 But Karemba required a great deal of suasive coaxing. 
 A present or two, however, had more influence than words, 
 so after a little reflection he consented. 
 
 John did not like the proceedings. He looked upon me 
 with saddened eyes, as I packed up the few articles that 
 it was essential we should take. When all was ready, I bade 
 him a hearty " good-bye," telling him to keep up his spirits, 
 and to have his eyes wide open in looking after the things. 
 
 I did not know where I was going, but I felt an undefinable 
 confidence that the journey would be attended with success. 
 
 A few of the Unyamwenda sat sulkily beside the path 
 which led to the water, watching as we started blithely off 
 at a swinging gait. 
 
 Crossing upon the black polished boulders of the Waynge 
 river, we climbed the hilly bank to the north ; thence we 
 turned in a north-easterly direction, and in a little time 
 entered the deep recesses of the surrounding mountains. 
 
( 167 ) 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 FBOM THE WAYNGE RIVER TO THE UMVUKWE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 Sebaii the orator — Appearance of the country — The Ruia river — " Igova, 
 Muliliti " — The solemnity of snuffing — Fortunate sliootiug — " Ton 
 thousand devils, John and Sagwam dead ! " — The treacherous Unyam- 
 wenda — An early start — Effects of a sudden appearance — John in 
 despair — Astonishing the disturbers — Lucky help — -Necessity for quick 
 progress — Visit to Muliliti, the chief — His home circle — The 'cute old 
 dodger Sandani — Feet torments — Marshy country — New carriers and 
 a new guide — A marrow-bone feast — Endurance of natives on tlie 
 march — Signs of lions — The Umzengezi river — Discouraging news — 
 Humours of roll-call — Splendid view from the Uravukwe mountains — 
 Solitude. 
 
 The advancing party consisted of Karemba, four men, and 
 old Sebaii, who carried his wooden pillow, also the general 
 utility saucepan and small kettle, which likewise served as 
 a teapot, or anything else in the way of a drinking or 
 liquid boiling utensil, it mattered not what. 
 
 Utterly useless as a guide, and very indifferent as a 
 carrier, Sebaii was a fine specimen of a JMashona fireside 
 orator, magnificent in his talk, a prince of humbugs, and an 
 unrivalled snuffer and peacemaker. He had been enlisted 
 at Unyamwenda, but in reality had no connection with 
 that town. I was glad to get him, especially because I 
 had not the faintest notion of the character of the country 
 into which fate would lead me, nor of the monsters of the 
 human species whom I might encounter. 
 
 As we looked back upon the route we had traversed, we 
 
168 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 could see towards the south steep cliffs and deep shadowed 
 canons, forming a scene that was majestic in its grandeur. 
 On our side of the Waynge river the country displayed a 
 series of hills, threaded by well-watered ravines all des- 
 cending towards the south-east; the rivulets draining a 
 somewhat sterile tract, sparsely covered with a growth of 
 low forest. 
 
 Hartebeest, roan antelopes, zebras, and other swift-footed 
 fauna abounded in this region. 
 
 The gloamin' found us camped under the shelter of a 
 small clump of bush in a strip of low-lying meadow-land, 
 on the southern bank of the Kuia river and in close 
 proximity to its head-waters. This stream is the principal 
 tributary of the Amazoe, which drains a very large area 
 and finally joins the Zambesi, about twenty miles south-east 
 of Tette. 
 
 A distance of fourteen miles now lay between my two 
 camps. 
 
 The new guide, Amenanza, was a tall and a fine man ; the 
 most picturesque specimen of a Mashona I had seen, having 
 a costume of the most meagre description, consisting of 
 a small skin around the loins, bracelets of buffalo hide, 
 and large earrings of brass wire. For weapons he had a 
 knobkerry, three assegais, and a hatchet. 
 
 That he had led us a rather roundabout way over a 
 mountainous country was very apparent ; but he now 
 assured me that we were near a town. 
 
 Pointing to the opposite side of the river, Amenanza 
 directed especial attention to a granite mountain ; one of 
 many which lined the northern edge of the water, and 
 seemed to spring up abrupt and isolated from the plain, 
 with intervening expanses of level land, then another hill, 
 and so on as far as the eye can reach. 
 
SOLEMNITY OF SNUFFING. 1()9 
 
 " Igova — Miililiti," he said, which I found to be the 
 names of a town and its chief. 
 
 Oh, how contented I felt with these few men! There 
 was no wrangling. Everything seemed to go on smoothly. 
 Free from carking care I sat, until very late in the night, 
 before the crackling blaze of an immense fire roasting pea 
 nuts, and learning as much as possible of the IMashona 
 tongue. Distraction of some kind was bound to turn uj), 
 and just as I was dropping off to sleep it came to my mind 
 that I had forgotten to tell John to wind the clirono- 
 meter. To-morrow, however, if I succeeded in getting boys, 
 precautions could be taken before it had run down. 
 
 Sebaii, by stentorian shouts, was the harbinger of another 
 dawn, as he sang, or rather shrilly screamed his morning 
 chant, straining his voice to the utmost tension of his 
 india-rubber windpipe. 
 
 Two boys were immediately dispatched to the chief of 
 the town, to inform him that I desired to speak, and that 
 if he came to the camp he would get a present. 
 
 The people of the town must have espied us on tlic 
 previous night, for but a little time elapsed before the chief 
 and a large following appeared and seated themselves in 
 groups. Karemba welcomed the chief, and Sebaii seemed 
 quite in his element as a courtier. The latter's grave 
 demeanour befitted the importance of the occasion : he 
 kept his eyes riveted upon the ground, while he clapped 
 his hands to greet with generous warmth the new-comers. 
 
 My consequential follower then produced his snuff-box, 
 which consisted of a small calabash ornamented with brass 
 wire. The box was first handed to the chief and then to 
 those who stood around. Sebaii managed his snuffing with 
 the same silent solemnity that might be expected from a 
 Scotch Presbyterian elder, when tapping his box at the 
 
170 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 opening up of a doctrinal question before the minister. 
 Exactly in the same way Sebaii gravely tapped his box, 
 and handed it round. When he had no snuff he would 
 just as solemnly and naturally pick up a couple of pebbles, 
 and grind some loose tobacco into a powder, of which he 
 took a pinch and then held the rest out for the acceptance 
 of his companions. 
 
 In the present instance, a good deal of sneezing and hard 
 coughing followed the friendly pinch. The strangers gazed 
 at me with keen scrutinizing glances. 
 
 Sebaii then entered upon a protracted and eloquent 
 oration, which was followed by a long response from the 
 chief. 
 
 After I had presented the latter with a piece of cloth, 
 Karemba, who acted as intermediate spokesman, assumed a 
 lofty air as if it was the chief who in reality required 
 assistance, and not the chiefs rather dissimulating sup- 
 plicants. Karemba, too, made numerous promises saying 
 that if the chief would assist by sending boys to fetch my 
 baggage at once prompt remuneration would follow. 
 
 As was usual in all such cases there was a good deal of 
 argument. To my amazement the people proved friendly. 
 They were quite ready to go, but said they wanted meat. 
 Answering this request, I said that as soon as I saw them 
 leave I would go and hunt. They then informed us that 
 they knew a shorter way to the other camp than that by 
 which we had come, and would be back as soon as possible. 
 Greatly gratified with the success in this matter, I started 
 off to hunt in the best possible spirits. 
 
 Striking buffalo spoor, we tracked upon it for a consider- 
 able distance. Suddenly Amenanza, who was my only 
 companion, pointed sharply to a small clump of trees, and 
 following the guidance of his hand I could distinguish a 
 
VITALITY OF ANTELOPES. 171 
 
 moving object amid the copse. Creeping up and hngging 
 the ground as closely as possible, I soon, by a rapid peep 
 over the top of the grass, discerned the quarry — a fine sable 
 antelope bull (Hippotragus niger), with a magnificent head, 
 and beautiful sweeping horns. 
 
 Fortune was clearly favourable. I could not do bettor 
 than accept her offer ; for were I not able to find buffalo, I 
 might have to face the disappointment of going back empty 
 handed to the camp, and with the knowledge tliat on the 
 return of the boys with John there would be no meat, and 
 consequently much delay. 
 
 Aware of the importance of success I took a very careful 
 aim, fired, and managed to bag the fine beast I had been 
 admiring. 
 
 With a few bounds Amenanza, looking like a gladiator, 
 was soon upon the spot endeavouring to extinguish life 
 with the assegai. But the vitality of these animals is 
 wonderful in its endurance. Expert as this man was with 
 his weapon, and although the shot had penetrated just 
 behind the shoulder — a little high — it was some time before 
 the antelope died outright. 
 
 From marks upon the body it was evident that some 
 wild animal had attacked it. The quarters I found to 
 be very much marked by the claws of some beast of prey, 
 probably a leopard or lion. I soon was at work skinning 
 the carcase, and cutting the meat into loads that might be 
 conveniently carried. To skin and cut up so large an animal 
 quickly, is pretty hard work. 
 
 The boy who was with me was sent back to camp to tell 
 some of the people, who had assembled before we left, to 
 come and carry back the meat. The inducement was 
 effectual, for very soon a crowd of men arrived, surrounding 
 me and showing their eagerness for meat in a most urgent 
 
172 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 manner. I gave them the " internals " of the beast (the 
 rest having to be kept for the workers of my party), and 
 they literally fought like fiends for the possession of the 
 stuff, tearing the flesh into shreds ; one man, perhaps, 
 coming out of the fray with just as much as he could 
 hold in his clenched hand, while another would have a 
 very small length of the inward parts. Feeding hounds 
 is the only resembl9,nce to the scene that I can think of. 
 Generally speaking, however, the combatants were very 
 good-natured, and nothing untoward occurred with the 
 exception that one man got rather badly cut. 
 
 Pleasant thoughts occupied my mind as I walked back to 
 camp with this meat-laden party. " A lucky morning this 
 has been," I said to myself, " for I shall work wonders with 
 this meat." 
 
 I had sent off boys with special dispatch to fetch over 
 the caravan. I hoped that John would come at once, 
 as I had sent strict injunctions that he should not 
 delay for a moment, remembering the old adage — par- 
 ticularly applicable to dealings with these people — " strike 
 the iron while it is hot." I know this, from experience, 
 to be a very sensible bit of advice, both literally and 
 metaphorically. 
 
 It was now long after sunset, but neither John nor the 
 boys I had sent had put in an appearance. 
 
 Eating rice and some venison stew which Karemba had 
 occupied an afternoon in preparing, I wondered much 
 regarding what could have happened, my vague surmises 
 including all sorts of impending trouble. 
 
 Reflections of this nature, however, were soon disturbed 
 by the increasing mutterings of voices coming nearer and 
 nearer out of the darkness, until at length numerous black 
 forms appeared, stark and distinct under the ruddy light of 
 
"JOHN AND SAO W AM DEAD J" 173 
 
 the evening lire. When I observed their looks, dismal 
 thoughts and forebodings arose. 
 
 Standing before me, were the same boys whom the chief 
 had sent out ! They were without loads, and no John 
 could be seen. "Who should appear, however, but Umfana, 
 the Matabeli boy, and his looks had sufficient scare to 
 alarm even men who might be more than mortal. But 
 besides facial dismay, his faltering voice was charged with 
 terror. Describing the situation on the Waynge river, 
 he kept continually repeating the words, " Ya hamba, 
 Unyamwenda, bulale Ijan, bulale Sagomd ! " 
 
 " Ten thousand devils," 1 muttered ; " John and Sagwam 
 dead, and the Unyamwenda oif to their distant rocky 
 homes ! What fiends ! It never can be true ! " 
 
 The reader may imagine my feelings. What was to 
 be done ? I write now as I thought then of my first 
 impression respecting the rueful news. Soon, by dint of 
 constant repetition, and through Karemba, who could now^ 
 make me understand his words well enough, I was enabled 
 to get a better comprehension of the fearful outburst. 
 
 It appeared that the Igova boys were not friendly with 
 the Unyamwenda, a fact which accounted for their per- 
 sistent refusal to go with me towards the east, and that the 
 Unyamwenda wanted to kill John and Sagwam, and seize 
 the calico and beads, in order to take them back to their 
 own country. 
 
 I would have started upon the instant to the scene of the 
 disturbance. But to have attempted such a mission would 
 have been to court failure, if not disaster. Not one of the 
 boys would have gone. And how could I rely upon these 
 Igova men ? They would go home in the meantime, and 
 probably I would not have the chance of again getting them 
 to go on. 
 
174 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 One thing, however, was clear. I must go to John with- 
 out any delay. How, in the name of wonder, was I to get 
 these men ? 
 
 As a preliminary to inducement, I gave each of them a 
 small piece of meat — just enough to whet their appetites — 
 telling them at the same time that if they would proceed 
 with me in the morning I would give them white calico 
 and plenty of meat on the return of the party to the Buia 
 river. Their reply to the proposal was shrewd enough. 
 They said that the Unyamwenda people would not give up 
 the things. Evidently the people did not understand me, 
 for they repeated over and over again that they would not 
 go without the white man. Finally, I knocked the facts 
 into their heads that, whether they went or not, before day- 
 break I would be on the Waynge river, and tliat if they 
 chose to follow early in the morning I would be sure to 
 fulfil my promises. 
 
 They then disappeared in the surrounding darkness, but 
 Karemba told me that they would be sure to go. 
 
 That night, as anyone can understand, was an uneasy night 
 for me. I kept turning over in my mind what might be the 
 upshot if these rebellious Unyamwenda positively refused to 
 let the things go without an exorbitant demand upon our 
 resources, that is to say, upon the store of goods. Of course 
 a discreet policy could be the only wise course to adopt. 
 
 With a few men, another line of action would not have 
 cost me a moment's thought, but with a force of thirty, a 
 mistaken act of intimidation on our part might have proved 
 fatal. 
 
 Come what would, my mind was made up to be on 
 the Waynge river before, or soon after, sunrise. With that 
 resolution firmly fixed, I lay down to seek what rest might 
 be vouchsafed to me. 
 
A BAD NIQIIT AND MORNING. 175 
 
 Very small ants were swarminj^ in the blankets. These 
 little pests could even be found in the sugar ; in fact, 
 everything savoured of ant. 
 
 The spot we had chosen for the camp was damj) and 
 cold, for we were close to the river. After a long day's 
 journey, however, it is better not to camp far from water, as 
 distance entails a great amount of labour in carrying the 
 indispensable support of life. 
 
 Little sleep came to refresh me during that brief night's 
 recumbence, for my mind was in a quandary of doubts and 
 surmises. A cold, wetting mist hugged the land wlicn I 
 got up. It seemed as though it could penetrate even 
 through the skin. My garb, too, was so light that in less 
 severe circumstances I always went through a shivering fit 
 in the morning. As a matter of fact, it was that same 
 feeling which usually awoke me. I seemed to become a 
 second-grade Mashona, as it were, for I could get up early 
 and kindle flames from the smouldering fire, to crouch over 
 them, suffering their pungent smoke to blind and choke me. 
 
 Before the sun lit up Waynge camp a stiff fourteen miles 
 had to be covered. I wished to appear as an apparition, a 
 thorough stage ghost, stalking grim and gaunt out of a 
 hidden door in the dark and massive rocks. This I knew 
 would astonish the intractable Unyamwenda not a little. 
 
 Long before the proper time to start I sat up, meditating 
 beside the blinding and choking fire. In this position I 
 felt solitary, for looking at the slumbering boys as they lay 
 together, huddled close for the sake of warmth, and snoriug 
 in blissful unconsciousness, I was loth to disturb them, 
 genuinely unwilling, in fact, to awake their minds, just then 
 so free from care, to the stern realities of the day's work. 
 
 But circumstances permitted little delay. A veil of 
 darkness was still athwart the sky when I gently shook 
 
176 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Amenanza. He awoke without disturbing the others. He 
 was the only man I intended to take with me. I heated 
 some tea, and tried to make him take some, but he did not 
 seem to care much about it. 
 
 Shouldering the small rifle (C. L. K.), and giving a few 
 words of instruction to Karemba, telling him to hurry on 
 the Igova men as soon as possible, I soon struck out towards 
 the west, with Amenanza walking before me. 
 
 The air was now damp and cold, and the grass heavy 
 with dew. After the first few steps I was soaked as much 
 as if I had been wading through a lake or river. Blistered 
 feet troubled me, too, until I was warmed by hard walking 
 and forgot these grievous discomforts. 
 
 We went on at a good, rapid rate, Amenanza leading the 
 way, his lithe and manly figure, seemingly polished by the 
 dew, gracefully sweeping through the wet and heavy grass. 
 
 Now and then a small antelope or a wild hog would start 
 up, and speedily move away like " will-o-the-wisp." Soon 
 the stars began to fade, under the influence of the soft 
 white light of dawn, showing, towards the orient, grey 
 streaks of rain-charged clouds. 
 
 On we sped, sometimes passing through grass rising six 
 feet above our heads, although the usual height of the 
 grass, where it had not been burnt, was only about six feet. 
 At length the monumental looking masses of rock stood 
 before us, and just as the living light of day began to 
 illumine their jagged summits, Amenanza and myself stood 
 by the banks of the Waynge river. My mind was filled with 
 anxious thoughts regarding the difficult question how I 
 should manage to make a settlement with the stubborn and 
 truculent rebels. 
 
 In a few moments I stood in the camp beside John, 
 whose appearance was a powerful picture of abject despair. 
 
SUEPBISINa THE REBELS. Ill 
 
 He was evidently much relieved at seeing me again, and 
 soon told the long and eventful story of the occurrences 
 since I had left him, dwelling especially upon the threat of 
 the people to kill both him and Sagwam because they 
 refused to surrender the cloth, which I saw was stacked up 
 behind him. 
 
 Somewhat relieved about this matter, my next thoughts 
 were of the chronometer. Had it run down ? No ; to my 
 delight I found it was still going, and had still some hours 
 to spare. 
 
 I scanned the camp. Satisfaction ? Satisfaction indeed ! 
 Old Mchesa, along with his men, had left. Only a few 
 stragglers remained. The Unyamwenda were huddled 
 together on the side of the skerm (pronounced scarem) 
 opposite to John and Sagwam, and their assegais were 
 stacked behind them. 
 
 I kept up an air of absolute indifference, taking not the 
 slightest notice of the crowd of blacks, who, by the way, 
 looked rather dismayed at my arrival : perhaps from the 
 suddenness of my appearance, but partly, I think, because I 
 took things so easily. 
 
 Consulting with John, he said he was sure they would 
 ask too much cloth before they would permit us to take the 
 things away. 
 
 After a very short time had elapsed, I saw that the Igova 
 men had arrived. Soon they were all seated on the opposite 
 bank of the river. I did not count their numbers, but my 
 mind was filled with ingenious schemes for getting out of 
 the troublesome predicament, and I relied a little upon their 
 unfriendliness to the Unyamwenda. 
 
 My mind was soon made up as to what should be done. 
 
 First of all the guns were examined and placed in a con- 
 venient place behind. This precaution seemed necessary, 
 
 VOL. I. N 
 
178 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 because it was impossible to conjecture what might be the 
 end of the trouble. 
 
 I then called up the head-centres of nuisance, namely, 
 the chatterboxes, Shedabarume and Saiika ; also Villum 
 (Chirimutu), the leaders of the six Chibero men, who also 
 of late had been making themselves as unbearable as they 
 possibly could. 
 
 I put the following questions to them. 
 
 " Have I not been good to you ? " 
 
 " Have I not fed you with meat and meal ? " 
 
 "Have I not given you limbo and beads, whenever you 
 have asked ? " 
 
 A murmuring sound was all the reply which was vouch- 
 safed to these inquiries. 
 
 "Then," I continued, drawing myself up and trying to 
 look as imposing as possible, " what have you done ? You 
 have tried to take me the wrong road. You refuse to 
 go farther with me, although you promised you would go 
 with me to the big river. When I sent boys yesterday to 
 fetch my goods, you stopped them. You threatened to kill 
 my boys. Why did you do all this ? " 
 
 A number of lies were the answers to these questions. 
 They contradicted their own remarks in every way ; so I 
 finished by saying, " Do you think that the white man is 
 afraid of you ? " 
 
 The only effect of this conversation was the coming for- 
 ward of two Chibero men, who said they would go with me. 
 But I told them I would not have them with me on any 
 account. 
 
 I then informed the crowd that I would give them some 
 limbo and beads to buy food on their way home. This, I 
 know, was an injudicious offer, because the watchful Kaffir, 
 might look upon it as an outcome of fear. However I was 
 
HOB SON'S CHOICE. 179 
 
 more than anxious to get matters amicably arraii<>ed as iny 
 supporters were in a lamentable minority. 
 
 Taking a quick look towards the Igova men, I saw in a 
 moment that they were a man or two short of a carrviiig 
 number. We were just upon the eve of success or failure. 
 Hesitation could not wisely be kept up. 
 
 I therefore called to Shedabarume and Saiika, whose con- 
 trol of the Unyamwenda was complete, and who had also 
 incited the Chibero men to mutiny, offering each man a 
 yard and a half of white limbo and a handful of beads, and 
 saying with a Hobson's choice determination, '• Take this, 
 for I am going to move the things now." The pair turned 
 off scoffing, as they shouted to the others : 
 
 "The cloth is too little, we will not take it ! " At th(; 
 same time they signed with their arms that they must have 
 a fathom. Not one of the others moved an inch. 
 
 There appeared to be no course now open but to show 
 these fellows that there was a limit to the white man's 
 patience and forbearance. It was necessary that he should 
 show the troublesome crowd that he was not afraid. 
 
 I pretended to be in a dreadful passion. Like an ancient 
 Roman wrestler leaping into the arena of combat, I sprang 
 forward, and suddenly seizing Shedabarume by the neck 
 was lucky enough to dash him to the ground at one fell 
 sweep, at the same time tearing off his necklaces of charms, 
 and literally ripping the waistcloth from his loins. 
 
 These I threw into the fire, and stamped upon as they lay 
 in the red, smouldering embers ; Shedabarume by this time 
 standing absolutely naked before his brethren. 
 
 With another bound I was upon the amazed Saiika, and 
 was equally successful in levelling him, depriving him 
 of his slender clothes, which I likewise consigned to the 
 devouring flames. 
 
 N 2 
 
180 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Then I stood up with an air as defiant as I could possibly 
 assume, shouting aloud to the waiting Igova boys and telling 
 them to lift the things and let us clear out. 
 
 Here once again fate was auspicious. Strange to say the 
 Chibero men, headed by Villum, who had mutinied with 
 the Unyamwenda, came forward saying that they would 
 continue to follow the white man. In a commanding tone 
 I ordered them to proceed, pointing out the bundles they 
 should take. They were started off at once, doubtless 
 labouring under the happy delusion that I was conferring a 
 gracious favour upon them, whereas they were positively 
 essential to me ; although fortunately they did not know 
 this. 
 
 When everyone had started I took a searching look 
 around the camp, to see that nothing had been forgotten, 
 and then I left, the Unyamwenda meantime standing in a 
 motionless crowd outside of the skerm, astounded at the 
 suddenness of our quick despatch. 
 
 Not long afterwards John asked me how it was that I 
 had not brought enough men, saying that had it not been 
 for the Chibero men we should not have got off. With 
 a wink of satisfaction I replied that I had managed to 
 get the Chibero off before they had time or were smart 
 enough to see that we were once more fairly in their 
 clutches. 
 
 Luck like this has helped many a man, and as we marched 
 along I felt buoyant through a sense of even slightly 
 brightening prospects. We crossed the north-eastern slopes 
 of the divide, passing by rivers whose waters finally mingle 
 with those of the great Zambesi, near to Tette. 
 
 It was almost sun-down when we arrived at the Kuia 
 river. The camp was soon enlarged. The Igova men 
 received their meat and cloth. John said that the sable 
 
A HAPPY NIGHT. 181 
 
 antelope head shot on the previous evening, was one of the 
 finest he had ever seen. 
 
 A happy night was spent. Songs were sung continuously, 
 the shrill voices of the boys ringing out right merrily in 
 the still air of the night. 
 
 Amidst the festivities I was made a sort of small kin<r. 
 As I lay upon a pile of long grass, which, when at hand, I 
 would sometimes use as a mattress, the jubilant revellers 
 would come and dance before me one by one, wliile Ivareniba 
 and a brother performer would tune up their musical instru- 
 ments. When I saw the cheerfulness of the people I felt 
 that my efforts had been well rewarded. 
 
 There can be no doubt that I had got out of a difficulty 
 which had threatened to become very serious. No sooner 
 had this been effected than thoughts arose about the suc- 
 ceeding day, when I would again require boys to con- 
 tinue the journey. 
 
 Oh, what a time it would take to reach the river at the 
 rate we were going ! Sometimes my thoughts would 
 ponder sadly in this way ; but then I would reproach my- 
 self, remembering that I was at all times in an extra- 
 ordinary hurry, among people who did not care a jot 
 whether I went on or not. Nevertheless unless I strained 
 every nerve to push onwards the disordered caravan would 
 inevitably become a total wreck ; for if the articles of barter 
 which kept us floating disappeared, we should at once be 
 hard fixed in the stern straits of privation, which of course 
 meant utter dissolution. 
 
 For the future I resolved that meal would not be regularly 
 carried. We would try to get on with the meat which was 
 shot. Meal was heavy to carry, and I thought it better to 
 tell the boys that it would be bought at each town we came 
 to. This would perhaps bo an incentive towards a fa.ster 
 
182 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 advance when they became satiated by an excess of venison. 
 At the same time it reduced the number of carriers that 
 were required. 
 
 The incessant payment in advance was a very bad plan, 
 but without it no one would move. More than once I have 
 thought that if the system was generally adopted in manu- 
 facturing Britain there would doubtless be a greater depres- 
 sion in trade than there has been even in these " free and 
 independent " days. 
 
 Muliliti, the chief of this district, had now to be visited. 
 It was advisable that we should endeavour to get a few boys 
 from him. 
 
 Not long after Sebaii had crowed his usual salute to the 
 peep of day, I bestirred myself to make ready for the route, 
 but found John in one of his immovable humours, swearing 
 that the damp and the cold had stricken him badly. This 
 could hardly be wondered at, for the place that had been 
 chosen for a camp could not have been more unhealthy, the 
 fog lying low and heavy around us from a little before sun- 
 set until long after the great orb had risen again to follow 
 its daily course. 
 
 Ultimately, however, John was induced to proceed, and 
 taking Sagwam also, we crossed the Ruia river, and in a 
 little time found ourselves at the gates of the town of 
 Igova. There we waited until the powerful barriers were 
 pulled down to enable us to enter. When we passed through 
 the gates we were without delay ushered into the hut of 
 Muliliti, the chief. 
 
 At a glance I could observe a great difference in the design 
 and construction of the hut, compared with those which we 
 had seen farther south. It seemed very comfortable, and 
 had a fire in the centre, an abundant supply of mats made 
 from the bark of the Machabele-tree lay around, and inter- 
 
MULILITFS FAMILY CIBCLE. 183 
 
 woven branches fenced off one side, where stood two very- 
 nice looking Mashona cows. A calf seemed to have the 
 free run of the establishment, and in a ludicrously human- 
 like manner huddled close up to the fire beside one of the 
 tiny children, for it was evidently a veritable thoroughbred 
 Mashona. The little child hugged the animal aft'cctionately, 
 and eyed me all the time, no doubt, judging by the 
 expression of the face, thinking that the horrible white 
 monster had come to buy his playmate. 
 
 Two of the chiefs wives occupied dark recesses in the 
 background. My impression was that the household seemed 
 to form a very comfortable family circle, in which I was 
 glad to find myself, as it was wretchedly cold and wet out- 
 side under the searching mist. 
 
 Allowing for a seat in the usual state of silence for a 
 considerable time, I then made a start in negotiation, saying 
 that I wished to pursue my journey north-east, and inquiring 
 what boys he could give me. 
 
 Muliliti pointed towards the east, and said that his people 
 would not go in that direction. 
 
 Well, thought I, it is useless my saying anything when 
 there is no choice ; and, following this reflection, I said 
 aloud, '* Give me boys to take me to the next town," point- 
 ing at the same time towards the north. 
 
 He said that the tribe to the north were not Mashona, 
 but Makorikori, and they were friends of his. He also 
 remarked that he had plenty of boys. 
 
 Informing him that if he would bring the men over I 
 would give him a present of cloth, he said he would go at 
 once and fetch them, so in the meantime I gave him a 
 donation in beads as a s6rt of retaining fee. 
 
 We then retired to the camp. On our way a number of 
 men asked for " mataka," which, as I have stated, is the 
 
184 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 word for present in the Mashona tongue. I engaged as 
 many as I could get to promise to go with me, for from sad 
 experience I found that the word of a petty chief was not 
 of much account. 
 
 Literally the chiefs have very slight power over the people, 
 their authority being only exerted over those who are 
 actually their personal property, that is to say slaves. 
 From what T saw of Muliliti, I judged that he was a very 
 easy master. 
 
 In the meadows below the town I saw a small herd of 
 cattle grazing ; a sure sign that there was still some 
 distance before us ere we reached the tsetse-fly country. 
 
 Everything was again ready for a start. Of the loads 
 we kept open only one bundle of beads and one roll of 
 calico, to be used in emergencies, and also to buy a little 
 gold which was offered by some of the village people, 
 women and old men principally, who all made signs that 
 they had worked very hard in the river to get even the small 
 quantity they possessed. 
 
 One elderly fellow, with a particularly bad squint, showed 
 himself a remarkably smart and cute old dodger, as he tried 
 all sorts of underhand tricks to get extra pieces of calico. 
 No sooner did I buy one quill of gold from him than he 
 would hand out another, but all of them had very little of 
 the precious metal. He also tried to palm off a quill of 
 mica, which resembles gold, and in California is called 
 " greenhorn " gold. I set him down as one of the veritable 
 Hebrew children, not in blood certainly, but in spirit a 
 very Moses of the Moseses. I handed the old rascal back 
 his base metal, along with a handful of dust, a proceeding 
 which seemed to amuse the bystanders mightily. 
 
 The wily fellow was far too shrewd a trader to seem to 
 be taken aback, and he simply produced some of the real 
 
SANDANI. 185 
 
 article again, so that we continued to bargain. Afterwards 
 he ran out into the grass, where he leaped in the air to 
 show what a wonderful man he was ; how warlike and how 
 dangerous. The retreat was acted in a most natural manner, 
 the performer immediately returning to me witli tlio palms 
 of both hands extended, but held together ready to receive 
 a present in return for his exertions. 
 
 This old man, whose name proved to be Sandani, was 
 destined to become an important agent in the expedition. 
 
 By long odds he was the greediest beggar breathing ; 
 an inveterate accumulator of gratuitous spoil. Withal, ho 
 had some good points. 
 
 One of his movable properties was a young man — his son, 
 he said — whom he offered me at a bargain, but I declined 
 to trade. 
 
 Sandani, however, I tried to engage, as it seemed clear 
 that we would be short of carriers. The chief had not yet 
 arrived, and I was beginning to conjure up grave doubts as 
 to whether he would put in an appearance. After a great 
 deal of preliminary wrangling, he said that he had concluded 
 to go. 
 
 Immediately afterwards Muliliti appeared, and with him 
 a number of men. "These, of course, are for me," I 
 muttered ; but on inquiry I found that the chief had but 
 two men whom he could command to go, and very sub- 
 dued-looking individuals they were. Their names were 
 Chikobore and Eingatara. Neither of them were of the 
 Mashona tribe, but I could not find out to what country 
 they belonged. Chikobore was in future to act as guide, 
 both being enlisted in the oddly-mixed throng which now 
 made up the party. 
 
 To Muliliti I gave a few yards of white limbo, and left 
 under his care the fine sable antelope head with the hide, 
 
186 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 which I had carefully prepared, telling him that it should 
 be handed over to John whenever he passed on his home- 
 ward journey. 
 
 . On advancing, we had again to pass the little town of 
 Igova, which lay on the opposite side of the river. The 
 spot proved too attractive for our new associates. They 
 could not pass without going in to see their friends for a 
 last and fond farewell. As a matter of course, two were 
 missing when the assembly was sounded. Karemba suc- 
 ceeded in unearthing, in place of the deserters, two very 
 wild-looking creatures who were sadly in need of some 
 cloth. These were immediately enlisted, and once again 
 we were off, striking away towards the north. 
 
 To the left of the line of march, looking up the winding 
 course of the Euia, and stretching far away from north to 
 south, stood the bold Umvukwes. On the banks of the 
 river rose those singular, isolated peaks which have been 
 described, while interspersed among them and near to their 
 sharp and broken crags were spherical mounds of granite 
 seeming to swell up from the plain. 
 
 In the direction in which we travelled, and sweeping 
 round upon our right, lay expanded a vast natural park, 
 studded with clumps of woodland, and intersected at irre- 
 gular intervals by rivers, whose forest-clad banks, luxuriantly 
 green, contrasted gracefully with the deadened colours of 
 the intervening wastes of sun-scorched grass. 
 
 Small herds of antelope were constantly passing, although 
 game did not seem to me to be very abundant. Numbers 
 of little bucks were seen starting up and rushing off at a 
 furious pace through the long grass. 
 
 Three hours of pretty hard walking through black marsh- 
 land gave a finishing touch to an increasing misery from 
 which I suffered. A description can only give a faint 
 
THE TORTURE OF THE BOOT. 187 
 
 idea of the personal conditions under whieli travellino- was 
 effected. My feet were in a horrible state, as may be 
 imagined when I say that I had been pressiui,^ and pulling- 
 them in, out, and through the marshy land until my old 
 boots were filled with black mud and dirty water, while 
 cuts an inch long on each heel made their existence pain- 
 fully evident at every step. All the time, too, my body 
 was bathed in pouring perspiration, while the sun cast 
 down merciless rays of fiery heat upon my aching head. 
 The boots were worst of all. Oh, thou sham bootmakers of 
 London town ! How heartily did I condemn thee, one and 
 all, to perpetual torment, which could not be more bitter 
 than that which thou mad'st me endure ! 
 
 Fording the Pembe river, we continued to wade througli 
 morass and through grass saturated with water, until we 
 gained the southern bank of the Kumabiri. There we 
 selected a comfortable and well-sheltered spot, pitching our 
 camp amid the rich woodland which clothed the river banks 
 with a profusion of graceful foliage. 
 
 The waters of both these rivers — the Pembe and Rumabiri 
 — flow to the Amazoe. 
 
 We had made but a short march, but it was better to do so 
 perhaps for the first day, as the men would not then feel 
 their loads so cumbersome. And such loads they were, too ! 
 
 As I lay down with a thump upon my blankets I said to 
 myself, "Old bones, this is working your passage with a 
 vengeance ! " 
 
 I scanned the map here, scaling off the distances — not 
 without a pang, when I thought of that new experience 
 of bad luck, my poor feet — and saw how many weary leagues 
 had to be travelled before we would stand upon the banks of 
 the Zambesi. Actual marching is nothing when everything 
 goes on cheerily ; fatigue never touches harshly ; but the in- 
 
188 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 cessant brawl of beggars, groans of discontented sick niggers, 
 and the quivering flesh of sore feet, exasperated me, a 
 feeling which became more poignant when I found at night 
 that we had only done ten or fifteen miles during the whole 
 day. Towards night, under such provocation, disgust drove 
 out all the energy of my system. 
 
 Happily, my times of depression were short-lived. A 
 cup of tea and a short nap were comforts sufficient to 
 make disagreeables be forgotten, and in the present instance 
 I cheered my spirits by reflecting that during the past two 
 days I had done two good strokes of work. First I had 
 managed to get clear of the Unyamwenda ; and second, 
 I had succeeded in making a fresh start with a full com- 
 plement of new carriers and a new guide. 
 
 While I was congratulating myself upon these matters 
 three men came into camp from some unknown direction. 
 They said they would carry loads for a present. It seems 
 always so in Africa, where one either finds a feast or a 
 famine. Here was luck, however, and I augured that all 
 would go well for a while. 
 
 Old Sebaii as a rule appeared in camp hours after the 
 rest of the company, a rather funny fact, considering that 
 he was supposed to be one of the " guides." But all Sebaii's 
 ways were amusing. With an inimitably sedate bearing 
 he would seat himself upon the ground, and then pass round 
 the snufi", at the same time coughing and sneezing violently. 
 No sooner were the spasms over than he would begin one of 
 his interminable orations, for he was one of those natural 
 windbags who make progress with words but not with sense. 
 
 A marrow-bone feast was held that night. Those who 
 took part in it first equipped themselves with two pieces 
 of rock; then when the great leg-bones of antelope had 
 been broiled on the blazing fire they cracked them with the 
 
GBOSS FEEDERS. 189 
 
 lumps of rock, and sucked out the marrow. The bits or drops 
 which fell upon their bodies were rubbed thorousrhly into 
 the skin, which they are delighted to have soft and glossy. 
 
 Now and again, sharp above the din of many strident 
 voices, might be heard what one might call a half-subdued 
 shriek. It was John trumpeting shrill and sharp for 
 Windvogel to get a light for his pipe, his tones being 
 of the same nature as those which oft in the still v nitrht 
 infuriated man employs to disperse the serenading cats 
 on a London roof. John's shouts were marvellously suc- 
 cessful in getting a response instanter. They seemed to 
 awaken acute and suggestive memories of numerous bitter 
 chastisements ; for John never forgot that the poor bushman 
 was his absolute property. 
 
 Our natives were by far the grossest feeders that I had 
 encountered in my travels. Their staying powers are not 
 very great when they are gorged. As an instance of an 
 opposite nature, John, who had lived all his life among the 
 Matabeli people, informed me that the endurance of the 
 latter is very remarkable. On the war-trail they will stand 
 ten days without any food, all the while travelling immense 
 distances. 
 
 At that time my diet consisted entirely of boiled rice, 
 meat, and tea. Some hard crackers, or rusks, which had been 
 brought on were almost finished, there being only about 
 three pounds of crumbs, as black as gunpowder, which I was 
 reserving for use in the event of sickness. 
 
 Lions were here ; but it was impossible to got a shot on 
 account of the high grass, great portions of which stood up 
 unburnt and in its natural vigour. I suppose it never will 
 be burnt, as that part of the country seemed to be very 
 sparsely inhabited, and the long belt of marsh which ran 
 through the land would soon kill the fires. 
 
190 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Soon after leaving the Kumabiri river I was astonished 
 to find that our course was not changed, and that we were 
 ascending the eastern slopes of the Umvukwe range of 
 mountains. I should have to await results. We were 
 moving northwards, and I could only hope that circum- 
 stances would be favourably changed, so that I should be 
 able to see the way more clearly, in order to choose and shape 
 my course whither observation directed. Protestations at 
 that time would have been foolish, nay, perhaps disastrous 
 to the whole scheme. 
 
 The head waters of the Umzengezi river were shortly 
 reached. This stream forms one of the chief tributaries of 
 the Zambesi. Springing from the very heart of the rugged 
 Umvukwe mountains, it runs in a northerly direction, and, 
 increased by numerous and not inconsiderable affluents, 
 grows steadily larger, until from a small burn with a rocky 
 bed — at the spot where we stood — similar to those which 
 leap and play down the sides of the Scottish hills, it swells 
 to the proportions of a large river, with a channel some 
 hundred yards in width at its confluence with the Zambesi, 
 near which the bed of the stream is composed of sand and 
 shingle. The Umzengezi cannot be characterised as an 
 immense river: it is broad, but not deep, and becomes 
 shallow in the dry season. Its volume during the rainy 
 season, however, must have an enormous force, when the 
 water rises to an extraordinary height, as could be seen in 
 the torn and rugged banks. 
 
 Continuing to pursue the same course, our ascent of the 
 heights was so gradual that we could not realise the fact 
 that the summit of the range was near at hand. 
 
 We made our mid-day halt upon the borders of Mashona- 
 land and the country of the Makorikori tribe. 
 
 While we rested under the shade of the scrub forest three 
 
FIRST NEWS OF CIIUZU. 191 
 
 strange men came into the camp, and, much to my disgust, 
 evidently frightened the Mashona by the news which they 
 brought, to the effect that the Makorikori people woukl not 
 let the white man pass through their country, as they were 
 fighting with the Portuguese of the Zambesi valley. 
 
 The chief, whose name was Chuzu, they said was a very 
 bad man, and would be sure to kill the white man. The 
 long and the short of their story was that it would not be 
 safe to go on there. 
 
 I bought some assegais from them ; not that I wished to 
 be encumbered with any more than I had, but with the 
 hope that when they had a piece of cloth they would leave. 
 Not they. They remained, snuffing, smoking, and talking, 
 what I then innocently considered to be nonsense. 
 
 With these timid people it is not advisable to talk about 
 what the way is to this or to that place. John whispered 
 to me what was going on. The three unwelcome visitors 
 had started a very promising scare. All through the ranks 
 could be heard the muttered sound of the word mataka 
 (present) ; oh, that endless refrain ! 
 
 Above all things it was certain that I should have to give 
 them mataka that evening, and that it would be neces- 
 sary to go through the usual farce of telling them that 
 under my wing they would be perfectly safe. 
 
 Fourteen miles formed the extent of our march for that 
 day, and we halted at the highest point that we would cross 
 on the range. 
 
 On stopping for the night the iirst thing to be done was the 
 construction of an impenetrable barrier, in a circular form, 
 without which we might have the chance of losing some of 
 our delightful company, any of whom might become the 
 prey of the voracious carnivora of the country. 
 
 Roll-call was the next duty, and was a ceremony that 
 
192 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 seemed to afford infinite fun to my simple followers. 
 Seeing and hearing me read their names out of a book gave 
 immense delight, although they evidently pitied me, and 
 placed me in the category of the very much demented. 
 The few things I had were distributed so generally that 
 this was the only plan of finding out whether all were in. 
 Sebaii, the peace-maker and unfailing guide to laziness, was 
 found to be the only absentee, such was his aversion to 
 making camp. 
 
 My feet were in a deplorably painful condition, and 
 bound to become worse, because the boots were getting 
 more tattered and torn at every step I took. Despite this, 
 however, curiosity prompted me to wander forth to see 
 what was to be seen from the summit of these rarely-visited 
 mountains, upon which the light of the evening sun still 
 shone bright, and would continue to gleam for another hour 
 and a half. 
 
 Just before sundown it was my custom to make up the 
 few lines in my journal, which was kept in very small note- 
 books, and easily recorded with an indelible pencil. 
 
 Walking quietly through the low forest I emerged 
 upon the heights. The journey filled a longer time than I 
 had anticipated, the distance being deceptive to the view. 
 When upon the spot, however, I climbed one of the moss- 
 clad rocks, and turned my eyes upon the surrounding 
 country. 
 
 A study of nature in its sublimest forms and of wonderful 
 wildness lay outstretched before me. I stood upon the 
 dividing-line of the Umvukwe range, where the waters of 
 the Zambesi zone parted to flow east and west. 
 
 Turning towards the south-west the boldly characteristic 
 feature of the mountains is the peculiar baldness of their 
 crowns ; they resemble a succession of great grass-covered 
 
A WILD PICTURE. 193 
 
 cones — with here and there a few isolated rocks piercing the 
 air — extending as far as the eye can reach. 
 
 Towards the north can be distinguished the liorsc-shoe 
 band, running to the right, and then curving to tho left. 
 Almost due north the distant mountain-tops are barely 
 visible, being lost in the gloom of departing day. Tho 
 crescent thus formed is filled with luxuriant forest. 
 
 Between my standpoint and the darkening and distant 
 summits rises a heavy slate-coloured mountain, which has 
 the appearance of a dense cloud overhanging the dim 
 waving line of forest. 
 
 Eastward the picture becomes wild indeed. Rocky moun- 
 tains can be seen spurring outwards, and breaking into 
 a wild and indescribable confusion of gigantic blocks and 
 obelisks, rent, torn, tilted and turned in every direction, or 
 piled one above the other in a chaotic grandeur of fantastic 
 and grotesque disorder. One fire-formed tower* especially 
 exalts itself hundreds of feet above the others, like a giant 
 amid the giant sentinels of the mountains, a crowning 
 effort in Nature's convulsion when she made valleys sink 
 and mountains rise long ages ago in the unrecorded past. 
 
 The landscape towards the south descends in long, 
 winding, wave-like lines of forest, shaded by the deepest 
 green. Through the woodland belt the meanderings of 
 numerous small rivers can be distinctly traced. 
 
 Late though it is, there is still an unspoken charm 
 to rivet my gaze upon this lovely scene. The sun is 
 fast sinking on its way to light other regions and other 
 worlds, casting the while its farewell rays of warm red light 
 upon the veil of mist that soft and glowing hangs gently 
 round the foot-hills, and clings to the umbrageous forest 
 stretching far beneath. The molten gold of the sun itself 
 * The natives call this singular pinnacle the Ikrru, 
 
 VOL. I. t) 
 
194 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 seems to gild with glowing beams the rugged peaks of the 
 higher crags. 
 
 What an indescribably strange sensation it is to find that 
 you are utterly alone in a savage land, and that do what 
 you might it would take months of arduous travel to enable 
 you to exchange a word freely in your own tongue ! As I 
 sit watching the hushing hand of Nature gradually calming 
 the world to rest, the solitude and silence seem to release 
 the springs of thought and prompt the mind to ponder on 
 the hidden mysteries of creation and their unfathomable 
 problems. 
 
 At such moments how grand are the ideas that course 
 through the mind — to die as soon as they are born ! How 
 could any one help being struck with the vain nothingness 
 of his personality, as a veritable dot of dust sitting remote 
 and alone amidst a vastness of an almost audible stillness ? 
 
 Outstretched before me were those grand natural monu- 
 ments of granite, on whose adamantine sides were inscribed 
 the evidences of numberless epochs of the primeval world. 
 Comparison is one of the privileges, or perhaps weaknesses, 
 of man. Let us compare our lives to these rocks. What 
 can be said of the short span of human existence when 
 considered in relation to the age of those hoary heaps of 
 solid stone ? Such a question must overwhelm the littleness 
 of the greatest mind. 
 
 It matters not how high may be the pitch of culture to 
 which the intellect may have been elevated, it cannot 
 approach any nearer to the infinite than the crudest con- 
 ception of the aboriginal mind. 
 
 And what is the endurance of these mountains in their 
 present form compared with the physical history of the 
 Universe ? Not more than a flash of light which twinkles for 
 an instant upon a transient wave. Time has here given one 
 
A BROKEN REVERIE. 195 
 
 of its most unanswerable challenges to man. The attempt 
 at definition would be as fruitless as the ponderings of 
 a mortal mind upon the boundless infinity of space, through 
 which, as I gaze, the sun is spreading far-reaching gleams 
 of its dying glories. 
 
 I watch the orb of day as it sinks slowly to rest and 
 leaves the blackness of night. As I look my eyelids 
 seem to stretch wider and wider, and I feel as if I could, 
 without a sigh, sink to rest in sympathy with silent Nature. 
 Suddenly, with the gathering gloom, the spell is broken. 
 I awake from this trance-like reverie. Higher thouglits 
 vanish like the fleeting phantoms of a dream. I find myself 
 once again an atom of ordinary mortality, and under the 
 faint light of the friendly stars sparkling in the firmament, 
 I with difficulty wend my way back to the busy camp. 
 
 2 
 
196 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 CHUZUS. 
 
 Soothing of the followers — Names of trees — The Karue river — Warnings 
 of danger — Eocks alive with people — The Makorikori people — Fear to 
 approach the white man — Alarm in the camp — " Geeve it um, master, 
 geeve it um !" — Surrounded by armed warriors — Forebodings of danger 
 — Chuzu, the chief — An imsatisfactory interview — Demands for powder 
 — " Master, master, the people are coming to kill us ! " — The bag of 
 sovereigns — Anxious moments — "You are M'zungo" — Tricks of in- 
 timidation — The party is threatened with massacre — An old woman's 
 friendly warning — Ominous signs — Our midnight retreat — An awkward 
 bridge — Out of the difficulty — The disappointing check — " Ho, for 
 northern Matabeli-land ! " — Shall I return ? 
 
 Although he knew I was given to fits of wandering, John 
 had been speculating about what had become of me. 
 
 After a frugal supper was over I anticipated the demands 
 of the men tby giving them each a present. Then in 
 solemnly weighty tones I made a declaration (which had to 
 be interpreted) that all the men under my care were abso- 
 lutely free from danger. John's opinion was that if we 
 could get them through the Makorikori town our difficulties 
 with them individually would cease. The chances of rebelKon 
 would then be held in check by dependence. I watched 
 the demeanour of the higher ape with some amusement, for 
 he was perfectly insensible to everything except head orna- 
 ments, and now appeared in a complete ostrich feather cap, 
 which made him tremendously proud of himself. I had a 
 painful consciousness that all these feather purchases were 
 seriously reducing the contents of the sugar bag. 
 
NAMES OF TREES. 197 
 
 The succeeding morning was piercingly cold, and all 
 vegetation was bright with the glistening dew. Very little 
 sleep could be found, as it was impossible to keep warm, so 
 that we were glad when the time arrived when we should 
 quit the cheerless spot. 
 
 Those who wore clothes — that is to say John and myself 
 — were soon literally saturated as we tramped over the 
 flooded marsh and through the dwarfed forest. 
 
 Innumerable small streams were passed. They coursed 
 through the soft morass and evidently were fed by mountain 
 springs. Now these rivulets all flowed swiftly westward, for 
 we had crossed the backbone of this country and were 
 moving over the western slopes of the great divide. 
 
 I found it difficult to obtain correct native names for the 
 trees in the forest. Whenever the question was asked, it 
 was productive of a dispute among the boys, indicating that 
 there was a grave probability that they might be wrong. 
 The larger trees, however, were similar to those I had seen 
 in Matabeli-land called Gonte. 
 
 Close to the banks of the Karue river we halted. An 
 impenetrable thicket of the luxuriant foliage 6f wild fruit- 
 trees sheltered us. Dotted here and there amid the en- 
 tanglement of rich vegetation was a species of date-palm, 
 whose long leaves of the most delicate green drooped grace- 
 fully over the confused undergrowth. 
 
 Human miseries, however, almost on every hand pre- 
 vented me from making as many practical observations of 
 the natural features of the country as I should have liked to 
 have done. At that time, for example, I was sadly per- 
 plexed by an evident reluctance on the part of my men to 
 advance. To hlliry the movement I told John to bring up 
 the rear of the party, and that in the meantime 1 would 
 go on. 
 
198 THE FAR INTERIOB. 
 
 So constant had been the warnings of danger, that I 
 treated them lightly ; but I now began to think I had 
 perhaps been unwise in paying so little heed to the dismal 
 foreboding of my apprehensive followers. 
 
 Karemba, two other boys, and myself in advance of the 
 rest, proceeded on the journey, and after limping, for it 
 could not be called walking, we in four hours covered about 
 eight miles from our last halting place. 
 
 As we emerged from the forest flats we observed, gra- 
 dually rising into view, the great grey mountain which had 
 been seen from afar on the previous night, when it had the 
 appearance of a motionless cloud hanging over the dense 
 darkness of the covered plain. Now it stood boldly out in 
 all the grandeur of its massive and lofty immobility, with its 
 noble outline clearly shown against the beauty of the soft 
 blue sky, while the sunshine gleamed brightly upon its 
 time-worn sides. 
 
 For the last five miles the footpaths had been good and 
 hard, only broken here and there by belts of long grass. 
 The path showed signs of a considerable traffic ; only men, 
 no cattle. I saw a good deal of buffalo and eland spoor, but 
 of course in our present miserable circumstances hunting 
 was out of the question. 
 
 When we had reached a point within half a mile of the 
 mountain stronghold, we sat down to rest, as we were very 
 far ahead of the party. 
 
 Karemba was uneasy. He said I ought to have sent a 
 present to the king before approaching near to his town ; 
 adding that it would not be well to walk past the place and 
 camp. I must own that I was very wrong in ignoring what 
 Karemba had said ; but then it should be borne in mind 
 that I was spoilt through hearing so many false reports of 
 •danger. Hitherto the chiefs, without exception, had treated 
 
"/ COULD SEE WILD- LIKE BLACK FOB MS." 199 
 
 me well : at any rate they could not be accused of being 
 hostile. Our troubles all arose from friction among our 
 own little party. 
 
 " Karemba," I said, " the chief will be all right. I will 
 give him a present in the morning." 
 
 " But this is a very big man," he replied, " we should camp 
 here until he allows us to pass through his country." 
 
 The speaker seemed much frightened. But I \vas loth to 
 imagine that anything could be wrong. As we neared the 
 stronghold Karemba kept repeating the advice, " Stop here, 
 and let two men go on." 
 
 Under ordinary circumstances this proposal would not 
 have been unreasonable, but I was fearful of the main body 
 of the party, the members of which would assuredly beat a 
 quick retreat on the appearance of the slightest excuse 
 to do so. 
 
 The main body soon arrived. With four men beside me 
 I kept the lead about four hundred yards ahead of the rest. 
 Soon we arrived at the foot of the mountain fastness. The 
 path which led to it made many circuitous windings, and 
 ran across a little rivulet which was spanned by two rough 
 poles. 
 
 With the wildest shouts telling that we wished to buy 
 food (the customary cry of the Mashona as they advance 
 to a town — it is equivalent to the sentinel's assurance of 
 " friends ") we kept moving on. The shouts echoed and 
 re-echoed amidst the recesses of the great rocks, as we 
 continued skirting round the mountain. 
 
 I looked upwards. There, as though in the dark haunt of 
 a demon, I could see wild-like black forms ranged in rows 
 along the tops of the rude Cyclopean rocks, while lower 
 down, close to where the pathway led us, human forms 
 seemed to spring from every rock. 
 
200 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Our cries had " garrisoned the glen " with a vengeance ! 
 Devil-like the creatures leaped from stone to stone as they 
 hastened towards us. 
 
 No sooner did they see me than they were off with a 
 bound. Some ran ahead of us at breakneck speed, as if bent 
 upon carrying quick tidings to their chiefs and headmen of 
 the arrival of a white man. Then I inwardly said : " Fool ! 
 these people do look alarmed. I ought to have taken 
 Karemba's advice." Now it was too late. 
 
 As we trended our way the natives sprung from all sides. 
 Whenever they would pass me they would give me a wide 
 berth. They seemed frightened and very much astonished. 
 In appearance they at first sight might be said to resemble 
 the Mashona. Unlike the Mashona, however, they do not 
 file the teeth. Their tribal distinction is seen in the 
 manner in which they tatoo their faces, which are marked 
 by little incisions cut around the temples and upon the 
 forehead do^Ti as far as the bridge of the nose, I think 
 making them very hideous. 
 
 Many, I noticed, carried flint-lock rifles, but the majority 
 had the assegai, and the bow and arrows similar to the 
 weapons of the Mashona. 
 
 By the time that we had crossed the little stream of 
 clear water on the farther side of the town, the crowd had 
 assumed very large proportions. We immediately com- 
 menced the work of making a strong camp. How long 
 we were to be here could not be foreseen. Our camp was 
 situated in the small belt of thick forest which covered the 
 bank of the stream. 
 
 I at once deputed Karemba and some of the boys to go 
 and buy some food, thinking that the timidity of the 
 people would in this way be allayed. 
 
 As the Southern Cross was nearing its zenith I was much 
 
CRITICAL TIMES. 201 
 
 tempted to take an observation, but from the inside of tho 
 skerm this was impracticable, owing to the boughs of a tree 
 which were just in the line of sight, so that it would liave 
 been necessary to take all the paraphernalia out to some 
 barer spot. Therefore it was more judicious to defer the 
 matter to another day, when I might be better acquainted 
 with the feelings of the people. In the nicantiiue astro- 
 nomical studies might only aggravate them, by creating 
 an impression that I was exercising some subtle and evil 
 influence over the crops. 
 
 In the bush I could distinguish numbers of women wlio 
 had brought bunches of corn on the cob, &c. They were 
 trading freely with the boys, but they would not approach 
 me upon any account, keeping well clear of the skerm in 
 which I stood. 
 
 The boys soon returned with a good supply of provisions, 
 which were wanted seriously, for we had not been shooting 
 for three days. 
 
 John was not very long in letting me know that the boys 
 were very frightened. They would go no farther on any 
 account or for any present. Of course my first tliought 
 returned to the question how I could get some boys here to 
 proceed ? The prospect was hardly a pleasant one, for the 
 people were evidently mistrustful. 
 
 Weariness soon made me oblivious to surrounding 
 troubles. I turned into the small tent which occupied the 
 centre of the enclosure, and, after writing up the journal, 
 almost immediately dropped off into a sound slumber. But 
 the repose was not of long duration. Karemba soon came 
 to arouse me saying that a brother of the chief had come 
 bringing with him a tusk of ivory in order to purchase 
 powder. Karemba suggested that the tusk should be 
 bought seeing that the owner was the chief's brother. I 
 
202 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 was unwilling to accede to this, because although I had 
 plenty of cartridges my supply of loose powder was scant. 
 
 The case seeming to be urgent, however, I gave one iQask, 
 knowing that he would ask for more. This, of course, he 
 did, and then I repeated the donation. Then I lay down 
 again, but in a little while Karemba returned, declaring 
 that the chiefs brother must get cloth, and signing with 
 his arms that he asked for five fathoms. 
 
 I felt that this was not a matter of trading, but was a 
 concession to satisfy a branch of royalty ; so I tore off the 
 cloth, thinking, with a sigh of relief, how glad I was to 
 get rid of the grasping nocturnal nuisance. 
 
 But there was no rest for me ! I had hardly lain down 
 when I felt a sharp tug at my blanket. This time both 
 John and Karemba stood before me. John was evidently 
 very much disturbed and said : 
 
 " Geeve it um, master, geeve it um ! De boys is all 
 frightened ; dese people is fighting wid us. De boys will 
 run, master ! " 
 
 This fairly awoke me. Looking out I could see all our 
 boys sitting up, not one of them being asleep. The news 
 was then repeated that all the boys were afraid : the 
 people they said would fight with us, if I did not yield 
 to their requests. Consequently I gave out four yards 
 more. 
 
 I then went over to the fire and sat there, my object being 
 to endeavour to instil a little confidence into the wavering 
 men. Things were beginning to look serious. I told John 
 as a last chance, to try and find out quietly whether the 
 boys would go forward early in the morning, and we would 
 soon pass out of the country. This proposal I need hardly 
 say was not a success. 
 
 They were going liome in the morning ! If they went in 
 
MAKORIKORI HOSTILITY. 203 
 
 the direction I wished them to go they would surely be 
 killed by the tribes near the river. 
 
 A heavy dew had been falling. I could see the reputed 
 brother of the chief clearly by the light of the fire. He had 
 a very numerous following of armed men, whose weapons, 
 all wet with the globules of dew, glistened jewel like in the 
 moonlight rays. 
 
 I would have liked very much to have entered into a 
 conversation with this man ; but considering his hostile 
 attitude, and the peremptory tone he adopted when asking 
 for more cloth, a demand which was repeated ad nauseam, 
 I kept aloof. After coming out of the tent I had to give 
 him more, and from these frequent concessions it might be 
 construed that the white man was afraid. Ao-ain and ajrain 
 he asked for powder, but this demand was refused point 
 blank. 
 
 Morning dawned beautiful, clear, and calm, contrasting 
 strongly with the distracting tumult of our camp during the 
 night. Meat was very scarce, so it was necessary that some 
 should be had. Therefore I started in pursuit of game, 
 although I did not like the idea of leaving tlie camp in the 
 present crisis. One of the Makorikori stragglers, who were 
 outside the skerm, was picked up through his having been 
 in conversation with Sagwam. Taking him with us we soon 
 came upon eland spoor. The boy said he saw a big bull 
 eland close to us ; but the forest was very thick, and it 
 was impossible to get a shot. 
 
 My guide was in a great state of excitement as we stalked 
 along. Unfortunately the eland must have sighted us, for 
 a rushing sound and a crashing of the bushes quickly told 
 us that all chances of bagging were gone like the wind. I 
 would have continued hunting, even after this disappoint- 
 ment, but was doubtful about the expediency of leaving 
 
204 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 camp for any length of time. There was a great danger of 
 my party deserting at any moment through fear. 
 
 During the little hunting trip, however, I was enabled 
 through the medium of Sagwam to find out through our 
 young guide the direction in which Tette lay ; the informa- 
 tion convincing me that I had been perfectly right in what 
 I had told the Mashona all along. 
 
 He also gave the information that the tribe which occupied 
 the land lying immediately to the north were called the 
 Bazurke. From our position at the time, as near as I could 
 make out, Tette lay almost due east. Therefore as the 
 Mashona refused to proceed, I determined that they should 
 no longer lead me by the nose. I could have pioneered 
 the way quite easily, but in that case the course would 
 have been easterly, and they would not go in that direction. 
 They had repeatedly refused to do so. 
 
 The young Makorikori promised to go with me, if the 
 chief would allow him. All the signs, however, went to 
 show that the king was of a very different type, in the power 
 of his ruling, from the others whom I had encountered in 
 recent wanderings. 
 
 On going back to the camp, I looked towards the great 
 mountain, and my impression was that the scene was by far 
 the wildest that I had ever witnessed as a position for a 
 town. It completely defied attack from without ; the huge 
 rocky mass standing nearly a thousand feet above the level 
 of the fields of gently waving com which spread out from 
 its stupendous base. 
 
 Whispered reports of various kinds — but all unsatisfactory 
 ■ — urged me to expedite the sending of a present to the 
 king. Between the Chibero men, and the men I had 
 enlisted at Igova, there now seemed to be a great difference 
 of opinion. This made the relations of the party more dis- 
 
A THREATENING UPROAR. 205 
 
 agreeable, certainly far from being a pleasant experience 
 after the night's lugubrious incidents. Thoughts, too, which 
 were anything but cheering began to disturb my mind. 
 If our new acquaintances were hostile, and refused to 
 give me boys, what then ? How was I to proceed under 
 those circumstances ? 
 
 As I meditated upon such contingencies, there arose a 
 new cause for speculation if not alarm ; for, from the chief's 
 kraal I could hear the sounds of the firing of guns, the 
 beating of drums, and a general howl of many human voices. 
 What the uproar meant I could not divine. 
 
 Selecting some calico of the strongest texture and of the 
 most seductive pattern I could choose, I gave it to Karemba 
 along with a message to the effect that I Avould like to see 
 the chief.* 
 
 I also said that I wished the chief to give me boys, to 
 escort me through his country to the next town in the 
 direction of the Zambesi. As I was anxious to see the 
 entrance to the seemingly impregnable stronghold I accom- 
 panied my ambassador for some distance on his way. 
 
 As we were nearing the town two boys from the camp 
 overtook us. John had despatched them in hot haste to 
 say that the chief was in the camp, and that we were to 
 come back. 
 
 On returning to the camp I soon distinguished the 
 chief, who, supported by a considerable following, was 
 seated close to our skerm. He was a young man with an 
 evil countenance. Minute tattoo marks described jagged 
 lines down his forehead, and circled around his temples, 
 while his body, all over, was decorated with little stars, very 
 
 * Kegarding cloth, it may be interesting to note that the Africans I 
 have met are not in any way particular about colours ; they prefer pure 
 white. 
 
206 THE FAB INTERIOR. 
 
 neatly made. A number of slave girls had accompanied 
 him to answer his beck and call with due humility. Every- 
 thing he required, tobacco and so forth, was handed to 
 his highness by these girls, who in doing so, assumed a 
 kneeling posture, and held their hands together palms 
 upwards. 
 
 I was inclined to be very friendly with Chuzu, the chief, 
 but did not get an opportunity, for he said immediately that 
 " his heart was sore because the white man had come into 
 his country without asking his permission, or sending him a 
 present to let him know he was coming." 
 
 The cloth already referred to was then presented by 
 Karemba through one of the chief courtiers, as it is not regal 
 etiquette among these tribes for a chief to receive a present 
 into his own hands. When it is given he looks at it and 
 hands it back to his attache. 
 
 It was very apparent now that a very big mistake had 
 been made in not taking Karemba's advice. The interview 
 with the chief was brief and unsatisfactory. He soon retired, 
 and again in the night-time drums were heard rolling in 
 the distance, and the wild shouts of his people rang out 
 clear in the silence of the forest. 
 
 Bodies of armed men made fires around the camp. They 
 were evidently watching our movements. What were we to 
 do ? John said that it would never do to leave while all 
 these watchful warriors kept their eyes upon us. 
 
 A most uneasy night was spent, and there were no signs 
 of relief when another morning dawned. The Makorikori 
 people had repeatedly made demands for my possessions. 
 They especially would have powder, but that I was de- 
 termined not to give. 
 
 By the time that the sun was well up over the Umvukwe 
 mountains, our position began to assume even a more serious 
 
" THE PEOPLE ARE COMING TO KILL USr 207 
 
 aspect. Nearer and clearer could be heard the fiendish yells 
 of approaching savages. I do not wish the reader to think 
 that such shouts invariably had a warlike meaning, because 
 I have on many occasions heard sounds of a similar nature 
 which were simply the result of an exuberance of animal 
 spirits. Now, however, the noises created awful surmises. 
 But there was little time to let them take shape. While I 
 was writing a few lines in my journal, John rushed up in a 
 thrilling state of excitement. 
 
 " Master, master," he exclaimed, " the people are coming 
 to kill us! Oh, what shall us do? They want to know 
 what the white man wants in their country, and de old boys 
 will run, master." 
 
 " Keep cool, John," was my reply, " how many of the 
 boys know of this ? " 
 
 " All de boys knows. Oh, look at Villum, sir ! He is 
 shaking all over. My Gaut, ouh, my Gaut, here is de people 
 coming ! " 
 
 Sure enough the Makorikori were crowding upon us. 
 Seeing that everything was known to my men, I endea- 
 voured to assume an appearance expressive of unabashed 
 confidence. Walking to the entrance of the skerm; I 
 looked back at the boys, and shouted to John to tell them 
 that, as I had said before, they were perfectly safe with me, 
 and that I would have no running. If an attack was in- 
 tended, John, Sagwam, Karemba, and myself would defend 
 them with the guns. In order to impress this promise, I 
 told John and Sagwam to sit close to the guns, while I 
 strolled unconcernedly about the camp, as if I were perfectly 
 comfortable, and dwelt in conscious safety. 
 
 Inwardly, as the reader may imagine, I felt anything but 
 happy, or even indifferent. Very soon we were surrounded 
 by warriors, who piled their assegais and flint-locks against 
 
208 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 the sombre looking trees, which closely environed the 
 skerm. 
 
 If the worst should come, could any thing be saved? 
 Hardly, I reasoned ; for, threatened by such overwhelming 
 numbers, it would be folly to expect my quivering house- 
 hold to stand firmly in the face of hostility. I therefore 
 went to my tent, and taking the money — all in sovereigns 
 — I had been carrying in a small bag, to meet natural 
 requirements on the sea-coast, I rolled it up carefully, 
 and tied it firmly round John's waist, telling him that the 
 contents were to be handed to Mr. Selous, to Mr. Fairbairn, 
 or to Mr. Thomas, at Buluwayo. 
 
 John's chances of escape were infinitely better than mine ; 
 for I knew that my body would naturally be the chief 
 target for the enemy. As any man would, or should, do 
 in a similar position, I had made up my mind to keep 
 my men well together. 
 
 A whole multitude had by this time assembled in our 
 vicinity; and soon the chief himself appeared upon the 
 scene, accompanied by a number of endunas or headmen. 
 An ominous sign was that the women and children, who 
 had followed the crowd, were sent home. 
 
 The chief seated himself at a considerable distance from 
 where I stood. He did not come near, or even look at me, 
 but now and then would eye me askance. 
 
 One remark he addressed to me was : " You are Mzungo " 
 (meaning Portuguese), an assertion which I straightway 
 denied. Evidently the suspicious monarch imagined that 
 John was a white man too, and indeed the sallow complexion 
 of the latter was very like that of some Portuguese : his 
 skin was even lighter than that of many of the same 
 nationality whom I have seen. John and myself, too, were 
 almost always sitting or standing together. 
 
EXPECTING AN ATTACK. 209 
 
 Chuzu's every action revealed his excess of uneasiness, 
 caused by the sudden advent of the white man, and ho 
 kept up a constant iteration of the question : 
 
 " What does the white man want in my country ? " 
 
 Karemba's services were here invaluable as an interpreter. 
 I felt certain that so long as we could keep the chief in 
 close proximity, there would be no active demonstrations 
 of hostility. He would be afraid he might fall a victim 
 to the deadliness of our rifles. His uneasiness was re- 
 markable ; he evidently had the greatest difficulty in 
 sitting still, and restlessly walked about, seating himself 
 sometimes, but almost immediately rising to his feet. 
 
 Like many other travellers, I tried a little tacit intimi- 
 dation. I especially showed how quickly C. L. K. could 
 be manipulated, pantomimically going through all the 
 manoeuvres of firing. I also told Karemba to tell him 
 what an awful weapon my eight-bore was, the cartridge of 
 which was exhibited. Personally it was, perhaps, better to 
 say little. Nothing that we said would be believed ; so a 
 little dissembling was advisable. 
 
 What I was in reality endeavouring to do, was to prolong 
 the inactivity until darkness had fallen. Then I resolved 
 to beat a retreat at all hazards. Of course I could not find 
 out anything from Karemba, until the chief had departed, 
 and I knew not a word of what had been said. At night 
 in a predicament of this description, one feels quite a 
 host in himself; for experience among the wild races I 
 have encountered has taught me that while one is awake at 
 night, and on the alert, they do not like to begin the 
 attack. 
 
 Sitting in our camp, I saw the boy whom we had met 
 when hunting during the previous day. He was busily 
 engaged in talking with Sagwam; but he soon left, and 
 
 VOL. I. P 
 
210 TEE FAB INTERIOR. 
 
 John then informed me what he had said. The boy's 
 mother it seems had overheard in the chief's kraal that we 
 were all to be killed that very night. The old woman had 
 sent the boy to warn us of the danger. 
 
 I will not attempt to describe the troubles of the camp 
 after this intelligence had been diffused. Moments seemed 
 to be hours ; and it was with the utmost difficulty that 
 a complete stampede was checked: although at times it 
 appeared to be imminent, even inevitable. The position 
 I was in was very peculiar, for I could not know a word 
 of what was being said, except through interpretation. 
 Therefore I waited anxiously for the current of events. 
 
 Farewell to thee, oh, setting sun, which a thousand times 
 hast gladdened my wearied eyes ! Never before, nor with 
 greater joy, have I watched the golden glow of thy glorious 
 light, than I now do when thy far reaching gleams sweep 
 over the deepening shades of rock and forest, until the 
 last faint tints linger over the heights of the darkening 
 earth. 
 
 Welcome, welcome, night! Ere that sun again silvers 
 the eastern sky, many miles will lay between us and this 
 inhospitable spot. 
 
 By nightfall the chief had departed, but his warriors still 
 remained, keeping up their hostile vigil. Then I had an 
 opportunity of hearing from Karemba what were the fears 
 of Chuzu. It seemed that the chief thought that I had 
 come as a spy into his country : and would not believe that 
 John and myself were other than Portuguese. That night 
 we were to be surrounded. Karemba was to leave the camp, 
 as they would not hurt him. 
 
 Chuzu's men, Karemba also stated, would all leave about 
 sundown. This was actually the case, for just after the sun 
 had sunk, they one by one disappeared with bounds into 
 
A MIDNIGHT ESCAPE AND RETREAT. 211 
 
 the bushes ; some saying that they were going to stalte out 
 their nets for game on the flats beneath, through which our 
 road ran, so that their proximity was a cause of additional 
 apprehension. 
 
 Numbers of people must still have remained in the town, 
 for when the chief returned, the beating of drums was again 
 heard vibrating through the air. 
 
 After the main body had departed, two headmen of the 
 chief remained, and were seated at the entrance to the 
 enclosure. The fires were still kept burning brightly, so 
 as to make those watching from a distance understand that 
 we were still awake. At the last moment even, I was 
 afraid that the Mashona would leave their loads, 
 
 I told them to go slowly round the town — on no account 
 to hurry — while I would remain in camp until all had left. 
 By that time only one of Chuzu's men remained, and he 
 seemed to be immovable. I took hold of his arm, and told 
 him through Karemba that he could not leave, but must 
 remain until the camp was cleared; if he attempted to 
 raise an alarm he would at once be despatched. 
 
 The distant sounds of shouts and of beating drums had 
 almost died away when the word was given, and the boys 
 shouldered their loads. It would have been a grand coup, 
 for Chuzu had he got all the rifles, cartridges, powder, 
 and trading articles, but on this occasion such was not his 
 fortune. 
 
 Keeping Karemba with me, I remained until we thought 
 that John and the party had reached the most westerly 
 point of the mountain's base, for the path we had to follow 
 ran close beneath the mighty boulders, at the back of which 
 the chiefs town was situated. 
 
 Cursing Chuzu and our bad luck, we took leave of the 
 astounded prisoner, gladly bidding adieu to our dangerous 
 
 p 2 
 
212 TEE FAR INTEBIOB. 
 
 camping ground, and overtaking the party under the vast 
 shadow of the mournful rocks at the nearest point to the 
 town. 
 
 On that memorable retreat the Mashona marched faster 
 than they had ever done before, and all in close order, one 
 treading upon the other's heels. Once, just at the point 
 where the path took a bend, the bark of a dog was heard, 
 immediately causing the men to push on at an extra- 
 ordinarily rapid rate. 
 
 A small river that ran past the southern end of the town, 
 beside the maize gardens, and close to a number of stake 
 nets set for game, had to be crossed. This was a much 
 to be dreaded point in the event of hostile action. There 
 were only two small poles to cross over. 
 
 Excepting the accident of two men falling in, we soon 
 got well over to the other side. Before penetrating the 
 forest we made a short halt for rest, and it was with 
 slight satisfaction that I looked back. True, we had 
 come successfully out of a difficulty; but then we had 
 worked so hard to get here, and what a disappointment ! 
 We had yet a long distance to go before we were out of 
 this wretched country. A feeling of relief had just cheered 
 us when we knew that we were within a few days' journey 
 of the Zambesi, and now we were turned relentlessly back. 
 Deeply and strongly did I invoke all the chastising gods to 
 visit condign punishment upon the suspicious and stubborn 
 Chuzu. 
 
 I said just now "this wretched country." Experience 
 certainly made it so to us. Yet even under the pall of 
 disappointment, as I looked back upon the landscape I 
 could not help being struck with its boundless beauty, 
 expanding silent, varied, and lovely under the jDcarl-like 
 light of the cloudless moon, and showing the great moun- 
 
EO, FOR NORTHERN MATAB ELI-LAND ! 213 
 
 tain like a mighty sphinx, which overlooked for all eternity 
 the western wilderness. 
 
 We stepped with a swinging gait into the depths of the 
 luxuriant forest " It's an ill wind that blows nobody good," 
 and my disappointment brought joy to others. While 
 visions of grave probabilities and graver possibilities filled 
 my mind, the household were singing — happy day ! 
 They thought they were en route for the waggon, lloaniing 
 was over. Soon they would revel in luxury in the hunter's 
 home, in the balmy land of the honey bird. 
 
 Ho, for northern Matabeli-land ! There all was sunshine 
 and plenty. Meat, meat, meat, was to be eaten during the 
 intervals of long oblivious hours of happy sleep ! 
 
 Ho, for Buluwayo, the kraal of the great black king ! 
 Home ! Home again, in time for the merry dance at the 
 opening of another year ! 
 
 Shall it be so ? Has the journey failed ? Am I to 
 retrace my steps, desponding and disappointed, back to the 
 home of the white man ? 
 
214 THE FAB INTERIOR. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 RECONNOITRING. 
 
 " Ah, master ! I tink of me leetle wife." — Negotiating with Sandani — He 
 tells of Negomo — Chibero dread and mistrust — The valley of the 
 Etsatse — The Grumapudzi river — An uninviting country — Gold finding 
 possible — A friendly welcome — " Gughle, gughle seree ! " — Curing a 
 fit — My first present — Frightening the white man — Native drums — 
 Gold — Products of the country — Mode of life — Chibabura presents me 
 with an ox — Friendly people — Assegai practice — A successful shot — 
 Cobbling shoes — Appearance of the people — Adornments of the women 
 and men — Absence of gold ornaments — Smoking customs — Entertain- 
 ments — Weapons and implements — The "look out" — A strange 
 musician — Anxiety about John — Powder of native manufacture — 
 Eeflections on the retreat from Chuzu's — Startled by a baboon — 
 Retrospect. 
 
 A SOFT refreshing breeze swept up the Etsatse valley on 
 the night of the 10th of July, fanning into lively flames 
 the fires which we had made from the wind-fallen timber. 
 Around the flickering blaze unhappy groups sat in a sulky 
 silence, which was broken only by the melancholy sound of 
 the wind as it bent the trees, and made them creak a doleful 
 and depressing dirge. 
 
 " What makes you so fearfully despondent, John ? " 
 
 " Ah, master ! I tink of me leetle wife." 
 
 "Never mind, John, we will yet get to the Zambesi. 
 Then just think of the lot of elephants we may come across ; 
 there are plenty on the river." 
 
 " But, master, de Igova men is gone, and dese Chibero 
 say dey will leave all de tings here. De meal is done. 
 
THE IGOVA MEN DESERT. 215 
 
 My Gaut ! what shall us do wid dese peoples ? Karem, he 
 say he is very tired now, and want to go home." 
 
 After a long confabulation of this kind John's spirits rose, 
 and I was by no means sorry when I heard him say : 
 
 "I like to see de beeg town on the rafeer (river)." 
 
 The old man Sandani, whom we had recruited on our 
 journey northwards, sat opposite me, for he never went far 
 from the source of the bead supply. Sandani was evidently 
 on a foraging expedition, and was bent upon being able to 
 give a good account of himself on his return home. 
 
 The Igova men who had left had each received a small 
 present. Although they left rather awkwardly, they had 
 done all I could expect them to do, as they had said they 
 would only go to the Makorikori country. Their desertion 
 rather suited my views, too, because it prevented the possi- 
 bility of a further and immediate falling back towards the 
 waggon. 
 
 I had left the payment of Sandani until the last. When 
 his turn came, I said that I wished him to wait for a little, 
 and I would pay him more than the rest, assuming that his 
 absorbing love of calico would yet be the means of our 
 getting valuable information. As it was clear he was to 
 take all he could from me, I was determined to get all I 
 could from him, so that the thoughts of both lay in similar 
 directions. 
 
 Besides, I was impressed with the belief that the old boy 
 had not lived and roved amidst these rocks for nearly half 
 a century without knowing something of the eastern country. 
 Sandani, however, evidently judged me with a suspicious 
 mind, being apparently under the impression that I meant 
 to cheat him and his son out of their honest emoluments. 
 All the morning he had been in a storming rage, which had 
 gradually exhausted itself, for he was then paying strict 
 
216 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 attention to replenishing the inner man, while at intervals 
 he would look at me with a comical reproachfulness in his 
 squinting eyes. 
 
 During the evening I revealed to John my determination 
 to endeavour to skirt Chuzu's country. Seeing that the 
 Mashona would not go to the east, I said I would try to get 
 old Sandani and his son to go with me, along with Karemba 
 and Sagwam, so that we should see what luck or loss lay in 
 store for us in the mistrusted direction. All ideas, how- 
 ever slight, of returning to the waggon were now wholly 
 abandoned. 
 
 The worst of the position was that there was no way of 
 getting up a reliable party. The only plan was to work as 
 we had been doing, from one chief to another. 
 
 At this juncture all the household's happy thoughts of 
 home were mercilessly annihilated. One and all became 
 very sulky, and there was a marked disinclination to move 
 except in a southerly direction. 
 
 I had a few cotton blankets left, and of these I offered one 
 to Sandani, at the same time holding my palms out, and 
 explaining as best I could that he should also have that 
 quantity of beads if he guided me to the next chief. At that 
 critical point of the journey not one of the interpreters could 
 be implicity trusted ; they were too anxious to get home. 
 
 A great deal of questioning drew the information from 
 Sandani that there was a very big chief whose country was 
 about two days' journey to the east. His name was Negomo. 
 
 At the sound of this name the Chibero men cocked up 
 their ears. They had been giving old Sandani the cold 
 shoulder during the journey, and they now began a vigorous 
 protestation to the effect that the Negomo people were not 
 their friends, and would be sure to kill the white man and 
 his boys. As a matter of course, this had the result of 
 
THE VALLEY OF THE ETSATSE. 217 
 
 sending Karemba and Sagwam nearly out of their wits with 
 fright. Fortunately old Sandani was so much interested 
 about his blanket and his pretty beads of red porcelain, 
 that he answered all expostulations with scowls, declaring 
 that he was a personal friend of the great chief. 
 
 I had then to go through the ever-recurring routine of 
 giving assurances of safety, backed up by presents, and 
 promises to my two faithfuls. 
 
 Intending to travel as lightly and as fast as practicable — 
 because it was impossible to say what was ahead of us — we 
 only carried a blanket, a few yards of cloth, a small cooking- 
 pot, and a tiny bag of rice and tea. For the rest we trusted 
 to the rifle, and we were ready for an early start on the 
 following morning. 
 
 Early perhaps, but hardly easy. The Chibero men de- 
 layed us seriously through their continued remonstrances. 
 They declared that the white man would surely be killed 
 by the Negomo people. Old Sandani and his son were 
 ready, but the two faithfuls had weakened in spirit at the 
 last moment. Finally, however, I succeeded as on former 
 occasions in getting their objections removed, and we were 
 ready for the road. Karemba was the most stubborn and 
 the most difficult to satisfy, but ultimately urgent assur- 
 ances of absolute safety brought him to acquiescence in the 
 beginning of our new venture. 
 
 " Good-bye, John ; keep your spirits up. We will soon 
 see the big river and the great town." 
 
 *• My Gaut, master ! look out ! Look out, sir ! " 
 
 " Never fear, John ; we will soon return. Good-bye ! " 
 
 A handful of beads were passed to each of the Chibero 
 men, and then we were off, en route eastwards to the un- 
 known. 
 
 Wending our way down the valley of the Etsatse, we 
 
218 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 crossed some very marshy strips of land, and two hours' 
 journey brought us to the verge of the great plateau through 
 which we had marched. On the south-east, at no great 
 distance, the Kusaka, or Uakania mountains, to which I 
 have already alluded, were clearly visible. These moun- 
 tains hem in the Grumapudzi river on its southern side. A 
 large portion of this country could, with little difficulty, be 
 reached in waggons. 
 
 Rough as these hills are, with their immense huddled 
 heaps of broken rock, their recesses are rich with mines of 
 wealth, going to feed the gold-producing rivers, which 
 year after year are accumulating the precious metal as it is 
 moved by atmospheric influences, or washed by the action 
 of the rains. 
 
 Some Mashona gardens were passed, in which we came 
 across numbers of youngsters, who fled in all directions as 
 soon as they saw us. 
 
 A short walk in a direct line brought us to a point where 
 we would be compelled to descend rapidly into what seemed 
 to be a boundless expanse, broken by chains of sharp moun- 
 tain ridges, shrouded in sombre blue, and whose outlines 
 resembled the tempest-hurled billows of a far-stretching 
 sea, lessening as they receded, until both form and colour 
 mingled with and were lost in the leaden hue of the 
 horizon. 
 
 Through these mountains, descending to their rugged 
 ravines, and winding up the tortuous paths of their rough- 
 ened sides, lay the line of our journey. 
 
 Uninviting as the country was, the sensation of peering 
 into the midst of a wild unexplored region was not devoid 
 of charm. All this land through which the Waynge and 
 the Grumapudzi rivers flow, is called Whata. 
 
 The appearance of the country seems to indicate the 
 
SANDANI IS OBSTINATE. 219 
 
 likelihood of gold being found. But it is impossible to say 
 whether the working would pay ; a surmise that could only 
 be decided by systematic prospecting by adepts in the art 
 of gold finding. 
 
 Sandani soon pointed out a massive square rock, which 
 towered up high, far away amidst the mountained sea of 
 stone. As he pointed, he said, in sonorous and commanding 
 tones, " Negomo." Taking our opinion from the imposing 
 solemnity of his style, it was clear that this great chief 
 must be given all the deference due to the species of mortal 
 gods who are to be found in every part of the world. 
 
 Old Sandani here caused considerable delay. He said 
 he had a wife living in a village close to the adjacent 
 rocks. Karemba said, with no slight emulative pride, that 
 Sandani had many women. The troublesome old fellow 
 had to be wheedled with all manner of strategic triclvs 
 before he could be induced to move. He would stop for the 
 night ; his wife would make meal, and so forth. 
 
 At five o'clock in the afternoon we had covered seventeen 
 miles. Then old Sandani sat down in a determined way, 
 and positively refused to go another step. He looked at 
 me in a most comical fashion, his squint eye seeming to 
 say, " Oh, no you don't ! No more ' next water ' for me. 
 I'm run down for to-day." 
 
 I had been saying, " camp at next water," but now my 
 anxiety to get forward had touched Sandani's wakeful fancy, 
 and he meant that I should pay for my too-evident weak- 
 ness in disclosing my wishes. 
 
 Our diminutive camp was soon ship-shape, and a good 
 supper of pea-nuts was a welcome close for the day. Our 
 resting-place lay beside a small marshy piece of land ; a 
 most unhealthy, as well as uncomfortable, spot, I should 
 say, during the rainy season. 
 
220 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Sandani informed me that by noon on the following day 
 we should arrive at a town ruled by a headman (enduna) 
 of Negomo, and that it was probable that the chief would 
 give me boys. He indicated the probable time of our 
 arrival by pointing vertically towards the sky, showing the 
 position of the sun, whose path across the heavens he 
 graduated with considerable accuracy, an accomplishment 
 which was peculiarly well manifested among the natives 
 generally: they would in this way rapidly indicate any 
 particular time of the day. 
 
 During the night a hyena came very close to the skerm. 
 The brute had evidently sniffed the odour of the frugal 
 evening meal, and in our small assemblage his appearance 
 caused quite a thrill of excitement. 
 
 Lovely weather prevailed. The nights were not hot, 
 neither were they cold, although a chill was apt to be felt 
 in the morning, especially when the camp was pitched on 
 the bank of a river or near a swamp. 
 
 The sun had hardly peeped above the tops of the trees 
 when we were again on the move, without making any 
 deviation from our course of the previous day. The old 
 guide led us through dismal-looking stretches of morass and 
 belts of woodland and plain until we crossed the Waynge 
 river, the same water we had encamped upon higher up, 
 when eventful times were upon us. 
 
 When the sun had almost touched meridian we were still 
 holding on our course. Towering in front of us were the 
 great rocks which we had gazed at from the distant west. 
 
 The old man said that close by was an outlying village, 
 and that the chiefs headquarters were at least a mile beyond. 
 Gazing upwards towards the rocks, which stood out clear 
 against an almost steel-blue sky, we could distinguish the 
 heads of many men, also the naked figures of children. 
 
NEGOMO'S PEOPLE. 221 
 
 They had seen us moving slowly along the winding 
 footpath beneath, and again and again they shouted to us 
 from their coigne of vantage, than which I could not con- 
 ceive of a finer position for a town or a stronghold, offering 
 safety to a small tribe. 
 
 Determined not to be led into a trap like the last one, 
 and showing that I had profited by former experience, I 
 now positively refused to go any farther. Sandani here 
 turned the tables upon me, proving himself to be a " dark 
 horse." He said that with him all was right. 
 
 Numbers of men, armed with assegais and knobkerries, 
 came running down the steep pathway to meet us. I was 
 glad to find that Sandani had spoken the truth in the old 
 camp. The people evidently knew him. Doubtless the 
 sad reprobate had another wife stowed away amidst these 
 cheerless rocks. 
 
 The news of our arrival must have spread like forked 
 lightning. For no sooneir had we ascended the mountain 
 than we were surrounded by crowds of the descendants of 
 Ham, of all sizes and ages, from the crowing infant in 
 arms to the mumified savage who might be marching along 
 with the century. One and all seemed very friendly, but 
 they were much impressed with the novelty of my colour. 
 
 We halted in a grotto of rock. Sandani, after accepting 
 snuff from the surrounding sightseers, gave forth a heavily- 
 charged harangue, which utterly eclipsed all former orations, 
 and seemed to fill his audience with an intensity of admira- 
 tion at the marvellous range of his rhetorical power. Poor 
 Karemba was now completely silenced, for in the older man 
 he had found a decided rival, bursting with a greatness of 
 eloquence which would brook no opposition, as Karemba 
 himself was forced to admit. 
 
 Both Sandani and Karemba, our natural orators, were 
 
222 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 despatched with presents for the king. They consisted of 
 a fine piece of strong cotton cloth, of many brilliant colours, 
 and some " flashy " porcelains. 
 
 Once they were off, I sat comfortably amid the rocks, 
 with the wondering crowd perched around on every side. 
 As I looked at the naked ones sitting on their haunches, 
 with their heels well tucked in beneath their bodies, and 
 nearly all eating roots or cracking nuts, I could not help 
 thinking how much the scene resembled one which I had 
 witnessed, at which a family of baboons were all posed in 
 similar attitudes. The human beings did not, perhaps, 
 make so much noise, but their movements in eating and in 
 acting, as well as their posture when at rest, were all of the 
 same character as those of the lower animal. 
 
 After a very long wait, during which I was speculat- 
 ing seriously upon the likelihood of our being favourably 
 received, or contumeliously ejected from the territory — we 
 might be sent off without having even the satisfaction of 
 an indignation meeting — Karemba returned. His face was 
 lightened by a half-suppressed smile of satisfaction as he 
 said ; 
 
 " Gughle, gughle, seree ! " 
 
 The whole meaning was that the king was good, was 
 glad that the white man had come to see him, and would be 
 able to give boys to go and fetch the valuables. Nothing 
 further, of course, was said regarding my intended journey 
 towards the north. 
 
 Here I was, then, at the outskirts of a Makorikori town, 
 in the country where the Chibero men had declared I would 
 surely be killed. I had only four followers, but we were 
 perfectly happy, and fairly contented, with every indication 
 of receiving good treatment at last. 
 
 I was requested to show my rifle. Just as the exhibition 
 
CUBING A FIT. 223 
 
 was about to begin one of the audience suddenly went 
 into a fit ; and immediately, as if thoroughly conversant 
 with such affairs, the old men gathered round the sufferer. 
 They quickly placed a blanket over his quivering form, 
 reminding me of the fire-extinguishing plan. Under the 
 blanket he kicked violently, " squirming " all the time like 
 a dying hare. 
 
 A grave-looking old fellow advanced, and in a sitting- 
 posture took up his place close to the afflicted one's head. 
 Apparently he was concentrating his thoughts, for in a 
 little time he began to talk slowly and solemnly, and 
 in a most methodical manner going through a long and 
 evidently, to the bystanders, an interesting incantation, in 
 the course of which he told what manner of man the victim 
 was, and where he had lived. It was difficult for me to 
 find out anything intelligible about this j)eculiar ceremony ; 
 even Karemba looked solemn when I inquired as to its 
 meaning. 
 
 This incantation, or mayhap the revival of nature, had 
 the desired effect of driving the evil spirit out of the 
 unfortunate man, and leaving him in his normal condition. 
 The wild contortions and upheavals which had been going 
 on under the blanket gradually subsided, until the figure 
 resembled an ant heap, with a blanket over it, drying in the 
 sun. After a short pause, the man sat up, looked about, and 
 immediately took snuff. A dead silence ensued — Eichard 
 was himself again ! 
 
 The reader may imagine that it was with the greatest 
 difficulty that I was enabled to keep my countenance 
 straight when witnessing this funny ceremony, but for- 
 tunately I did succeed in keeping up a stolid expression. 
 
 The weather being of the brightest and best description, 
 I was induced to take many a solitary walk through the 
 
224 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 silent ways and by-ways which threaded among the rough 
 rocks. These were the times for reflection, and often there, 
 as elsewhere, did I meditate in solitude upon the plans and 
 prospects of my enterprise. 
 
 At the camp a man brought a deep wooden plate contain- 
 ing hot roasted pea-nuts, the first present I had received 
 from the natives in Africa. Of course the gift was conferred 
 with a keen view to future reward. Women and girls came 
 to sell rice, millet, corn and native beer. With a few beads 
 I had I amused myself by trading, as provisions would be 
 much needed when the whole of the party arrived. 
 
 I was impressed with the idea that the Makorikori must 
 be very much given to feasting, for the beating of the 
 tom-tom and the firing of guns were loudly audible all the 
 afternoon ; and now as I reclined, rolled up in a blanket, 
 on a bed of wild grass, with nothing above but the clear star- 
 lit vault of heaven, their distant drumming and singing were 
 the last sounds I heard as I dropped wearily off to sleep. 
 
 A lovely morning ushered in the day. All nature was 
 cheerful, according ill with my mind, which was filled with 
 restlessness, until I had sent Sandani and Karemba to the 
 king to intimate that I would like the men to be sent 
 to-day, and that one of my boys would accompany them 
 to show where John was encamped on the Etsatse river. 
 Etiquette forbade my accompanying the messengers. I had 
 to wait a visit from His Majesty first. 
 
 As the day advanced numbers of people collected around, 
 watching my every action, and highly entertained when 
 they saw me use tools for eating. 
 
 Occasionally some wild-looking characters, no doubt 
 endeavouring to tease, or to see if they could frighten the 
 white man, would run with a swift spurt close up to me, 
 stamping with their feet, whooping and whistling a short, 
 
NATIVE GOLD. 225 
 
 shrill, and very piercing note, while their clubs were used 
 with threatening gestures more ominous certainly, but very 
 like lungeing in fencing. 
 
 Exhibitions of the rifle were a great success. The novel 
 way of removing the front catch, and disconnecting the 
 rifle from the stock, gave these simple people intense 
 delight. In return they showed us some articles of their 
 own manufacture, notably drums made from the trunks of 
 trees, which were hollowed, and on one end covered with 
 tightly stretched hide. These drums were played upon 
 with the naked hands, and also with sticks. 
 
 Some of the people brought gold. It was carried in the 
 customary fashion, i.e., in the large quills of birds. The 
 sellers had come from the Grumapudzi river, and some from 
 the Amazoe, where in hollow wooden trays they wash the 
 alluvial deposits in the water in order to extract the gold. 
 The people will carry their small treasure great distances 
 so as to exchange it for an ornament or a piece of cloth. 
 I was unable to discover whether these primitive miners 
 understood anything about the method of extracting gold 
 by pulverising auriferous quartz. 
 
 The country produces both iron and copper, and the 
 people manufacture beads from these metals. 
 
 Lemons, citrons and sweet potatoes are grown. 
 
 Like the Mashona, the people live in a most simple 
 manner. Nevertheless they are readily distinguished from 
 their neighbours by the tattoo marks on the face and body. 
 They seemed to have a good supply of tower muskets — 
 flintlocks — decorated in a wonderfully ornamental manner 
 by means of brass-headed tacks which thickly stud the 
 butts, while the grip of the stocks as well as the barrels are 
 bound at regular distances with brass wire, which some- 
 times is very neatly plaited. 
 
 VOL. I. Q 
 
226 THE PAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Soon a number of young warriors appeared upon the 
 scene, evidently anxious to show their agility, and how 
 gracefully they could " burn powder." Two or three of 
 them in a body would take a short run forward, dancing 
 from side to side, aiming, and looking up, down, and around 
 in all directions as though searching for the hidden enemy. 
 When through with their varied manoeuvres, they, with 
 a " whoop ! " and a wild spring, would dart into the air, 
 turning round and round with top-like rapidity, and not 
 ungracefully, while they pointed with their guns towards the 
 four quarters of the globe. 
 
 The people were very friendly, bringing an abundant 
 supply of sweet potatoes, which I continued to buy, as 
 our only substitute for bread or biscuit. When rice and 
 potatoes could be had I was perfectly satisfied. The 
 potatoes, when baked beneath a heap of cinders, were 
 very good, but not nearly so sweet as the American bulb. 
 
 In a little time I saw some slaves leading a young ox 
 towards me. When the party, which proved to be a depu- 
 tation, arrived, they addressed me, saying that the ox was 
 a present from the chief Chibabura, enduna of Negomo. 
 Not one of the boys being in camp at the time, it was not 
 without difficulty that this gift was intimated. 
 
 I was quite amazed at the occurrence, the kindness of 
 the treatment contrasting very strongly with the rough 
 experiences of the past. Had I alighted upon a land 
 flowing with milk and honey ? 
 
 These friendly exchanges were extremely gratifying. 
 Sagwam soon arrived in camp, and then I was able to make 
 jnyself understood, while he informed me that the young 
 man who had brought the ox was the king's son, and would 
 like very much to see my rifle. 
 
 Crowds of little boys congregated in our neighbour- 
 
A FRIENDLY PEOPLE. 227 
 
 hood, and were playing all day long. Their game was 
 throwing the assegai at moving objects, a feat which re- 
 quired a great deal of practice. The targets were round 
 roots, about the size of ostrich eggs. These they would 
 hurl along the ground, and as they rolled would stick them 
 with assegais in a most dexterous manner. 
 
 The assegais were made of hard wood, burnt at the points, 
 or tipped with bone. Probably similar weapons were used 
 by their ancestors, in ages that are shrouded by the gloom 
 of unwritten centuries. Even the sight of an assegai can 
 arouse a curious train of thoughts, which reach far back 
 to those remote times when the first race of mankind — 
 undoubtedly hunters — roamed free in the primeval forest ; 
 when, according to Lucretius — 
 
 " Men's earliest arms were fingers, teeth and nails, 
 And stones and fragments from the branching woods." 
 
 The surrounding crowd was now very large. As the 
 king's son was a unit in the assemblage, I determined to 
 waste a cartridge in order to show what the white man 
 could do with an assegai propelled by powder. A reputation 
 as a shot was undoubtedly a desideratum under the circum- 
 stances. So I took up a position as an exhibitor of wizard 
 marksmanship, one of the round roots, such as the boys 
 used, being the target. It was sent flying through the air ; 
 and as it sped I sent a bullet after it from " C L. K.," 
 fortunately shattering the thing into fragments, which flew 
 in all directions. Then I quickly disconnected the weapon, 
 holding the stock in one hand and the barrel in the other. 
 The appreciative audience greeted the performance with 
 a shouting chorus of applause, such as would have thrilled 
 the heart of an acting manager. 
 
 Amid exclamations of astonishment, looks of surprise, 
 clapping of hands, and the dancing of little boys, I pre- 
 
 Q 2 
 
228 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 sented the empty case of the cartridge and some beads to 
 the king's son. Altogether the very ordinary performance 
 had brought a reputation to the marksman. The trifles I 
 presented to the king's son were all I possessed until John 
 should arrive. 
 
 Greatly to my delight, Karemba and sixteen men soon 
 appeared, the latter having been sent by the king. They 
 were dispatched at once, Sagwam being charged with full 
 instructions to bring John, and to tell him that he should 
 act well with the Chibero men, giving them each a present, 
 and letting them go home. Sagwam's parting desire was 
 that I should not kill the ox until John and he had re- 
 turned. Sagwam invariably had a memory of his inward 
 cravings, and was by this time by far the fattest man in 
 the company. 
 
 I would have gone myself, but since the time when my 
 feet first began to give trouble, I had covered over 129 miles 
 of marsh, hill, and plain, and during most of the time my feet 
 were soaking wet. So I determined to remain where I was, 
 and try to cure my suffering extremities, besides exercising 
 some ingenuity in the handicraft of the cobbler. This 
 neglected, I should be soon unfitted, despite the best 
 determination, to proceed. 
 
 Leisure gave opportunities for observing something of 
 the character and customs of the happy, or properly 
 speaking, contented race among whom I was placed. The 
 women and children flocked around, and appeared to con- 
 sider my writing as an occupation of amusement. But 
 even to Karemba, who had been a great traveller, writing 
 was an impenetrable mystery. On a previous occasion I 
 had asked John whether a Mashona could be induced to 
 carry a letter to the Hanyane river to deliver to any hunters 
 who might be there. John said that the people did not 
 
PERSONAL ADORNMENTS. 229 
 
 understand letters, and would not carry one ; the idea being 
 that it was better to have nothing to do with what they 
 did not understand. 
 
 Some of the younger women here were pretty, possessing 
 neat, slim figures. Obesity was evidently an indication 
 of mature development. Hair-dressing was clearly an 
 operation demanding not a little time. In fact it must 
 have been very laborious work. The most popular fashion 
 at this time was the stringing of divers-hued beads on tlie 
 hair, thus making the head look like a mop of many colours. 
 Married women shaved their heads. 
 
 The tattoo marks on the faces, when nearty done, are far 
 from being repulsive. The women simply pierce the upper 
 lip, through which a thin wire ring, sometimes ornamented 
 with a few beads, is passed. Pendant from their necks hang 
 numerous charms of ivory and wood, also the claws of wild 
 animals strung together on lines of gut and bark. Their 
 bracelets are of brass wire, the plaiting of which is ingenious ; 
 while thick wire of brass or iron form the anklets. 
 
 The men in some cases wear ear-rings and bracelets. 
 The latter are rings cut from the solid hide of the buffalo, or 
 some other thick-skinned animal. A very prevalent custom 
 among the men is the wearing on their necklaces of a 
 small sheath-knife and snuff-box. 
 
 Men have also many ways of decorating their heads. 
 In the woolly hair some will shave partings an inch wide, 
 turning them into circular patterns. Others who have an 
 objection to the curly crop will straighten it with the 
 finest threads of bark, so that when it is finished it looks 
 like a mat of twisted silk thread, as it literally shines with 
 oil. On the loins they wear, before and behind, a strip of 
 leather, which drops in front nearly to the feet, and is 
 always garnished with beads of iron, brass, or copper. On 
 
230 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 the march they tuck this long pendant up to the belt. 
 Little bags made from the whole skin of the tiny and 
 woolly ground squirrel hang from the neck as a store 
 place for tobacco, snuff, and light articles of use. Trinkets 
 are made from bone, and belts from the white fossiliferous 
 stones found in the bed of the Zambesi. 
 
 It was a gold-producing country, yet I did not see a 
 single ornament made from the precious metal. 
 
 The men, generally speaking, had very bad teeth, covered 
 with a yellow-looking tartar, which seemed to be due to the 
 practice of incessantly smoking hemp or tobacco. They 
 produce the latter commodity. Perhaps the eating of hot 
 pap, and hot roasted nuts, which are devoured to a great 
 extent, may also contribute to destroy the appearance of 
 the teeth, as they are taken like hot cinders. 
 
 In physique they are by no means a fine race. I did 
 not see a really finely-formed man among them. Never- 
 theless the Makorikori are physically a better looking people 
 than the Mashona. 
 
 They were unceasing in their efforts to give entertainment, 
 coming frequently to the spot where I was sitting in order 
 to perform some wonderfully energetic evolutions, some of 
 which I have already described. Now and then I have 
 seen them jumping into the air with their guns, and while 
 off the ground they would fire, making "two revolutions 
 with the agility and dexterity of acrobats. My impression 
 was that these displays were in honour of the white man, 
 or it may have been to test the extent of his generosity. 
 When they saluted a stranger they did not shake hands. 
 That custom seemed to be unknown. They clapped their 
 hands instead, which was likewise a sign for thanks. 
 
 Weapons and implements such as assegais, arrows and 
 bows were formed on Nature's crude anvil. The bows are of 
 
LOOKING OUT FOR JOHN. 231 
 
 a heart shape, very heavy, and made of good iron, much 
 valued among the tribes in the Zambesi valley. 
 
 These days were the happiest I had spent for a very long 
 time, having almost perfect repose. Whenever it could be 
 managed, I would escape from the crowd of visitors and 
 saunter in solitude through the sinuous tracks in the rocks, 
 until I came upon some sequestered nook where I would sit 
 down and occupy the passing hours by writing up the 
 journal, and silently meditating as I looked upon the 
 tranquil scene of forest landscape. 
 
 The serenity was delightful. A selected favourite spot 
 was the top of a stupendous boulder, from which a mag- 
 nificent view could be obtained, stretching far over the 
 western wilderness. With the aid of the telescope I could 
 see any object of the size of man which might appear in 
 an opening of the forest, for the path led out to a clear spot 
 beneath my " look out." Here I watched for John, for it 
 was now a week since we had left him and the party. 
 
 Sagwam had gone, but no word from him had yet arrived. 
 What had befallen them that they should be so long? 
 Would I again have to go over all that weary road to settle 
 matters with the discontented Chibero men in the same 
 way as I had to do with the Unyamwenda ? A day or two 
 of delay must decide the question. 
 
 Every evening I watched the daylight dying, and bade 
 an anxious farewell to the sun as it sunk beyond the 
 landscape, and bathed with glowing shades the wilder- 
 ness of vegetation. But darkness fell, and hopes for 
 another day were crushed. Ah ! those sunsets. What 
 reveries, what hopes, what fears filled my mind as I gazed 
 upon them in solitude from the recesses of those highland 
 rocks ! I had been thwarted on all sides, although I was 
 always ahead endeavouring with might and main to get on. 
 
232 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Now the question seemed to be, seeing that I had left my 
 party behind, Shall I ever see them again ? and if so. How 
 many will there be ? How philosophic we should become 
 under this system of cogitation, in which patience becomes 
 a second nature as annoyance finds no home in the mind ! 
 
 After these periods of reflection I would return to camp, 
 and wile away the evenings by eating nuts, and listening 
 to Karemba playing upon his piano, with variations of 
 begging from old Sandani, who never left me except upon 
 urgent occasions. 
 
 During the daytime I had to give constant exhibitions 
 of shooting, varied by feat-like tricks of different kinds, 
 which aroused and sustained a regular flow of merriment. 
 
 One man, whether sent by the chief or not I could not 
 say, was in constant attendance with his piano, set inside a 
 hollow calabash, which wonderfully improved the resonance 
 of the instrument. The calabash was decorated with dry 
 shells of fruit and various chips of hard substances, which 
 gave a sharp rattling accompaniment. This fellow would 
 dance and over and over again repeat the strange native 
 melody, which was grievously jerky in its modulations. His 
 position was directly in front of me. There he remained, 
 stamping upon the ground, and with spasmodic energy 
 advancing and retiring. 
 
 By this time I was beginning to feel thoroughly uneasy 
 about John, and had fully made up my mind to start in 
 search of him on the following day ; for I had cobbled 
 my old shoes of zebra-skin until they were strong, and, 
 although yet a trifle bottle-nosed, my feet were also better. 
 Anxiety was certainly not allayed by Karemba's doleful 
 shaking of the head as he remarked that John wanted to 
 go back to Buluwayo. 
 
 The people of this district, although belonging to the 
 
NATIVE aVNPOWDER. 233 
 
 Makorikori tribe, were in no way connected with the few of 
 the same name whom we had encountered at Chuzu's. 
 Like the Mashona they live in detached bodies. One chief, 
 however, sometimes ruled over a number of towns. Chi- 
 babura is the enduna of Negomo, whose chief town, as I 
 said before, lay to the east of our position. 
 
 Negomo had immediately been informed of my arrival, 
 and Karemba said he would be sure to come over, although 
 I earnestly prayed that he would not, knowing tliat his 
 appearance would mean a heavy call on the bank. 
 
 Four men came into the skerm to sell gold. Judging 
 from their costume they were evidently hunters. They 
 wanted powder for the gold. I think their desire was 
 to find out whether I had powder suitable for their muskets. 
 I asked them to show me the kind of powder they had. 
 They said they made it themselves, and I offered to give 
 them some of mine in exchange for some of theirs, as I had 
 a curiosity to see what kind of stuff they used. On ex- 
 amination I found it to be very similar to a powder I had 
 seen made by the Mexicans. Taking the efflorescence of 
 saltpetre they mix it with the charcoal made from the bark 
 of the mufati tree : it is baked in an earthen pot for five 
 or six hours, until caked, after which it is finely pulverised, 
 and exposed for some time to the sun's rays. The powder 
 burns very slowly, and its explosive force is insignificant 
 compared with the strength of ours. 
 
 I hardly know who was the first to teach these people 
 how to manufacture this mighty agent of the chase and of 
 warfare. Perhaps the earliest knowledge arose among people 
 who had been the slaves of the Portuguese, or from those 
 who had some connection with slave caravans belonjrinfr to 
 the east coast. 
 
 I had become so used to evening musings, that whenever 
 
234 THE FAR INTEBIOB. 
 
 the sun reached the well-known downward point I would 
 gladly, with lithe steps and a light heart, hurry off to one 
 of the favourite retreats. At such times I was as lively as 
 anyone could be when going to witness some remarkable 
 novelty or some grand spectacle in the artificial institutions 
 of civilized life. I would talk to myself, all the time 
 whittling a piece of wood like a thoroughbred " down- 
 easter" from the state of Maine. Again and again in 
 lightning thoughts I would re-enact the moments of excite- 
 ment passed in bygone days. 
 
 Upon that evening I thought of our retreat from Chuzu's. 
 Even now the memory of that night, and the weary days 
 which followed, arises vividly in my mind. It was a strange 
 aflEair. The vindictive and suspicious monarch must have 
 thought me very ambitious if he imagined that I wanted his 
 barren land of rocks. How I would have liked to have seen 
 his face next morning when he found that the bird had 
 flown ! Worse than all, too, that the valuables had also dis- 
 appeared ! Those crotchety Mashona folk had given trouble 
 during the forced retreat. They would insist upon halting 
 and making fires, which I was equally determined they 
 should not do ; no sooner did they fan the dry dung and 
 grass into a flame than I would put it out. Sometimes, when 
 they thought it for their own good, they would hurry on, but 
 after crossing the river they had stopped and said : " What 
 would the white man do if we were to leave him and all his 
 things now ? " 
 
 I remember that the chief at Igova was indignant when 
 he heard of my treatment by Chuzu. 
 
 On our return to the Waynge river (where I had walked 
 miles ahead of the party), I was very familiar with the 
 features of the old landscape hemming in the river with 
 rugged masses of towering cliff and half-tumbling crag, 
 
AN EVENTFUL BETROSPECT. 235 
 
 through which the waters, in a crystal stream, went merrily 
 on, dancing, glancing, and singing on its course. The 
 silent pool, too, I remember, as a mirror which on many 
 occasions gave a reflection of a wild-looking man with a 
 rough-like beard and tattered clothes. 
 
 Then there was the old camp, the arena of excited and 
 feverish actions. The deserted spot had been swept com- 
 pletely by fierce flames of fire since we had gone, and around 
 it blackened embers and bones were strewn by the cheerless 
 wind, until it reminded one of a deserted abode of wild 
 beasts rather than a habitation of human beings. 
 
 What a start I got there ! Awful sounds, indescribable 
 perhaps, but something between a bark and a cry, came 
 from a cave within a few yards of where I was. Breath- 
 less with curiosity, I went up to the place, and there found 
 an old baboon, whose vocalisation had been the cause of 
 the start ; but on my appearance the screeching creature 
 darted quickly off, stricken with fright. 
 
 Then after the severe fifty miles had been retraced there 
 was the wildly exciting eland hunt on the Etsatse river, 
 when the victims to our rifles fell just as the last rays of 
 sunlight flashed out from the west. 
 
 Thoughts such as these recalled the chief events of the 
 journey. They do so distinctly even now as I write after a 
 longer lapse of time. I traverse the old ground again, 
 grapple once more with old difficulties, and almost revive 
 the old relief that was felt about troubles overcome, finding 
 in the whole retrospect a meditation that is not without its 
 generous gift of pleasure. 
 
236 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Inyota's Tranquil Land. 
 
 Camp fires in the distance — Eeappearance of John — His miserable looks — 
 Sandani is gratified — Camp before Inyota — Karemba's eccentricities — • 
 John's troubles — Kaffir ingratitude — The Bushman lost — A vain search 
 — ^My terrified companion — The numerous wives of Sandani — The 
 " oracle " sings the praises of the white man — Chibabura's reception — 
 A palaver — Wonders of the mirror — Physicing the crowd — Settling 
 Sandani's claims — The Eock of Wisdom — Chibabura's town — Native 
 workmanship — Bark blankets — Pottery — A favoured land and 
 people — Makorikori songs — Character of the people — Customs — 
 Knowledge of agriculture — Contentment — Freedom from crime — Their 
 life compared with civilised poverty — 'A peaceful scene — Oh, happy 
 and favoured Inyota ! 
 
 Peering into the darkness, for some time, I thought I 
 could discern far away the flames of what might be large 
 camp fires. The distance was so great, however, that even 
 with the telescope I could not be sure of the sight. But 
 the sign gave me a ray of hope. By noon next day John 
 might appear. 
 
 When I returned I found that our small camp was gar- 
 nished with the beef of the ox which the king had sent. It 
 was inadvisable to keep it longer. In passing, I may say 
 that the breed of cattle is small, but the beef is as good 
 as any that I have tasted. To me it seemed far superior 
 to any antelope meat. 
 
 The morning came and passed without event. I looked 
 out for John continuously, but he did not appear. About 
 four o'clock in the afternoon I was watching Karemba 
 
REAPPEABANCE OF JOHN. 237 
 
 broiling a piece of steak, and turning it round before the 
 fire with, his filthy fingers, when a thrill of excitement 
 moved the camp to activity. What could it be that roused 
 this lazy band of loiterers ? My eyes did not deceive me — 
 John, by Jove ! 
 
 Yes, John truly ! But he looked like the proverbial shadow 
 of death! Undoubtedly something was wrong; but I was 
 accustomed, unfortunately, to receive more tidings of evil 
 than of good. So I welcomed him as heartily as possible. 
 He spoke little in reply, only murmuring a few words. 
 
 My intention was to make a move the moment the party 
 had arrived: I wanted to get nearer to the king's town. 
 After John's appearance hardly a minute was lost. Old 
 Sandani was longing for a fresh opportunity to roll out 
 sonorous sentences which otherwise would have had no 
 chance of being left upon the sands of time ; but I knew 
 that acceding to his persuasive delay by allowing him to 
 commence his harangue would mean that the sheet anchor 
 had been cast. 
 
 We proceeded until we reached a point within a few 
 hundred yards of the gates of Inyota. Few events, no 
 matter how serious, have not their ridiculous side. Here 
 old Sandani squinted at me with a gleam of satisfaction 
 inspired by the arrival of the sliop. The expression on his 
 odd looking physiognomy, told, as clearly as visage could 
 tell, "You see what I have done! Didn't I say so?" 
 Great, however, was the satisfaction of knowing that now 
 the camp was moved to a point where there was every 
 reason to hope that a new and a well organised start might 
 be effected with an entirely fresh set of carriers. And now 
 that the loads were lightening, still fewer numbers were 
 required. 
 
 The new camping ground was a distinct improvement 
 
238 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 upon the last : it was more open, besides being in close 
 proximity to the town. 
 
 The men who had escorted John and the valuables were 
 upon the eve of leaving for the town ; so I deputed Sandani 
 to go with them, carrying a fine present for the chief. 
 
 Among the household who were left, every one of course 
 shirked most studiously anything approaching work of a 
 more arduous nature than roasting meat or broiling bones. 
 This they would do ad libitum. 
 
 Karemba now budded and flourished as a tremendous 
 swell. He condescended to give meat to his poor brothers, 
 and held long consultations with Sandani. He frequently 
 smoked " ikutu," and acquired a specially affected cough, 
 which by vocal application became his undeniable and ex- 
 clusive right. The cough might remind the hearer either of 
 a steam whistle or the crowing of a cock ; but to Karemba's 
 confreres it seemed to be very comical, much hilarity being 
 caused whenever his lordship deigned to agitate his breezy 
 windpipe. Above all, he would order others about, some- 
 times showing a good deal of sense and often force. 
 
 Sagwam had gained an air of very fashionable delicacy, 
 and was out and out the fattest Kaffir I had. He was 
 not to be crowded at the fire, and could only carry a little 
 medicine. His last load was two bottles of castor oil, and 
 latterly the sight of it was enough to provoke serious results 
 to him without even a taste. 
 
 Old Sandani liked very much to assume the coveted 
 position of being unburdened. My mind, however, was 
 made up that not another of the staff should be knighted 
 unless they would declare their intention to follow me to 
 Tette, and accept payment on arriving. 
 
 The absence of the indispensable ape began to be a source 
 of wonder here — he was not in camp. 
 
TROUBLES WITH GIIIBERO MEN. 239 
 
 After supper, Sandani returned from the chief, whom he 
 said would visit me on the next day. Negomo, the king, he 
 said, would come in a few days. On another occasion the 
 former had put off coming to my camp at the time he had 
 appointed ; therefore I decided that if he did not appear 
 by noon on the following day I would go to him, and try to 
 refresh his memory. 
 
 Now to John and his troubles. Calling him up, I in- 
 quired what had happened during my absence. The poor 
 fellow was looking very ill. 
 
 "Ah, master, I came veree bad, veree seek, and vorce 
 tired ! " He continued his complaint in most lugu- 
 brious tones, relating the vicissitudes through which he had 
 passed, especially the hard, hard time he had spent while 
 settling matters with the Chibero men, who seemed to have 
 kept up their notoriety for unreasonableness. 
 
 Ungrateful for the numerous presents I had given them, 
 they had even refused to carry back the fine eland head 
 which I had taken so much care to preserve. Facts like 
 these, coupled with other experiences, however trifling they 
 may appear, prove conclusively that absolute ingratitude 
 is one of the leading traits in the KaflSr mind. John, it 
 seems, had given these Chibero men two fathoms of white 
 calico and a quantity of beads. This was far to much. But 
 my troubled squire told me that the people would have been 
 fighting with him had it not been for the presence of the 
 men I had sent over. 
 
 The Chibero people it seems were very much frightened 
 by the Negomo men, and were greatly surprised at the 
 sudden appearance of such a force. 
 
 " For, master," continued John, " after you left, dose 
 Chibero men often say, ' Oh ! the white man will be killed 
 by dese peoples : he will never come back here again !' " 
 
240 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 Their anger was not allayed even by the presents which 
 John gave them, and they showed their annoyance by 
 telling him that when they returned to the Hanyane river, 
 they would break open the box which had been left in the 
 waggon, and take away all the things. They would fight 
 with us, too, on our return to the waggon. 
 
 " Empty words and foolish threats, John," I said, " let 
 them speak ; they haven't the backbone to carry out their 
 words." 
 
 " Ah, master," replied John, " but dese is a bad people." 
 
 John was quite right. The frightful examples of 
 humanity had not a redeeming feature in their evil 
 character. Release them from judicious restraint and you 
 let loose the tiger ; but its heart is in the wrong place : 
 mischief, not valour, is in its breast, and its threatening 
 cries are vain. Not being a believer in the existence of 
 totally consuming depravity in any human soul, I have 
 tried to find some good point to recommend the Chibero, 
 but utter failure has been the result, 
 
 John went on with his story, and his eyes were almost 
 tearful. He told how the poor Bushman was lost. I asked 
 if the Bushman had been fighting with any of the men. 
 
 " No," was the answer ; " de day after de master leave us, 
 I loose um ; and I never see um again." 
 
 Every rock in the kopjie beside the old camping-ground 
 had been searched. Alas ! the Bushman had disappeared ; 
 where, no one could say. Probably not one of the company 
 would ever know. I, for one, never saw his face again. 
 
 Poor Windvogel ! Whatever may have been his fate, I 
 will pay him a parting tribute, by saying that, although the 
 weight of bad in his composition would in all likelihood 
 have brought the moral scale, balanced upon the sensitive 
 fulcrum of human judgment, down with a thump, yet he 
 
TEE BUSHMAN IS LOST. 241 
 
 had little for which, like a Briton, he could "thank his 
 stars ! " From his earliest days his surroundings were far 
 from conducing towards the birth, not to speak of the 
 perfecting, of moral excellence; yet certainly his tiny 
 egg-cup-full of brains were not devoid of some enlivening 
 elements of good nature, his face being always radiant 
 with smiles. 
 
 John's sorrow about Windvogel's disappearance was not, I 
 am afraid, due to any fear regarding what had overtaken 
 him. It was caused by the thought that he personally had 
 lost a piece of valuable movable property. 
 
 Immediately after sunrise on the following morning I 
 started on a hunting expedition, taking with me from among 
 the bystanders a man who reported eland close by. The 
 occasion proved an exception to the general rule, because 
 only one man followed me. The hour was too early for 
 the others. It was an exception too in another way. 
 
 On descending the hill towards the hunting grounds, my 
 solitary companion halted, and then, looking furtively back 
 towards the town, he began to walk quickly, gradually in- 
 creasing his pace until it became a run, when he disappeared 
 at full speed. I could not imagine what was the matter with 
 the man. On returning to the camp I found that the boys 
 were highly amused. Karemba said that a man had passed, 
 saying during his flight, that he was afraid of the white 
 man, because he thought he would kill him. I could not 
 help thinking that I must be growing very fierce-looking, 
 when my aspect could instil so much terror into simple 
 minds. 
 
 Game was scarce. Eland and roan antelope were the 
 most plentiful. The people are constantly out hunting in 
 large parties. 
 
 Sandani, apparently, was growing great in the eyes of the 
 
 VOL. I. R 
 
242 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 household. Even John, who had a well-developed dislike for 
 anyone who in the least degree resembled a Mashona, said of 
 Sandani : "He say plenty of good things of de master, and 
 Karem say he is a beeg man, in dis contree, and has got lots 
 of wife!" 
 
 Quite a number of Sandani's properties in the shape of 
 growing girls, came and knelt before me, offering various 
 kinds of native produce ; the old man all the while looking 
 upon his live stock with an expression of genuine pride. 
 
 " Are all these yours ? " I asked. 
 
 "Yes," was the emphatic answer; " mine, all mine, every 
 one of them ! '* 
 
 Among the number was one very nice looking young girl, 
 who had her hair bedecked Avith white and red porcelains : 
 her necklace of plaited wild-grass was studded here and 
 there with a species of white shell ; around her waist was a 
 belt of beads of all colours. I bought some wares from the 
 girls, and amused them by showing my watch. As I did so, 
 I pulled the girl I speak of close up, so that she might have 
 a better chance of seeing, and was highly amused at her 
 signs of alarm. 
 
 As yet I had been unable to get the avaricious lord of 
 many wives to divulge the news whether he would or Avould 
 not proceed with me farther. 
 
 About noon a considerable group of men were seen 
 coming through the wood on our right. Among them was 
 Chibabura the chief. Soon they were seated in a circle 
 close to our camp. 
 
 After the usual salute by the clapping of hands, I walked 
 over to the select circle, and seated myself opposite the 
 chief, with the oracle Sandani on my left, and the rest of 
 the household extending beyond. 
 
 Softly the oracle began to speak, at first in broken sentences. 
 
SANDANl SINGS MY PRAISES. 243 
 
 Then warming to his work he increased his volume of tone 
 and length of expression, laying great emphasis upon the 
 words at the end of each sentence, and all the while shaking 
 his head more and more as he proceeded. 
 
 Thus he sang my praises. He told how the white man 
 had come from afar across salt water ; and as he narrated 
 the facts he kept up the general custom of counting with 
 his fingers, at the end of the sum bringing the finger 
 which terminated the calculation quickly to his mouth, and 
 throwing the hand forward in the direction of the person 
 whom he addressed. This gave the number of the party, 
 and likewise intimated how many many moons I had been 
 upon the journey from distant lands. 
 
 They were informed what a wonderful hunter the white 
 man was : how he had shot the running deer, and how they 
 had eaten abundantly of the meat of the eland and the 
 koodoo. With the white man all was plenty. He had 
 bought beer with cloth. He had been treated badly by 
 Chuzu, the great chief, upon the threshold of whose home he 
 had trodden with a fearless step, although the chief wanted to 
 kill him. They were told of the long marches of the party, 
 and how, when the white man returned to his own land, he 
 would speak to his pale brothers of the countries he had 
 seen, and how Chibabura had treated him. Last, and far 
 from least, the white man had an inexhaustible supply of 
 blankets and charms which he had brought with him ; in 
 fact he was a dry goods bank. 
 
 Some clapping of hands, succeeded by a pause, followed. 
 An all-round snuff was indulged in, and then came the 
 chief's turn to speak. 
 
 His tone and words were very friendly. He said that he 
 liked the white man to come and visit his country, and 
 hoped that more would come bringing cloth and beads 
 
 It 2 
 
244 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 with them. As to journeying through his country, I could 
 proceed, and he would give me boys to take me to Kunyun- 
 gwi (Tette). 
 
 The last promise gave me marked satisfaction. That, I 
 thought, would be a stage farther. The goods still in 
 hand would just be sufficient to buy food, and perhaps 
 allow a present to be made to some of the chiefs. There 
 was not enough left to make payments in full to more than 
 one lot of carriers, and this would have to be done in 
 advance before leaving the spot where we were. 
 
 As on other occasions, I went through various rifle per- 
 formances, which highly delighted the chief, whose admira- 
 tion was greatly excited by the ingenious construction of 
 the weapons. When he saw the elephant-rifle, he was fairly 
 amazed. I did not show him the white man's gods in the 
 shape of watch, and so forth; but during the afternoon 
 entertainment, a great novelty was produced — never before 
 exhibited by the company — with immense success. 
 
 The novelty was a looking-glass. The astonishment and 
 amusement it afforded were unbounded. Now and then 
 one of the crowd might be found who did not seem to think 
 that the reflection of his physiognomy was altogether 
 flattering ; and the glass would therefore be quickly handed 
 on to others. Some would vainly try to get ahead of the 
 reflection, by making wild and rapidly changing contortions 
 of the face, only to be sadly put out by the discovery 
 that there was no motion swift enough to defeat the glass. 
 
 The chief had a good look at his mirrored face, and 
 smiled as though he were tolerably well satisfied. 
 
 Handing the glass to some of the petrified parties 
 who were sitting around, and who might, judging from 
 appearances, have been dug out of the strata of some deep 
 geological epoch, they examined their fearful and wonderful 
 
DYSENTERY. 245 
 
 countenances in a very scrutinising fashion, clearly bent 
 upon discovering some deception. After a careful examina- 
 tion some of them seemed quite frightened at their ugliness, 
 which evidently had never before been brought so forcibly 
 under their notice. 
 
 Chibabura suggested that I might shoot some meat, 
 so that the boys whom he would send with me might be 
 able to leave some for their wives and families. 
 
 The chief was rather tall and slender in figure. In 
 colour he was a shade lighter than his confreres, and had an 
 expression that might almost be called meek. The lips 
 were very thick, and the white of the eye — as is charac- 
 teristic of the negro — was blurred with streaky shades of 
 deep brown. 
 
 John had been out hunting, and it was long after sunset 
 when he returned. He had shot an eland cow, but reported 
 game to be very scarce. 
 
 At this period the household were nearly all sick. 
 Dysentery had set in. So I physicked the whole crowd — 
 all in order — giving to the shamming ones a mighty dose 
 of the ever-fateful podophyllin powder. 
 
 Sandani now divulged the intelligence that he could not 
 leave to go on with the white man " much as he loved him," 
 and so forth. The old fellow had certainly talked with us 
 to such an extent that he had almost wholly lost the use of 
 his voice. His presence had enabled us to reach a turning 
 point in the fortunes of the expedition, and I really felt 
 very grateful to the old man. As to the question of his not 
 coming with us, the decision was not to be wondered at. Old 
 Sandani had far too much to attend to, even in relation to 
 his domestic affairs. What with his numerous family, and 
 a wife or two at every rock about the country, his hands 
 were pretty full ; especially as he was always endeavouring 
 
246 ■ THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 to be everywhere at one and the same time, and had many 
 loves besides the multitude of recipients of his lawful 
 affection. His heart in love affairs was of a very elastic 
 description. 
 
 Considering all this, I proceeded to cash his demands on 
 the dry-goods bank, although every strip I gave him was 
 like parting with an eye-tooth. John, who knew the close 
 state of affairs, would now and again give vent to a gentle 
 reminder. 
 
 " Ouh ! " he would exclaim ; " he want all de tings. And 
 de master is geev um dat fine cloth what I like to take back 
 to my leetle wife ! " 
 
 " Never mind, John, keep up a light heart, there's plenty 
 more cloth on the Zambesi." 
 
 About eight o'clock on the next morning, accompanied by 
 Karemba and Sandani, I climbed up to the town, which 
 occupies a half -hidden position on the northern slopes of 
 the mountains, amid a huge agglomeration of rock com- 
 prising masses of granite, some rounded and showing a few 
 seams, but mostly jagged, broken and angular. Overhanging 
 boulders of gigantic size frown threateningly above the small 
 clusters of rudely-formed huts, which dot the open spaces 
 to the north. 
 
 Small shrubs, thorny trees, creepers, and long tufted 
 grass spring out from the crevices in this wild and natural 
 rockery. Upon the bare spots which intervene are to be 
 found the huts of the artless, but contented and happy 
 inhabitants. 
 
 We soon found ourselves at the " Kock of Wisdom," an 
 immense slab of hard, slippery rock, polished doubtless by the 
 feet of many thousands of assemblies ; for here it is that the 
 chief holds his court, and where the pipe of peace is passed, 
 while the hoarse cough of the hemp smoker may be heard 
 
CHIBABURA THE HEADMAN. 247 
 
 from dawn to sunset. This hemp-smoking produces a most 
 violent irritation of the mucous membrane, and the con- 
 tinuance of the practice brings on haemorrhage, ultimately 
 causing death. 
 
 The chief invited us to his hut, where beer made from 
 maize was produced. From the numerous huts which 
 were dotted closely around, I could infer that Chibabura 
 had numerous wives. The huts Avere irregularly scattered 
 here and there, but all in close proximity to that of the 
 chief. 
 
 Chibabura showed me what a large stock of beads he 
 had, telling me that the beads and cloth that they had in 
 their neighbourhood came from the Zambesi by way of 
 Negomo's town. He likewise stated that the Portuguese 
 sent black men out with trading articles to buy gold. One 
 of these parties I afterwards met on my journey northwards. 
 
 Escorted by Chibabura we all walked to the " Eock of 
 Wisdom," and from that position the chief pointed out the 
 direction in which we were about to travel. 
 
 Our " coigne of vantage " commanded from its altitude a 
 panoramic view of the whole of the outlying country. Ex- 
 panding from left to right lay a vast forest-clad park, girded 
 upon every side by towering precipitous mountains. Over 
 the distant hills away to the north, in the direction we were 
 to travel, twin peaks of basaltic rock spired heavenward 
 in clearest grandeur, like the steeples of some gigantic 
 structure, not fashioned by the hand of man, but suddenly 
 reared by some wild convulsive throb of puissant nature. 
 Beneath these natural spires was situated the town of 
 Zingabila, which we were destined to pass. 
 
 Chibabura assured me that his boys would go with me to 
 Kunyungwi. 
 
 There is but little difference in the people's mode of 
 
248 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 living compared with the Mashona. The difference in dialect 
 also seems to be slight. Chibabura's town was exceedingly 
 dirty. The accumulation of years was seen in the heaps 
 of rubbish of all descriptions which were strewn along 
 the winding streets, and covered the ground on every 
 hand. 
 
 The women and children eagerly crowded out of their 
 huts to get a view of the white curiosity which had 
 appeared. The thin wire ring which they wore in their 
 upper lip was by no means ornamental. It must be un- 
 comfortably in the way when they are eating. Numbers 
 of Mashona people could be distinguished among the 
 population. 
 
 Some of the women made a rapid retreat into their huts 
 when I approached. Doubt and fear were clearly seen in 
 their ebony faces. 
 
 But the little boys seemed to have the same instinctive 
 curiosity which is to be found among white urchins. They 
 gambolled about, and stalked and dodged me from behind 
 the stones and huts. 
 
 Groats, hens, and in some instances cows, find room in the 
 huts. Neither horses, pigs, nor donkeys were to be seen. 
 The people have no idea that such animals exist. 
 
 Their blankets are manufactured from bark, which is also 
 used for string and rope netting employed in the pursuit of 
 game. It has many other purposes, however, for it is very 
 strong, and the fibre can be used without preparation. 
 
 The pottery is of the commonest description, closely 
 resembling that which I have seen in Mexico used for similar 
 purposes. I also observed numbers of troughs and other 
 vessels hollowed out of solid blocks of wood. None of the 
 examples of their handicraft, however, showed the existence 
 of taste ; although now and then some rude attempts in the 
 
"A FAVOURED LAND AND FEOrLE." 249 
 
 direction of decoration might be seen in carving and in 
 brass wire-work. 
 
 " A favoured land and people ! " was my mental ex- 
 clamation, as we left the town of Chibabura. Ambition was 
 wanting and glory was unknown. Contentment, the object 
 of most of the aspirations of civilised life, reigned supreme 
 in these heedless people's minds. Through the labyrinth 
 of life, their path was clear, thoughtless and happy. 
 
 Their time was occupied in supplying daily wants, in 
 herding their cattle, and in building their huts. Their 
 short-lived hopes and fears referred only to the prospects of 
 the crops and the possibilities of attack. They seemed 
 to have no ideal god : no thought nor hankering after 
 life immortal. From careful observation I might call 
 them, Primitive Materialists, for they cannot conceive the 
 existence of a soul life, nor believe in the maintenance of 
 individuality after the breath has passed away from the 
 earthly frame. 
 
 The dead are buried in an upright position, the bodies 
 being wrapped with pliable branches, and the head near the 
 surface of the earth. Some of the contiguous tribes, I have 
 heard, bury their dead in a sitting posture, or rather with 
 the body doubled-up. 
 
 There is music in their strange and weird-sounding songs, 
 which they never seemed to tire of singing to the ac- 
 companiment of that odd-looking tinkling instrument, 
 resembling a block of wood fitted with iron sliding keys. 
 There is also a peculiar and by no means disagreeable 
 rhythm in the expression of their long-worded and weighty 
 speeches. 
 
 Necessity has been the mother of their invention of the 
 hoe for husbandry, and the assegai for defence or defiance. 
 The natural state of man it is said is a state of indolence. 
 
250 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 and in the rapid and deafening whirl of civilised life every- 
 body aims at the acquisition of relief from the burdens 
 of care, and peace amidst the turmoils of mankind. The 
 Makorikori live and move in this coveted simplicity; and 
 in some respects they are to be envied. 
 
 " Earth hath been a peaceful place ! 
 Free from folly, free from jars. 
 Were the simple, early race 
 
 That could look upon the stars." 
 
 " What a character ! " Cynical travellers might say, 
 " Where is the redeeming feature ? " 
 
 I will allow that they are an aggravating lot, through 
 their indifference to the lapse of time. But we cannot be 
 severe. Even the Government of this exemplary country 
 of ours has let time slip away quite as heedlessly, when the 
 sacrifice of thousands of human lives was the penalty for 
 the indifference, and until the appeals and remonstrances of 
 the martyr Gordon were heard only from his remote and 
 mysterious grave. 
 
 What can the simple Makorikori know of the wide world 
 in which he moves ? What can he know of the mental 
 greatness of cultured man, or the mighty influence and 
 meaning of the Christian faith ? 
 
 After all these ages of his forefathers' lives, he does not 
 know how to cook his food decently. He throws his great 
 handful of meal into an earthen pot, until it is too thick to 
 stir, and he does not give it time to cook : he broils his 
 meat, when he can get it, upon the embers. From an 
 English point of view he is a filthy creature and smells like 
 a badger. He has no idea of cleanliness ; for the matutinal 
 washing of face and hands is necessary in order to remove 
 the soot and smoky filth which has gathered about his eyes 
 during his sleep close to the edge of the fire. 
 
KAFFIB CONTENT. 251 
 
 What can he make ? His assegais and hatchets are 
 inferior articles at best, and it is not every Kaffir who can 
 make these implements. The work is in the hands of the 
 tradesman who has inherited the tools, which have been 
 in use for ages, without an advance of skill. He displays 
 not the slightest sign of ingenuity ; his iron is found in a 
 particularly favourable condition for working ; his wire-work 
 is of a very ordinary character, being either plain twist, 
 three plait, or something equally as simple. Scratching the 
 fertile earth is his only knowledge of agriculture. 
 
 His habitation in the rocks is not half as neat as the 
 nest of the most careless of birds. He devours nuts, roots, 
 and fruits like his brother the ape, the only superiority over 
 his relative being that he has learned how to use fire in 
 order to weld iron and to cook, or rather heat, his food. He 
 is as easily amused as a child. In a human sense his life 
 is a failure ; he has no ideal ; he is akin to the brutes of 
 the field and the forest. 
 
 Against all these features we must remember, while 
 admitting his backward state, how slow is the tide of 
 progress where adversity has never been known. 
 
 Above everything, their contentment — a feeling quite 
 unknown in civilised brains — is great ! Of course I refer 
 to this particular people, and not to all of the dark denizens 
 of Africa. 
 
 I say that the progress of the Makorikori is nowhere, but 
 contentment is seen everywhere. Where is vice ? Where 
 is crime ? A domestic quarrel is of rare occurrence ; murders 
 are almost unknown. 
 
 The laws of the people are evidently effective as they 
 stand. There are no jails. Murder is punished by death 
 in some cases. The chiefs, however, seldom kill their 
 people. Asylums are unknown, for in this country madmen 
 
252 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 are extremely rare. With clubs and sticks the thief is 
 driven away from his home and from his tribe ; in short, 
 he is drummed out. Thus, or rather let me say, by natural 
 instinct, good behaviour is a typical distinction of the 
 people. 
 
 The traveller cannot help being impressed by the air of 
 freedom which these primitive men and women breathe. 
 They have a total want of anxiety ; their children are as 
 plump and round as distended bladders, no matter whether 
 they are the oifspring of a chief or of a slave.* 
 
 Suppose, for the time being, that the cultured blessings 
 of civilisation give place to matters material, how infinitely 
 preferable does the life of a Makorikori appear when com- 
 pared with the struggle of a poor man in a crowded city of 
 Christendom ! The children of the latter are penned in 
 narrow slums ; they grow up stunted in body and depraved 
 in mind, and anon the deep lines of care or crime appear 
 prematurely upon their youthful brows. 
 
 The civilised poor man is not half so happy as the 
 untutored savage, although the latter lives far beyond the 
 sound of church bells. Can it be that heathen freedom 
 and plenty in the wind-swept wilderness are preferable to 
 civilised starvation in the polluted atmosphere of a rotten 
 
 hovel ? The subject is worthy of consideration. 
 
 * * * ■ * * * * 
 
 The light of day is becoming dim. I look upon the 
 peaceful and interesting scene of this sequestered retreat of 
 the aborigine. Excepting the careless hand of chance, no 
 influence has changed the even routine of the people's lives 
 for generations past. 
 
 The naked herd-boys, with spears and "kerries," are 
 
 * I have, however, seen children from Mashona villages, after a 
 Matabeli raid, so thin as to remind one of living skeletons. 
 
FAREWELL TO INYOTA. 253 
 
 driving the crowding cattle, which emerge from the gloom 
 of the forest, into the rolling meadow beneath, and up the 
 steep ascent towards the town. Long lines of women-folk 
 are carrying in the produce of the gardens ; happy children 
 romp about, with a thick coating of dust upon their tiny 
 but plump bodies, which makes them look like animated 
 pods of clay. Slowly, and with a wearied gait, far behind 
 the rest, older women follow, their shnmk and feeble forms 
 denoting that their sun has nearly set. They still strain, 
 however, under heavy loads of wood, their bodies covered 
 with dust, and their ancient noses coloured with snuff. 
 
 One by one the crowd enter the narrow portals, and soon 
 all are within the rock-girt citadel. No sound is heard save 
 the lowing of the cattle, varied sometimes by the merry 
 ripple of careless voices, and even these die away with the 
 fading light. 
 
 Oh, happy and favoured Inyota ! Long may the gentle 
 winds of peace and freedom caress your mountain home ! 
 
 Darkness quietly steals over the scene. Once more the 
 town is hushed in sleep. The short day is again spent, and 
 is a cypher in the illimitable numbers of the past. Soothed 
 by the silence of the surroundings I sink to rest. Before 
 the morning dawns we must be up and away, bidding a long 
 farewell to Inyota's tranquil land. 
 
254 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 AMONG THE MAKORIKORI PEOPLE. 
 
 Tedious marchin'j: — Magorabegombe mountains — John is " varee seek " — 
 Our comical goat — Baboons — Lubola mountains — Zingabila — Mode of 
 making bark blankets — M'jela, the chief — Kunyungwi still far off — 
 Desertions — Method of securing an ox — Difficulty in getting boys — 
 Presents from M'jela — Umfana's eating powers — The Dorah river — 
 Camping places selected by natives — A lioness in the way — Lost 
 chances of a shot — John's lion experiences — A fearful position — A 
 wild forest scene — Hovering vultures — Adventure with a lioness — 
 Native scramble for the lion's prey — Happy natives — The Mutiia 
 river — The Ruiana river — The Makomwe mountains — An amusing 
 old fossil — Long fasting — poor diet — The "dry goods bank" nearly 
 empty — "How many moon's is dat since we leave Buluwayo?" — 
 Miseries of travel — Native houses — The " Three Brothers " — The great 
 basin of the Zambesi — Tropical forests. 
 
 A SILENT and lovely evening followed one of the hottest 
 days which had been experienced during our long journey. 
 Now the party was somewhat weary, for the march had 
 been long and tedious. The many miles we had covered 
 had carried us through tracts of marshy country, the deep 
 black soil being intersected by numerous muddy rivulets. 
 We had crossed the Ruia river, beside the headwaters of 
 which we had encamped during the eventful journey to 
 Chuzu's. 
 
 We were now holding upon a more easterly course. 
 Chuzu's inhospitable country would, therefore, be left far 
 to the south-west. We had to cross streams which had 
 swollen to the proportions of goodly-sized rivers, and remem- 
 bered that we had seen their original waters trickling in 
 
TEE MAGOMBEQOMBE MOUNTAINS. 255 
 
 tiny rills in their rough and rocky birthplaces on the slopes 
 of the Umvukwe mountains. 
 
 Our first camp was pitched in a cosy spot under the 
 frowning shades of the Magombegombe mountuins, consisting 
 of gigantic rocks, which were as bare of verdure as blocks of 
 well-hewn stone, and whose yawning, cavernous gaps had 
 for ages been the trumpets of the storm, shrieking aloud or 
 groaning dismally through the riven nooks. 
 
 Where, oh where ! was that much longed-for Zambesi ? 
 I was beginning to think that it was a mirage of the map- 
 makers. The fact was clear that my party A\ould soon 
 break up. There was but one course left for me, and that 
 was to press on with all possible speed. The aspect of 
 affairs was daily becoming more serious. 
 
 John's conversation was far from being inspiriting. 
 
 " Master, I am varee seek. I feel all de life " [he meant 
 his body], " and dese peoples say that dey don't go to the 
 rafeer. De town is long way dis side ! Den I tink of my 
 wife. My Gaut, I tink there is wanting in de house at home 
 now ! My heart is varee sore dis night." 
 
 " John, John ! " I exclaimed, knowing his weak point ; 
 " elephants ahead, my boy. Never mind to-day — onwards ! " 
 
 This chat occurred upon one of those nights when I had 
 to cheer the man in his despondency. But now he proved 
 to be inconsolable ; therefore I told him that if he would 
 go to the town to which our new guides would take us, he 
 might afterwards return homewards. I would not ask him 
 to go any farther ; I would try and get Karemba to go with 
 me. After this declaration I retired to my blankets. 
 
 When attempting to find repose, I found the old goat in 
 an uncomfortably playful mood. It is curious what a lot 
 of amusement may be found in observing the antics even of 
 a goat, especially of such a truly comical one as ours. It 
 
256 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 had evidently a very hard day of it ; stealing the bunches 
 of corn which the Inyota had hung upon their spears, and 
 being chased around the camp in a very lively manner by 
 the owners. Our goat was an inveterate thief, and a won- 
 derfully advanced animal of its kind. It was so tame that 
 it became a nuisance, for its nose was never out of such 
 pots and pans as we possessed, in spite of frequent singeing 
 and burning. One of its tricks was to upset the baskets of 
 rice, and run off with as much as it could. 
 
 But we were near the tsetse-fly country then, so that we 
 should soon have to bury the poor old goat ; and, perhaps, 
 pome others of the party, judging from the general expres- 
 sion in the features of the followers. One, especially, com- 
 plained that his throat was swelling. There are times when 
 one feels for men who struggle hard a sympathy as warm 
 as though they were near of kin ; but the indolent and 
 the discontented are repelled with a heart colder than the 
 drifting snow. 
 
 A chilly morning with a heavy dew awaited us after our 
 night's repose. All the vegetation was wet, so that our 
 legs were soon drenched to the knees ; luckily no farther, 
 because the grass was not long enough. 
 
 As we passed through the forest, or over winding, grassy 
 belts, which run in and out between the sugar-loaf monu- 
 ments of rock, and, at short intervals where vegetation is 
 more abundant, amid rocky grottoes, we saw and heard 
 numerous baboons {CynocepJialus porcarius), whose strange 
 bark echoed and re-echoed as if they were inviting us to 
 pay them a visit. 
 
 Upon one evening during our march I had watched a 
 family of these creatures as they went to drink in regular 
 lines, one before the other. Through the grass they had 
 regularly beaten tracks to their drinking fountains, and 
 
MAKING BARK BLANKETS. 257 
 
 back to their town sites, high up, encircled by rocks and 
 small trees. 
 
 Moving along the foot-hills of this riven region of old 
 volcanic forms, we gradually ascended until we reached 
 the backbone of a high ridge, running in an easterly 
 direction, and called Lubola mountains. Towards the 
 west the great rock, which crowns the Barre mo untain, 
 was clearly visible. This we had first observed when we 
 were upon the Umvukwe rang e. This igneous region is very 
 striking. We passed a spot where the natives had evidently 
 been reducing iron ore, for there were large heaps of slag 
 from the furnace. But although I hunted diligently for 
 the kiln, it could not be discovered. The iron ore had 
 been brought from the neighbourhood of Negomo, near the 
 Amazoe river. 
 
 Changing direction towards the east, we soon distin- 
 guished the twin peaks which had been seen from Inyolik 
 We moved rapidly on, and shortly descended into a deep 
 gorge, through which we passed to emerge upon a small 
 plain clothed with a growth of low forest, and encircled by 
 a slightly elevated chain of pointed mountains. 
 
 Here we halted, our position being close to the town 
 which boasts of the peculiarly musical name of Zingabila. 
 
 As we approached the place, I had an opportunity of 
 seeing the modus operandi of an important native industry. 
 Bark blankets were being made close to our camp. Two 
 boys had felled a tree, the bark of which they cut round 
 about eight feet above the root. They then commenced to 
 peel off the bark by means of two wooden adzes, removing 
 it much in the same way as we would take off a long 
 stocking, which is turned inside out during the operation, 
 thus forming as it were a seamless kilt. The splitting down 
 the sides is a subsequent piece of work. Considering the 
 
 VOL. 1. s 
 
258 
 
 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 diligent manner in which they worked, the boys would 
 certainly be able to turn out two or three blankets a day. 
 
 The stripping must be done while the tree is fresh. If 
 it is allowed to lay even for a very short time the bark 
 becomes too hard. After being taken oiF the tree, the bark 
 is soaked, until the outer and harder surface is removed, 
 leaving a blanket of wood-bark fibre of great durability; 
 
 MAKING BARK BLANKETS. 
 
 but I cannot say of extraordinary warmth. The women use 
 these blankets as waist cloths. 
 
 Thfi Zingabila people had seen us coming, and it was 
 clearly apparent that our appearance had caused great 
 excitement. They ran in every direction. To avoid any 
 disagreeable event, and without losing time, I sent a 
 message to the chief, to the effect that I would visit him, 
 and bring him a present. 
 
MJELA THE CHIEF. 259 
 
 On the route we found the spoor of the rhinoceros, eland, 
 and lion; but on the whole game was far from being 
 abundant. 
 
 When going to the chief, I took with me the Matabeli 
 boy, who was bright and intelligent, and even aspired to 
 the position of our friend Sandani. I found it an easier task 
 to make him understand me than the others. On such 
 occasions John was not good at interpreting, saying that 
 he could not well comprehend the Mashona tongue. 
 
 We were well received by a middle-aged man of moderate 
 height, and of a type similar to Chibabura, whom we had 
 lately left. The resemblance was so marked, that I need 
 not tire the reader with a new description. 
 
 His town was literally, as I had been told, placed under 
 the two great peaks ; for just where we stood addressing 
 the chief Mjela, their basaltic forms — needle-like — tapered 
 their points hundreds of feet above the group of dwellings. 
 
 The inhabitants, who pushed and eagerly crowded 
 forward to see me, said that they had never seen a white 
 man before. 
 
 Much to the satisfaction of the bystanders, I presented 
 to the chief, through Umfana, a fine coloured blanket, 
 of a yellow and red pattern, in alternate squares. It was 
 very amusing to see the gratification he evinced when he 
 received this present. He made one of his slaves stand on 
 a rock in front and hold the blanket before him, stretched 
 from hand to hand, so that we had an exhibition of a square 
 curtain, with a black knob topping over the centre. 
 
 Mjela seemed to be a pretty good sort of fellow. I put 
 a few questions to him about the distance between his town 
 and Tette, or Kunyungwi, as these natives termed it. 
 
 He proceeded to describe a town which lay upon tliis 
 side of the river. He had not been to Kunyungwi, but 
 
 s 2 
 
260 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 knew that it was very far away, pointing vaguely towards 
 the east, in such a manner that we might be directed even 
 beyond the rising sun. 
 
 According to his statements the town which lay ahead, 
 away down in the great valley of the Zambesi, was called 
 Chibinga, and was three days' journey from Zingabila. At 
 Chibinga, he remarked, was a man who had bought gold 
 from him. 
 
 " Ah ! " thought I, " he must be Portuguese. We will soon 
 be at the river, although still very far from Tette." 
 
 Mjela began to talk with great volubility, saying that he 
 had been badly treated by the Chibinga people, whom he 
 called Mzungo (white). He said that they had promised him 
 rifles for gold, and when in good faith he had sent the gold, 
 they had only sent him some cloth. The bearers of the 
 cloth, therefore, he had kept as hostages, or rather prisoners, 
 and would not release them until the promised rifles were 
 sent. All this he wished me to say when I got to Chibinga. 
 
 I asked him if the people were white. His reply was, 
 that they were not like me, but they called them Mzungo. 
 Then he continued, at intervals, to count with his fingers, 
 showing me, with three extended, the others closed, how 
 long it would take to reach Chibinga. 
 
 At that time I thought, according to a hasty reckoning, 
 which afterwards turned out to be correct, that we were still 
 over seventy-three miles, in a straight line, from the river. 
 Without including the natural deviations of travelling, this 
 distance would mean twenty-four miles' journey every day. 
 These men of mine could ^ot do the distance in less than a 
 week. Then I asked I-ow long it would take to reach 
 Kunyungwi by water. Could I get canoes, &c, ? 
 
 The chief replied that Kunyungwi was on the other side 
 of the water, and that we should have to go eight days on 
 
BIRD LIFE. 261 
 
 the river. From that assertion, I could see plainly that 
 this worthy knew nothing about Tette. Notwithstanding 
 this, however, I bargained with liim to let me have the boys 
 I required, as I anticipated desertion. 
 
 In return, he asked me how far it was to my liome. I 
 showed, by counting on my fingers, that it was ten full 
 moons distant, a statement which called fortli the loudest 
 exclamations of astonishment, at what was to them an in- 
 calculable distance. 
 
 After rather a long conversation, much clapping of hands 
 took place. I found, on my return to camp, that the chief 
 had sent me a present of a goat. 
 
 I related to John the result of the interview, trying to malce 
 the distance look as short as possible. On being informed 
 that we would have to canoe on the river, he said : 
 
 " Master, I don't go on de water. I frightened for dat ! " 
 
 I saw immense numbers of the large crow with white 
 collar, and some very pretty birds. The specimens I took 
 were destroyed, so that, unfortunately, I am unable to classify 
 them. Numbers of spoonbills and jays were seen, also shaft- 
 tailed whydah birds breasting and fighting the wind. 
 
 A delay of several days occurred, owing to the desertion 
 of seven boys who had been enlisted, in addition to those 
 who were given me by Chibabura of Inyota. Desertion 
 caused frequent trips to the town. During my last visit I 
 had sat for hours awaiting the boys whom the chief had 
 promised. My diversion, while wearily waiting, was watch- 
 ing the manner in which the people secured an ox. Two 
 men, one on each side, held the beast, while another pierced 
 the partition of the nose with an iron needle, about eighteen 
 inches long,, threading a thin rope of bark through the 
 nostrils. Thus secured the animal was led down with me, 
 
262 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 accompanied by the chief, to the camp, where, over an 
 earthen jar of beer, M'jela talked himself to utter fatigue. 
 
 He said that our old enemy Chuzu had many people, 
 and was a very bad man. But he was a powerful chief. 
 Mjela was not at all surprised at the way we had been 
 treated. Had we stayed much longer, he said, we should 
 certainly have been killed. 
 
 Beer was brought to the camp in large quantities by the 
 women. Very reluctantly I bought it for the boys, giving 
 away the last piece of white calico I had. Therefore I was 
 compelled to stand and deliver some of our few remaining 
 pieces of striped cloth. 
 
 The night was exceptionally cold, the camp lying low in 
 the valley. At six o'clock in the morning the thermometer 
 registered 42° Fahrenheit. The elevation was 3425 feet. 
 At the same hour the most intense cold I have observed, 
 in Mashona-land, was 35°. 
 
 The party was despatched on the route as soon as possible. 
 I knew the lying proclivities of the chiefs, and did not 
 expect the boys he promised early, or until I had actually 
 gone personally to the town, and ferreted out the contingent. 
 
 John was far from being pleased at starting without me ; 
 but oflf he went, leaving behind three loads, and the ox 
 which the chief had presented. The idea occurred to me 
 that, if all plans failed in the effort to wrench boys from 
 amongst these stubborn dwellers in the rocks, I would tie 
 the loads on the back of the ox and advance, an operation, 
 however, which might have required greater powers of 
 persuasion than I possessed. 
 
 The fact of my not having killed the animal on the spot 
 defeated the old chiefs purpose. His evident intention 
 was to keep me a longer time in his country. 
 
 When the party was off I, taking with me Karemba and 
 
A PICTURESQUE FIGURE. 263 
 
 Umfana, repaired to the town with, all haste. We found 
 the old chief seated, as usual, in the calmest of attitudes, 
 " sunning " himself upon a rock. 
 
 A picturesque looking figure was old Mjela's. The 
 finely-decorated battle-axe, which he always carried, had a 
 hard wood handle wrapped with a profusion of brass wire 
 plaiting, besides which he had two very fine large knives. 
 Asking him for what purpose he required so much knife 
 power, he assumed a warlike pose and made a few passes, 
 which he intended to have the effect of showing that 
 with these weapons he was not only invulnerable, but 
 unconquerable. From his movements, however, I judged 
 that his gifts were more in the direction of ripping than 
 thrusting. 
 
 As my things were all gone I began to beg, saying that 
 I wished a knife to remember him by, but he shook his 
 head, and said that he could not sell them without asking 
 his women. To me such an answer from a Kaffir chief 
 seemed wonderful. I was determined to have a keep- 
 sake from the old chief, so finally he presented me with a 
 small brass-bladed knife which he carried in his necklace. 
 
 Mjela did not appear to be in a hurry, so I told him that 
 the boys he had promised must come with me at once. His 
 reply was that he liked me, and would be glad if I would 
 stay longer in his country ; to which I replied that at present 
 such a delay would be impossible. When he was informed 
 that the party had started, he seemed astounded. To 
 Umfana he gave a present of a hoe, for having interpreted 
 and spoken so well. 
 
 By that time Umfana had become a flourishing orator, 
 and his capacity for eating was unrivalled. The chief's 
 women gave him a large wooden bowl of corn-meal pap, 
 which he wiped beautifully clean in a very few moments. 
 
264 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 This feat accomplished, we made a start. Being one man 
 short, I led the ox myself. 
 
 Starting off at a jog-trot, our path led us through a low, 
 mountainous region. When we overtook the advance party, 
 we proceeded six miles on our journey, arriving at the 
 Dorah river, which was crossed, our camp being pitched on 
 the northern bank. The Dorah has a rocky bed. Where 
 we then were it was about fifty yards wide, and its look was 
 that of a clear crystal stream. Twelve miles had been the 
 length of our day's march. 
 
 I saw out-croppings of quartz, but none showed even the 
 slightest traces of gold. 
 
 The night was bitterly cold. The camp was in a most 
 unfavourable position, being much too low in the valley of 
 the river, where a heavy vapour enveloped us. It was 
 useless attempting to go on to • higher ground. The 
 Makorikori were not a whit better than the Mashona in 
 that respect. They would not go far from water. 
 
 I have heard it stated that natives never camp where the 
 fog hangs. Yet it has been my experience to learn that 
 they do not give consideration to anything of the kind. 
 They camp in a regardless way, provided water and wood 
 for fires is close at hand. I have seen them even camp 
 upon rocks in the very centre of a river. 
 
 These instances are cited merely to show the absolute 
 indifference of the people to their surroundings. A traveller 
 is helpless among them. While he is in their hands their 
 chief aim is to get as much as possible out of him. We 
 were seldom able to make an early start on account of all 
 sorts of extortionate and dilatory schemes on the part of the 
 natives. 
 
 More beads — oh, these eternal demands ! — had to be 
 given before a new start could be made. A promise had 
 
A LIONESS STOPS THE WAY. 265 
 
 also to bs given that if a really good march was effected 
 the ox would surely be killed, at which announcement 
 Karemba's joy was unbounded. The slaughtering was to be 
 his privilege, and the hide his property. 
 
 Our advance led us through an undulating, or rather a 
 hilly country, the shallow valleys of which were threaded 
 by numerous tiny rivulets. Low forest growth, thicket 
 and high grass, covered the rolling land. The vegetation 
 seemed to be a first-class cover for wild animals. 
 
 And so it was. Just then my rather awkward line, which, 
 like the poet's wounded snake, "dragged its low length 
 along," received a check. The head suddenly swerved. 
 The boys, in great alarm, threw down their loads, and fled 
 towards the rear. What was the matter ? Looking ahead I 
 saw, much to my annoyance, a lioness leap into the thicket, 
 after dropping a duiker which she had been carrying in 
 her mouth. As usual I had been in the rear, endeavouring 
 to push the men on — a duty I heartily disliked, but to 
 which unfortunately I was becoming habituated. Oh, how 
 many capital shots were missed in this manner ! 
 
 The men did not condescend to proceed again until they 
 had divided the lioness's spoil of duiker meat amongst them. 
 We had not marched far when I saw agitated clouds of 
 vultures hovering in the air, and winging their way above 
 the trees directly before us. Where these were I felt sure 
 there must be more meat, and probably lions. 
 
 I was afraid to call to John, who was ahead, to stop, 
 because I was conscious of the fact that any extra noise 
 might frighten the lions away should they be there. 
 
 As quickly as possible, therefore, I dashed past the carriers 
 onward to the spot. Too late ! John had gone blundering 
 along without paying any attention to my strict orders that, 
 should there be any signs of lions, he was to be sure and 
 
266 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 halt, in order to give me the chance of a shot ; for it mnst 
 be remembered that in this country, no matter how numerous 
 these animals may be, success in ** potting " one is not only 
 mere chance, but also the reward of very careful stalking. 
 The undergrowth is so thick, that their retreat is made sure 
 by a single bound. 
 
 Through the leafy branches of the trees standing imme- 
 diately in front of us, I could see a lion and a lioness. 
 Evidently startled by the noise made by our party, they 
 for a moment stood at attention to see what was the appear- 
 ance and character of the bold intruders who dared to 
 interrupt their sumptuous meal, consisting of two zebras, 
 which lay dead beside them. 
 
 I saw we had been detected, so I bounded on as quickly 
 as possible, trying to get round the trees in order to have a 
 shot. Too late again, but just in time to get a very good 
 view of both, although there was not the slightest chance of 
 a shot, for they were off in the high grass, over which I 
 could just discern the top of the head of the male. I con- 
 tinued to entertain a hope that he would stop, but he was 
 soon out of sight ; and so another chance was gone. 
 
 As I had rushed past John, I called out to him to come 
 along, thinking that his experience would be of some 
 assistance in raising the beasts. His only response was the 
 confession, " Master, I am very frightened thes day." 
 
 On consideration I thought that I might not have been 
 so ardent in the chase had I possessed his experience of 
 lion hunting, for on a previous occasion John had been 
 treated in a very rough manner by one of the kings of 
 beasts. 
 
 While out hunting with a number of boys he had shot at 
 a fine lion and wounded him. Reloading as quickly as he 
 could, he had looked for his game in order to give the coup 
 
TORN BY A LION. 267 
 
 de grace, when to his surprise he found that the first shot 
 had had no effect beyond firing the fury of the animal, 
 which now ran with great speed towards its enemy. 
 
 John at once threw down his gun, and bolted for dear 
 life. But in speed the lion was too much for him. Poor 
 John was overtaken in an instant, seized at the small of the 
 back, the brute's fangs piercing the two large muscles which 
 are situated beside the vertebrsB. The unfortunate man 
 was thrown violently to the ground. The lion then literally 
 tore the flesh off his leo^s and thio:hs. It was onlv the con- 
 tinned shouts and yells of the whole party, none of whom 
 had guns, that finally made the lion run off. Wonderful 
 to relate, John rapidly recovered from his wounds. 
 
 But never afterwards did he yearn for lion hunting. As 
 Mr. Selous hinted to me at Buluwayo, this horrible experi- 
 ence had shaken John's nerve in such circumstances. 
 
 I determined not to abandon the spot where the meat 
 was, thinking that its attractions would soon bring the lions 
 back again, when I would try my luck. Going on with 
 the carriers for about half a mile, we arrived at a small 
 watercourse, and I said that there we would camp, while to 
 the immense delight of the company I also agreed that the 
 ox might be killed. 
 
 With " C. L. K." in my hands, I asked Karemba to go 
 with me, but he said he did not like to go. Force would 
 be of little use under the circumstances, so I departed on the 
 doubtful venture without a companion. I waded through 
 high grass and plunged through thorn and thicket until 
 the spot where the lions had been seen feasting upon the 
 zebras was reached. The bodies were quite fresh, evidently 
 lately killed. The lions had been hungry, for they had 
 made away with the greater portion of the flesh. 
 
 What a wild forest scene this was ! Low in the air the 
 
^68 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 vultures were flying above the bodies of the lions' prey. 
 I crept into a small bush which stood within three yards 
 of the dead zebras, so that if the lions came back to their 
 interrupted meal, I might be able to get a good shot, late 
 in the evening though it was. Certainly under the silvery 
 light of the moon a deadly shot might have been made 
 at this close range, and when first I took up my position 
 the wind was blowing favourably, that is to say if the lions 
 came from the direction in which I had last seen them. 
 
 It is difficult to describe how such a scene as this delights 
 the heart. Thoroughly wild it was, and exciting as well ; 
 for there seems to be a charm in reclining in and watching 
 the forest homes of wild beasts, looking upon the struggle 
 that the animals have for their rough subsistence, and noting 
 their various grades of strength lessening, in this case, until 
 the smaller crows might be seen pouncing upon the morsels 
 dropped by the voracious vultures in their determined fight 
 for food. 
 
 The vultures seemed to darken the air. They hovered 
 about the place, and were quick to detect the slightest 
 movement I might make. Getting into a comfortable 
 position, I remained motionless, and the birds came down 
 in flocks. 
 
 The variety was remarkable. Some were very large, with 
 a dark brown plumage; others, slightly smaller, perhaps, 
 had grey feathers. I lay so quietly that they perched upon 
 the branches just above my head, even within a couple of 
 feet of me. Here was a splendid opportunity for an obser- 
 vant naturalist. The heads of the birds varied very much, 
 some being wholly white ; some having white faces and 
 black caps falling over the back of the head ; and some 
 with white and pink hoods, and with naked flesh, coloured 
 heads and necks. Great numbers of crows — white-collared 
 
WATCHING THE LION'S PREY. 2G9 
 
 crows and ravens — formed a large circle outside the scene of 
 operations filled by their death-loving kin. 
 
 Soon my attention was otherwise engaged. A rustling 
 was apparent in the high, rank grass directly in front of 
 my position. I waited and watched attentively. 
 
 The lioness ! Yes ; but unfortunately now there was no 
 wind, except an occasional and very gentle breath. With 
 a low growl she stalked through the tall grass. Had she 
 got my wind? Something must have been wrong, for I 
 was motionless, and held my very breath in my anxiety 
 to bag a fine leonine specimen. 
 
 At shady sundown I still lay in the same position, and 
 the lioness came again. But she would not venture out 
 upon the little open patch where lay the zebras. She 
 assuredly must have winded me. I waited until late in 
 the night, when clouds were coursing across and obscuring 
 the friendly moon, and the gathering darkness urged me 
 to retreat in case I might be no longer the hunter but the 
 hunted. 
 
 I had some dijBBculty in finding my way back to the camp, 
 but by listening attentively I distinctly heard the chatter 
 of many voices becoming nearer and clearer in the pulseless 
 air, and suddenly, when the lost light of the moon flashed 
 out from a rift of the darkening clouds, I could distinguish 
 in the open glade numbers of boys armed with assegais 
 advancing quickly. They were my own Inyota lads, come 
 forth in search of me. 
 
 After hearing the particulars about the lions, the Inyota 
 said they would like to go and take the meat which the 
 lions had left. By no means reluctant to see the scramble, 
 I went back with them. We were soon on the spot, and 
 they at once began operations under the restless gleams of 
 the moon, for no fire was made — they were too impatient for 
 
270 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 that. Little delay occurred in their attack upon the 
 abandoned prey. An animated scene was the onslaught ; 
 for spears, axes, and knives, were quick at their gory work 
 of chopping, cutting, and stabbing, while the greedy horde 
 tore at the flesh, squabbling and even fighting over leg 
 bones and other tit-bits which stirred their gluttonous 
 desires. The scene baffles description. Over the carcases 
 human blood even was spilt, for two men were severely 
 wounded in the combat. To me it was a wonder that 
 some of the flesh-loving belligerents were not killed out- 
 right. 
 
 " Let him take who has the power, and let him keep who 
 can," was the order of the time ; and at last Might again was 
 Right, and every bit of meat found its way to a successful 
 fighter. Even the unclean ribs of one of the zebras which 
 the lions had gnawed, and the vultures pecked, had been 
 gladly seized. 
 
 Lions were evidently numerous here. Shortly after we 
 were in camp we heard their roars ; and after the chorus 
 had subsided, and slowly died away, there arose the wild, 
 screaming laughter of hyenas, making the dismal hours of 
 night more melancholy, until the grey dawn appeared 
 bringing light and peace. 
 
 Sleep was, to me at least, impossible amidst those hideous 
 sounds. Every now and then I would awake startled by 
 the inharmonious howls of the hyenas. On that occasion 
 they were too much for me. I sat up and looked around. 
 Smoke rose from the smouldering fires, and sinuously swept 
 around the strings of meat which hung upon the rude 
 aboriginal spits. 
 
 On every hand lay the Kaffirs, their heads resting upon 
 their wooden pillows, and their bodies — as stiff as sticks — 
 stretched out like leathery corpses, exposed to the cold and 
 
HAPPY NATIVES. 271 
 
 the heavy dew, with nothing between their nakedness and 
 the stars which sparkled in the far-off heavens. 
 
 " Ah ! " thought I ; " wonderful men, happy men ! Your 
 physical miseries are still in the dim future side by side 
 with your mental enlightenment. With civilisation strange 
 troubles will fall upon you. Oh, marvellous men ! natural 
 beasts, but happy mortals ! Will your blight come with the 
 advent of the white man's boasted institutions ? Will 
 civilisation fetter your freedom, and rob you of health ? 
 Now you move in abject ignorance. The dome of heaven 
 is your covering, and the wild prairie grass your only 
 bed. And yet you are contented beasts, happy mortals, 
 and, perhaps, although you do not know it, favoured 
 immortals." 
 
 Almost wishing I was a savage, I again lay down to rest. 
 Bad luck had disappointed me. Had it not been for the 
 difficulties with the men, which were every day, almost 
 hourly, thrust in my path, I would certainly have waited 
 longer in a country which was so favourable for hunting 
 lions. 
 
 But three moons had grown old and vanished since we 
 left Matabeli-land, and even now there were no signs of the 
 Zambesi. According to my reckoning, a week must elapse 
 before we could reach the river under our present con- 
 ditions. 
 
 The old chief at Zingabila had talked with great volu- 
 bility, and if they did nothing else, his speeches had the 
 good effect of elevating the falling spirits of the household, 
 which had been sadly in need of active stimulants. In 
 reality, however, his talk had helped very little. 
 
 He had spoken of Mzungo, which is the name the natives 
 in that quarter have given to the Portuguese ; but I was 
 unable to learn from him whether or not, from the town in 
 
272 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 our line of march, we should be able to canoe down some 
 river flowing to the Zambesi. 
 
 Surmises, however, were unavailing. Many a mile had 
 still to be traversed, and nothing could be done, except 
 pushing onward in whatever way we could until they were 
 accumulated in our wake. 
 
 A northerly course was pursued on the following day. 
 We soon left the light forest, and moved into a country 
 clad with very thick bush, affording a thoroughly good 
 shelter for wild animals. 
 
 A large stream, called the Mutua river, flows here, on its 
 course to the Amazoe, passing through a bed of rough 
 shingle. High reeds line the banks. Leaving here, we 
 penetrated into thick, low forest, through which we tramped 
 for about seven miles, and reached the banks of another 
 large affluent of the Amazoe river. This was the Ruiana, 
 and if a safe opinion may be formed from the appearance 
 of the rotting reeds, which had evidently been laid low 
 by the wild waters of the angry autumnal floods — although 
 now the reeds were twenty feet above the bed of the 
 stream — the inference was clear that during high waters, 
 or periodical inundations, the stream is at least 200 feet 
 in breadth, and of a very considerable depth. 
 
 We ascended its northern bank. From its elevations 
 we could look back upon the land through which we had 
 passed. The Lubola mountains, which had been climbed, 
 stood clearly out, and high in the distance rose the bold 
 heights of Zingabila, with the tall twin beacons glistening 
 like silvered granite under the glare of an African noonday 
 sun. Following the course of the same chain of mountains 
 towards the left, we saw a prominent eminence which had 
 the name Sakare, the chief df the place being Umgezi. 
 Farther on, in the same direction, the ridge is terminated 
 
A QUEER OLD FOSSIL. 273 
 
 by a pyramidal mountain called Vura. The chief of this 
 district is named Makomo. 
 
 The Makomwe mountains were our next ascent. By tlio 
 time that the dark shadow of the Dingamombe mountain, 
 a broad-based, isolated pyramid on our left, was thrown upon 
 us by the lowering western sun, I was influenced to make 
 a camp, partly through the fact that numbers of very 
 excited, and even terror-stricken individuals, were darting 
 past us, and disappearing as quickly as they came to view. 
 
 No town was visible, but notwithstanding this I made up 
 my mind to camp where we were. 
 
 In a harvested field Karemba and myself took a seat upon 
 a log; where around us the crisp and parched corn-stalks 
 lay scattered upon the ground. 
 
 Karemba I soon despatched to try and find some water. 
 He succeeded in unearthing a very old and foxy fossil of 
 humanity from the cover of the neighbouring mealy stalks, 
 and this ancient showed us a very stagnant-looking pool. 
 We tried to make him understand that we wanted a purer 
 water; but when the old boy got a fair look at me — he 
 was so blear-eyed that he could not see until I was close 
 up — he, in a most comical fashion, turned his back and 
 marched away, heedless of our shouts, until his figure was 
 slowly lost in the thicket. Apparently he had got a proper 
 fright, thinking, doubtless, that I was the ugliest living 
 thing that had ever been seen, according to the memory 
 of the oldest inhabitant. 
 
 No human habitation was visible. I lay under a tree to 
 await the arrival of the party, which loitered far behind. 
 I had had nothing to eat or drink since seven o'clock in 
 the morning — eleven hours' fasting. My mode of life had 
 been akin to this for some time. Two meals a day were 
 revelry under the circumstances. And the rations were 
 
 VOL. I. T 
 
274 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 plain, decidedly plain, for they could not go beyond rice 
 and meat, and porridge made from maize meal. I have 
 mentioned meal and rice, but, now that I remember, both 
 were exhausted by that time. Coffee, tea, and sugar were 
 luxuries belonging to bygone days. 
 
 Notwithstanding all these drawbacks I was well in health 
 and lively in spirits, although my feet were in a terrible 
 condition, badly blistered and literally torn, through the 
 vj^orking of the old boots as they were wearily drawn through 
 wet and heavy land which was almost morass. 
 
 Aggravation came from other sources as well. The " dry 
 goods bank," for example, was now on the shoals of in- 
 solvency. Lately some unexpected calls had been made 
 upon it, and with one or two more of the same kind a 
 suspension of payment would be inevitable. IMeal was 
 scarce for the men, and it would be expected that I should 
 buy some at this unlooked-for town. Of course I should be 
 compelled to refuse, and to put off the purchase until we 
 reached the town of the Mzungo. 
 
 Amidst these reflections I fell asleep. Some time after- 
 wards Karemba awoke me, bringing some rice and meat 
 stew. I must have slept very soundly, for before me the 
 camp fires were now blazing cheerily, and the skerm was 
 made. On such occasions, and not unfrequently, it would 
 have required the heavy report of an elephant rifle, fired at 
 close quarters, to rouse me from the arms of the all-powerful 
 son of sleep and god of dreams. 
 
 At the first waking glance poor John was not to be seen. 
 Looking about, I ultimately discovered him beneath a large 
 tree close to the skerm, his hat pulled over his eyes, while 
 his attitude and features formed a living picture of unutter- 
 able woe. 
 
 The thin and ever delicately graceful crescent of the new 
 
THE 00 AT ABANDONED. 275 
 
 moon shone clear amid the stars. Nights like this had all 
 the enchantment of absolute loveliness, but in John's 
 melancholy mind they opened a vein of thought trending 
 in the direction of home. 
 
 " Master," he would say, *' how many moons is dat since 
 we leave Buluwayo ? " 
 
 After telling him the number of moons, I changed the 
 subject. This time I said : 
 
 " Ah ! well, John, we shall have to kill the poor old goat 
 now, for we shall be into fly country before we know it." 
 
 " No, sir ; we shall not him keel. I wants to take him 
 back to my wife, and let him stop mit me ther." 
 
 The goat, however, had to be left behind at this point of 
 our journey. Truly I felt sorry for John, because I know 
 he hated this wandering life. Regarding the latter part 
 of the route, I too had good cause to be sick of it. There- 
 fore I had fully intended to release him at the next town, 
 whatever might be the circumstances or the consequences. 
 
 The name of the mysterious contiguous town was said to 
 be Shitimba. At sunrise on the following morning I was 
 up and away on a reconnoitring expedition, for it Avould 
 bo necessary to say a word or two to the cliief before 
 proceeding farther. 
 
 Having found out that the chief was at another town, 
 I, without further inquiries, cleared out, journeying on as 
 rapidly as possible in the hope that before night our eyes 
 and hearts would be gladdened by a change of scene. At 
 that time the elevation of the land through which we were 
 travelling was so great that it was impossible to think that 
 we could be near the big river. 
 
 My heart, like the hearts of so many of the natives who 
 were refused presents, was " sore." A catastrophe would 
 have been welcome, and even a hissing shell ready to burst 
 
 T 2 
 
276 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 in our midst might not find me thankless for its appearance. 
 The spirits of the household were frozen far below zero. 
 A sad plight truly ! For to the African traveller a light 
 heart is as indispensable as a savourless palate. Contented, 
 indeed, is he who can see a comical side even to misery ! 
 Not a soul at that time had any interest in or sympathy 
 towards my movements. Sulks were in the ascendant, and 
 not one of the party cared a straw about the doings of his 
 neighbour. 
 
 A northward line of march led us past the town of 
 Shitimba. On our right and also on our left the flat crowns 
 of the low mountains were dotted with the houses, which in 
 form differed greatly from those we had been accustomed to 
 see in the rocky regions of the south. They were actually 
 houses on stilts, being fixed upon poles at a distance of 
 about six feet from the ground. In this manner, also, the 
 corn bins are protected from the ravages of the white ant, 
 a destructive creature which we had seen but little of since 
 we left Matabeli-land. 
 
 When we had proceeded a little farther, three detached 
 mountains of solid rock in the shape of cones broke upon 
 our view towards the west. Not being able to find out 
 a native name, I called them the Three Brothers. 
 
 The beginning of our descent of the northern side of the 
 tree-mantled mountains of Makomwe was almost imper- 
 ceptible, because, although broken by rough ravines and 
 rounded ridges, the actual slope was very gentle. Shortly 
 I distinguished in the distance a small blue spot in the 
 forest. It told that the northern limit of the range had at 
 last been reached. As we advanced the spot grew larger, 
 expanding quickly before our gaze, until the dead monotony 
 of the trees which had hemmed us in formed the back- 
 ground of our position. Wearied eyes were then freed from 
 
THE GREAT BASIN OF THE ZAMBESI. 211 
 
 the long-continued and dismally-contracted view of moun- 
 tain, hill and dale, and looked forward with refreshing 
 clearness upon a vast expanse of varied land stretching 
 far and wide, bright under the powerful silvery rays of a 
 vertical sun. 
 
 There could be no mistake. At last outstretched before 
 us we saw, a thousand feet beneath, and reaching far to the 
 hazy horizon, the great basin of the Zambesi ! 
 
 A tropical forest, in all the luxuriance of its beautiful 
 foliage, and its varied shades of green, with here and there 
 the light and fainter tints of sun-parched leaves, lay ex- 
 tended almost boundlessly before us. Gigantic trunks of 
 the baobab were dotted here and there, reminding one of 
 the towers of many lighthouses rising from a vast ocean 
 of leaves. Not a sound broke the stillness. The appearance 
 conveyed to my mind a strong idea that we should soon 
 have to plunge into a zone of excessive heat. 
 
278 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 ENTERING THE "FLY COUNTKY." 
 
 A descent into heat — Tea the best drink — ^Drinking generally — ^Rhinoceros 
 — Sym))toms of another strike — Intense heat — Msingua river — Suru — 
 " Dar is the tsetse fly now, master ! " — The " Fly Country " at last — 
 An odd hue and cry — Mysterious words — Strange conduct of the 
 guides — Unravelling the mystery. 
 
 The country of the Makorikori, in which we had spent so 
 long and so eventful a time, was now left behind, and it 
 was not without satisfaction that we began the abrupt 
 descent to the foot-hills of the Makomwe mountains. 
 
 Night was rapidly darkening our way, and as water was 
 scarce, and the day had been a thorough " scorcher," we 
 pitched camp in a sag on the breast of the mountains 
 in proximity to a rocky gulch. The position was some 
 distance from water, and there was little pleasantness in 
 the general state of affairs, for we were short of provisions, 
 and for some days had been living upon unvarying meat. 
 
 I felt as though I had an absorbing craving for tea. 
 Living upon meat alone is a nauseating experience. What 
 a powerful effect is felt by any one who after acquiring a 
 strong predilection for, and becoming habituated to, any 
 special kind of diet or drink, is suddenly deprived of the 
 means of gratifying his appetite ! It seems as though the 
 article lost was the only thing that could make life bear- 
 able, or even desirable. 
 
 Speaking only for myself, although it may be mentioned 
 
HOT TEA THE BEST BRINK. 279 
 
 that I have noticed the same with others similarly situated, 
 I say that as a thoroughly refreshing drink during fatigue, 
 or for quenching violent thirst, hot tea is the best ; 
 for I cannot acquiesce to the common belief in tlie desir- 
 ability of carrying bottles of cold tea, coffee, or any other 
 beverage intended to be quaffed during the march, or w lien 
 hunting, while the body is heated. Experience has taught, 
 not only in Africa, but in other lands where I have had 
 by no means an inconsiderable share of fatigue, that the 
 human system is never invigorated, not to speak of bene- 
 fited, by drinking anything cold or spirituous while the 
 body is exposed to the fiery rays of a tropical sun. It is a 
 good plan to do as the animals do — wait till sundown. 
 Then when cooled off, or even before cooling, a small drink, 
 so long as it is warm, will refresh the system besides 
 assuaging the thirst. Provided any one begins to drink 
 drops of water or cold tea, or tipples on something else, 
 nothing less than absolute immersion and partial asphyxi- 
 ation will check the craving, and that only temporarily. 
 
 I have heard people urging strongly the axiom that it is 
 well to follow the habits of the natives as the proper system 
 to adopt when travelling in their country. Had I followed 
 the practices of the Kaffirs in regard to their water libations 
 and ablutions I am positive that I never would have crossed 
 the Orange river. A Kaffir is a wonderful creature in that 
 way. He never thinks of what is beneficial or hurtful. 
 Even when perspiration is flowing from every pore in his 
 skin, he will plunge headlong into any cold and crystal 
 water that may be near, disporting himself merrily in its 
 refreshing coolness, and gulping at the same time big 
 mouthsful of the welcome draught. This I have seen on 
 many occasions. 
 
 For some time before we camped, the roars of lions were 
 
280 THE FAR INTEIUOB. 
 
 heard, the result being that we were almost deprived of 
 water for the night, for nothing would induce the Kaffirs to 
 go and fetch it, unless they were supported by a rifle. I 
 went with them, and they carried their assegais and fire- 
 brands. We had a good deal of searching before we found 
 the spring, which was hidden in a deep rent in the rocks, 
 which were exposed to the action of the torrents during the 
 rainy season. 
 
 After this, the temper of the company, which was mercurial 
 in its sensitiveness, pointed to fairer weather ; for the Inyota 
 men said : " To-morrow, we will be sure to reach the town." 
 
 During the night a black rhinoceros ran past at a great 
 speed, breaking the brushwood, and creating much nervous 
 excitement in camp. 
 
 Morning brought the old and familiar cries for a 
 " strike," which, however anxious I might be, I could not 
 then compromise in the way that these black cormorants 
 would like; because I had no white calico left, not even a 
 single yard. White calico they would have, and failing 
 that, they expected me to tear up my red blankets and 
 divide the pieces among them. The innocent audacity of 
 the last demand was very amusing. 
 
 The gift of a few beads gave them but slight gratification. 
 It was highly diverting to watch these big men stringing 
 their precious beads, the sight carrying the thoughts back 
 to the very early days of childhood. 
 
 About eleven o'clock we were again on our way, diving 
 into the heated forest. Henceforth the fresh climate of the 
 highlands was also to be numbered among the comparative 
 comforts which had been left behind. As we descended, 
 the heat became intense and opjiressive, it being now the 
 hottest time of the day. The sensation reminded me of the 
 feeling of going from the cool to the hottest room in a 
 
A MELTING WALK. 281 
 
 Turkish bath. The men were pouring with perspiration, 
 and their bronzed bodies shone as though they had just 
 emerged from the vasty deep. 
 
 In time we reached the bottom of the steep descent, 
 and struck away into the torrid belt. Not a breath of air 
 moved. The forest seemed actually to hold the heat. 
 Thorny acacias were abundant, but they afforded no shelter. 
 The only shelter that could be found from the resistless 
 burning sun was in the lee of the baobab (native name 
 mulamho), some of which were of gigantic dimensions, 
 although, comparatively speaking, their branches seemed to 
 be very small. The only sign of life was the winging of 
 some grey plantain eaters (Chizoeris concolor), which con- 
 stantly took their short flights from tree to tree as our 
 advance disturbed their silent or sequestered retreat. 
 
 A couple of hours of a melting walk brought us to the 
 banks of the Msingua river, where we found a small town 
 called Suru. The headman soon put in an appearance, for 
 quite a stir was caused by the arrival of the white man 
 and his escort. 
 
 The headman was a fat and far from unintelligent look- 
 ing man. Around his loins he wore a cloth, and he stood 
 before me in a position of attention. Then he drew back 
 his right foot, scraping it upon the ground as he did so, a 
 proceeding which was repeated with the left foot, while he 
 clapped his hands and saluted me. I could see at a glance 
 that this man had been trained by the Portuguese, or 
 perhaps by their offspring, or dependents. 
 
 The people appeared to be friendly, but very much 
 amazed. Although I am able to speak Spanish pretty 
 fluently, my Portuguese is rather questionable ; still, I 
 tried to discover if any of our new friends could speak the 
 latter tongue, but not a word could be extracted. 
 
282 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 A large baobab-troe stood in the centre of the village, 
 and the chief led me to its shade. The village consisted 
 of circular huts with roofs like Japanese umbrellas, made 
 of cane, and thatched with grass. Some of the huts were 
 enclosed by cane fences, and, as a whole, the village had a 
 very tidy appearance. 
 
 A cane mat was given me to sit upon, and unaccustomed 
 to such attentions, I felt as if I had been given a bounce 
 upwards in rank and consequence. 
 
 Beer was produced, and then I determined to start a 
 conversation. 
 
 All at once I felt a sharp sting at the back of my 
 neck. At the same time John made a wild clutch at 
 something, as he exclaimed : — 
 
 " Dar is de tsetse fly now, master ; we have leave de old 
 gout in time ! " 
 
 It did not take long to become painfully accustomed to 
 the sharp reminders of these little pests, whose presence 
 showed that we were in the " fly country," as the infested 
 land is termed. At that time a few fowls were the only 
 domesticated live stock that could be seen. 
 
 "Who is the chief who owns or rules this country?" 
 was my first question. 
 
 " The name of the king," was the reply, " is Sakauii. He 
 is Mzungo [white man]." 
 
 " Then," I responded, " his colour is something like mine." 
 
 " Oh, no !" said the cmef, " I never saw a man like you 
 before ; he is something like him," pointing to John. 
 
 " Eow far is it to the town ?" I asked. 
 
 "Not far," he said, showing by the sun how long tlie 
 journey would take. 
 
 " Will you give me a guide ?" 
 
 The answer to this question was that he, himself, would 
 
THE STOLEN ASSEGAIS. 283 
 
 guide me ; but we should in the meantime have to wait until 
 word was sent to the king that I was in the country. I 
 should have to stay where I was until an answer had been 
 received. 
 
 This, I thought, was a strange decision. If his majesty 
 was a Portuguese then he had evidently become acclimatised 
 in mind, and had also adopted the customs of the natural 
 sons of the soil. Nevertheless I felt that a great weight 
 had been lifted from my shoulders. After all our dreary 
 and fatiguing marches, and our harassing wrangles with the 
 different tribes, we stood at last in the basin of the Zambesi. 
 Only a short time ago we had been upon the eve of failure, 
 but now I felt assured that we would obtain fresh supplies 
 and strike off direct to the Lakes. 
 
 Just after sunset two of my assegais were stolen. In- 
 forming the chief of the theft, he immediately went through 
 a most amusing procedure. As he walked through the 
 small streets of the town, he stormed and raved furiously, 
 letting the people hear what was doubtless very strong 
 language, but the real drift of which was : 
 
 " Bring back the assegais ! Bring back the assegais of 
 the white man ! If Sakanii hears that we have robbed the 
 white man he will kill us." 
 
 The excited walk of the chief gradually became a run, in 
 which some others joined as supporters, and before midnight 
 he appeared with the assegais, much to my delight, for they 
 had a history, and of course were all the more valuable to mo 
 on that account. 
 
 The chief likewise brought the news that Sakanii was 
 away at his town on the Zambesi river, and it was not 
 known when he would return. Consulting my map, I found 
 that from where we were to the river, the distance, in an air- 
 line, was about fifty-three miles. 
 
284 THE FAB INTERIOR. 
 
 A long palaver ensued. Mystery seemed to cloud its 
 words. Why should I stay here, as the chief desired, until 
 Sakanii was informed of my arrival ? Could I not, in any 
 case, go on to his town, and hear what his people said ; he 
 must surely have subordinates ? 
 
 No satisfactory reply could be had. I concluded there- 
 fore that to go ahead was the only plan to adopt. To be 
 left at this spot would indeed be an awkward position, for 
 how could I get out of it with sufficient goods to pay my 
 way ? 
 
 The night was warm, and the first blush of morning 
 presaged a day of scorching heat. The indescribable glow 
 of coloured light which heralded the advent of the sun 
 told me clearly what was before us and made me anxious to 
 hurry the men towards making a start. 
 
 The approach to the king's town was not made without a 
 series of not only mysterious, but actually nervous signs on 
 the part of our guides, who numbered about a dozen. Halts 
 were repeatedly made and consultations held. I was quite 
 unable to learn from John what it all meant. He was as 
 much puzzled as I was. 
 
 This position was very trying to the temper, for I under- 
 stood that we were approaching the town of a Portuguese. 
 
 Six miles were traversed, during which we crossed and 
 recrossed the winding course of the Msingua river. The 
 guides then said that it would be well that my party should 
 now remain where they were, and that I should go on and 
 see the man who was in charge of the town. 
 
 I lost no time. Taking Karemba with me, and armed 
 with a small rifle in case we should meet game, we set out 
 to unmask the strange mystery. Only one man accom- 
 panied us as a guide. 
 
( 285 ) 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 CHIBINGA. 
 
 Skulls on gate-posts — Black but not comely — Meaning of Mzungo — A 
 dubious reception — Karemba's nonchalance — Marching into the town — 
 Confusion of tongues — Undesirable quarters — A ^vaterless river — 
 Hungry retainers — Absence of King Sakauii — Himting, a last resource 
 — The mother of the monarch — Eats swarming — A mutilating wolf — 
 Inyota versus women — " Satan " is bibulous — Flies in myriads — Signs 
 of disaffection — Negotiations with the " faithfuls " — -Truculent Inyota 
 — The monarch's mother commands my attendance — Curious recep- 
 tion — Hopes revived — Deplorable servility — Comparison with IVIexi- 
 can peone — The palmero punishment — " Us shall die from de hunger " 
 — I start in search of the King — Bringing down a boar — Game on the 
 route — The Mkumbura river — Spoor of wild animals — The busy 
 tsetse — Description of the tsetse — A lion adventure — Fierceness of 
 heat — The Umzengaizi river — Msenza — Meeting with Sakanii — 
 Courteous greeting — Civilised comforts — The king's mode of travelling 
 — His Portuguese connection — Eeturning to Chibinga — The king's 
 bearers — Rapid progress — Prospects of relief — Noisy welcome to 
 Chibinga. 
 
 We soon arrived at the outskirts of the town, which was 
 situated on the north bank of the Msingua, and was 
 encircled by a high pole fence. As we approached the 
 entrance, great numbers of people flocked to witness our 
 arrival. I observed that a human skull was fixed upon the 
 top of each post at the entrance gate. 
 
 We pushed our way through the surging throng and 
 reached the centre of the town. There we found a sort of 
 plastered divan, under a thatched roof, serving as a shade 
 from the sun, and supported by a number of poles. 
 
 Beneath this shade stood a man blacker than ebony, 
 
286 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 the proverbial black of blackness. The figure was dressed 
 in a suit of coarse white cotton. Head-dress there was none. 
 
 I had been on the look out for somebody a little whiter, 
 80 I turned and said — 
 
 " Where is Mzungo ? " 
 
 They intimated that the black object under the shade 
 was Mzungo (white man). 
 
 Merciful powers ! Had my vision been deceived for a 
 lifetime ? If this was white, where under the heavens could 
 black be found ? The fact was clear that if these so-called 
 Mzungo were all like this man they had been called 
 white because their clothes were white. 
 
 I walked up and shook hands with him, an act which it 
 was only tco clear was most repugnant to his feelings. At 
 the time I remember being much impressed with the idea 
 that never in my life had it fallen to my lot to see a worse 
 physiognomy than his. He could not speak Portuguese, 
 and looked very much annoyed about my arrival. 
 
 The crowd pressed round the house, listening with 
 evident amusement to what the chief said. I could see that 
 the people shuffled their feet as they approached the jet-like 
 figure. One by one, before seating themselves upon the 
 ground, would go through the formality of raising dust. 
 
 It was very amusing to note Karemba, who evidently 
 wanted to show that he was no commoner. No shuffling of 
 feet for him ; he was a free son of the mountains, to whom 
 such a silly ceremony had no meaning. With an air of 
 great superiority, he walked in front of this black and 
 earthly deity and requested a light for his pipe, which he 
 wore as a pendent ornament when he was not smoking. 
 The fact, too, of his having a hat and shirt gave impressive 
 efiect to his tout eiisemhle. 
 
 The dark enigma utterly ignored my presence. Worse 
 
" Ji'LLE TEM MEDO DE OUEBRA." 287 
 
 than that, none of us could understand a word that these 
 people said. Although I continued to sj^eak in my very 
 best mixture of Portuguese and Spanish, I signally failed 
 to create the slightest impression. He was tlio most 
 uncouth being whom I had yet encountered. 
 
 Among the motley crowd which stood around was one old 
 man who kept saying Guerra, guerra ! Under the impres- 
 sion that I might be able to gather some hints fr(im this 
 old fellow, I abruptly left the inhospitable circle, signing to 
 him to follow as I took my departure. 
 
 " EUe tern medo de guerra ! " (he is afraid of war) the old 
 boy continued to repeat. This, of course, was to me very 
 ridiculous. He could not comprehend any question I put to 
 him, so I proceeded towards where my party had been left, 
 leaving him standing in silent solitude. 
 
 En passant, I may say that afterwards I discovered that 
 these tribes have reason to be timid, through the petty wars 
 which are being continually waged amongst themselves. 
 
 Despite the discouraging reception, I thought it would be 
 as well to bring forward the party. We were soon witliin 
 the skull-bedecked portals of the town ; into which we 
 marched with all the pomp of a conquering army. Every- 
 body seemed to be frightened ; not excepting the double- 
 dyed, black-looking rascal I had previously addressed. Not 
 a trace of him could be seen. We halted in front of what 
 had the appearance of being the lounging place of the 
 monarch — whoever he might be — during the heat of the 
 day. 
 
 By this time we were a thoroughly mixed crowd. Few 
 could understand what their neighbours said, so that wo 
 had all the confusion of a modern tower of Babel 
 
 Strange to say, Umfana, whom we had always termed tbe 
 Matabeli boy — although I am convinced that he was a 
 
288 THE FAR INTEHIOIt. 
 
 Mashona — could get on better with the language spoken 
 here than any of the others. Therefore I sent him off as 
 an ambassador to anyone who might appear inclined to 
 listen to the proclamation that I was going to the Zambesi ; 
 that I wished to have a hut for my boys and for my- 
 self; and that it was my desire to see the great king 
 Sakanii. 
 
 Who should appear but the veritable black man in the 
 white cloth ! Umfana had clearly succeeded in persuading 
 him that our mission was not one of war, and that we were 
 not bent upon demolishing the town. 
 
 John, who looked as if he were listening to the thunders 
 of the Last Day, rapidly approached. 
 
 " Master," said he, " dat black man is asking Umfana 
 what for de master walk up to him mit de assegai, and 
 Karem mit de gun and all de cartridges. Master, dese 
 Portuguese is olful black." 
 
 Of course, I told John, that so far I had not seen a 
 Portuguese. Eegarding what he said about my ajiproaching 
 the chief with an assegai in my hand, it was simply the way 
 I had always travelled — that is to say either with a gun or 
 an assegai. It never occurred to me that I was warlike j 
 but no doubt the assegai gave me a bellicose or sanguinary 
 aspect. 
 
 After a good deal of meditation and deliberation, the 
 white man with the black knob sent some slaves to show us 
 the huts. One which was circular, and 15 feet in diameter, 
 I gave to the boys. The other, which I retained for my own 
 use, was a small oblong building, evidently very old and 
 very much off the straight. Its walls and floor were 
 smeared with mud ; the roof was a network of cobwebs, 
 among which hung pendants of soot, like jet-black icicles ; 
 a window about the size of a family Bible admitted the 
 
ARID RIVER BEDS. 289 
 
 struggling light ; and mingled with all these appearances 
 was the olfactory perception of a diabolical odour, which 
 would have suffocated an attic lodger in the Seven Dials. 
 
 A filthy abode, sure enough! But within its walls all our 
 goods were stored. The thought often crossed my mind : 
 "How infinitely preferable it would be to camp in the 
 woods." And yet I had good reasons for taking quarters at 
 this filthy place. I well knew that my party was bound to 
 break up very soon, and that I should have to proceed alone ; 
 therefore a repository in which to leave my goods — what 
 little there was left — was essential. 
 
 Every observation tended to show that my calculations 
 with regard to our geographical position had been correct. 
 Notwithstanding this, all dreams of canoeing had to be 
 utterly abandoned when I looked upon the river on whose 
 bosom we were to float to the Zambesi. Before us was 
 the waterway's silent bed cut deeply down through sandy, 
 alluvial strata, leaving steep banks on the sides bearing the 
 marks of places where wild currents had played with the 
 greatest force. Where was the water ? Certainly not 
 here; for nothing but sand, interminable sand, could be 
 seen. We had traced it for miles, but had not seen even a 
 solitary pool that might lead one to hope that water would 
 be found a little farther down its arid course ! 
 
 Canoeing indeed ! What did Chief Mjela mean? There, 
 before us, were the women digging holes in the heated sand 
 in order to procure a supply of drinking water. 
 
 Above all things in my mind was the predominating 
 thought : " Where are the beads and the cloth which will 
 enable me to satisfy my men ? " This was no white man's 
 town : it was a regular Kaffir kraal ! I had inquired if cloth 
 could be purchased. There was none. All I had left were 
 a few pounds of beads and four blankets, besides the two 
 
 VOL. I. u 
 
290 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 or three yards of striped cloth which I had promised to 
 John for his " leetle wife." 
 
 The men came forward in a body, and, patting their 
 bellies, which certainly did look rather baggy, declared — 
 
 " We are hungry ; give us cloth, and we will buy some 
 meal." What was to be done ? Before anything, it was 
 necessary that the individual who ruled the town during 
 the absence of Sakanii should be unearthed. 
 
 By a bit of good fortune a man turned up who could talk 
 well with" Karemba. He offered his services to show where 
 game was to be found. I was determined not to rest or 
 wander until I had cleared up the situation; so I made 
 use of the man by persuading him to procure a messenger 
 who would convey to Sakanii the intelligence that I was 
 in the town. The people of the town would not do any- 
 thing for me until they received orders from the king. 
 The letter I sent to Sakanii was written in the best Portu- 
 guese at my command, and the man who took it said that 
 he might be back in five days. The town of the king was 
 on the Zambesi, and was called Chigurindi. 
 
 With the first streak of dawn John and myself were up 
 and away in search of the much-longed-for meat. We 
 moved out in different directions. Game was found to be 
 very shy; but by noon we had both returned, I having 
 bagged a very fat bush-pig and a fine specimen of the wart- 
 hog with good tusks; while John had shot two Koodoo 
 bulls (Strepsiceros Kudu), although he was able to secure 
 only one of them. I had seen a big herd of eland, but 
 could not get within range, as they had seen me. The 
 spoor of white rhinoceros was discerned ; but these animals 
 are remarkably scarce in this neighbourhood. Black 
 rhinoceros are more plentiful. 
 
 Having been informed that the mother of Sakanii lived 
 
SWARMING RATS. 291 
 
 in a big round hut, enclosed by a thatch fence of high 
 grass, and as it was hinted that she was the supreme 
 dictator during the absence of her son, I sent her a large 
 supply of meat, an act of courtesy and diplomacy which 
 brought forth in return two baskets of tomatoes and one 
 large basket of meal. The exchange was a considerable 
 help to us. 
 
 The night which we had spent in the hut had been 
 almost unbearable, to us who had been so long accustomed 
 to the fanning of the freshest winds during the time of rest. 
 Confinement was suffocating ; but John remarked that we 
 had better sleep inside, as the house had been given us. 
 From whence its horrible effluvium arose I could not con- 
 ceive ; but apparently the dwelling (save the mark !) had 
 not been used for years. Throughout the dismal night the 
 swarming rats squealed and fought. The ends of two 
 candles were still to the fore, so we lit them, and so long as 
 they burned we had a little rest. 
 
 On the second night, however, I was determined to try a 
 change, so I cleared the rubbish from beneath a neighbour- 
 ing tree, and enveloping myself in a blanket lay down with 
 much satisfaction. Mental congratulations, however, were 
 soon disturbed by some of the townspeople who came and 
 intimated that we should go into the hut, to avoid the 
 ferocity of a wolf which came to the town at night, and 
 was very dangerous owing to the freedom of its habits in 
 the way of carrying off bites from the face, such as the 
 nose, chin, and so forth. 
 
 In spite of this warning we remained outside ; although 
 the protestations of the people were very impressive. I 
 felt, however, that it was better to take our chances in the 
 open air than spend another miserable night in our filthy 
 den overrun with vermin, which seemed to be its natural 
 
 u 2 
 
292 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 inhabitants. It is fair to say that next morning I saw 
 a woman who had one eye wholly destroyed, while several 
 other women were very, much disfigured in the face, the 
 result of attacks by the wolf spoken of. 
 
 A complaint was here made to me that the Inyota men 
 had been causing a disturbance among the young women. 
 Should such conduct be continued there would be fighting 
 between them and the men of the town. It was the satani- 
 cally black man who made the complaint, which he did in 
 a vehemently expostulatory oration, intended for all whom 
 his voice could reach. 
 
 . I had no copy of the Mutiny Act to read ; but, assembling 
 the Inyota men before me, I said that if they expected 
 either cloth or beads they would have to behave themselves. 
 Failing to do so they would get nothing, and would be sent 
 away without meat or meal. This impressive address was 
 concluded by a few very decided words and penetrating 
 looks, after which the meeting dispersed. I gave the ebony 
 fiend a bottle of brandy to sooth his indignation, and another 
 day was numbered with the past. 
 
 During the middle of the night our friend, his satanic 
 majesty, appeared, much under the influence of the 
 medicine which he had evidently partaken of very freely, 
 so that his system had received a violent shock. He 
 thoroughly appreciated the " liquid encouragement " which 
 had upset him so completely, and said, as a matter of 
 course, that he wanted more, more. I told hitn I had no 
 more ; for I was not going to give away the only bottle I 
 had left. After that he succeeded in making himself a 
 successful nuisance, and eifectually stopped our sleep for 
 the main portion of the night by his tipsy uproar, although 
 not another drop did he get from my canteen. 
 
 Days of hard work, followed by hideous nights, passed 
 
FLIES IN MYRIADS. 293 
 
 slowly away. Throughout the day work was very hard, 
 for we had to keep the town in meat. At this duty, John 
 and I took turns. Sometimes we spent nights in the 
 forest, which was in every way preferable to the usual 
 resting place. The game was exceedingly shy, and so far 
 from the town, that pursuit entailed long stalks under 
 the burning sun, which glowed through the heated atmo- 
 sphere, lying like a steam-cloud over the labyrinthine, 
 tropical forest. 
 
 Whenever we shot anything, swarms of human vultures 
 crowded around, so that the meat was soon exhausted. As 
 a matter of fact, it would not keep for two days, as it rapidly 
 became offensive. 
 
 Flies were literally in myriads. Fortunately the tsetse 
 fly — although swarming in the neighbourhood, and, in 
 fact, throughout all this belt of country between the foot- 
 hills of the Makomwe mountains and the Zambesi — did 
 not trouble us. In the town it was by no means constant 
 in its attendance ; in one place they might be innumerable, 
 but a mile farther east, few could be seen. 
 
 It was at this stage that John came to me with rueful 
 tidings for which I was not wholly unprepared. He said 
 that Sagwam, Karemba, and himself were all " veree tired ; 
 they had wandered far from home, and wanted to go back." 
 
 "I not want to leave de master," continued John, 
 speaking for himself; " but I must go. I tink of my leetle 
 wife." 
 
 " You must stay," was my response to the so-far faithful 
 trio, '■ at least, until I am able to get boys or to see the king. 
 I can't give you the present I would like to give, because I 
 have but little left." 
 
 " But," remonstrated, John, " will the master noi come 
 back wid us to Bulawayo ? " 
 
294 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 " No, John, I have made up my mind to get to the lakes. 
 I would like to go back and hunt ; but I want to see the 
 Zambesi Kiver and the great lake beyond. Besides I think 
 I will shoot more elephants there." 
 
 The mention of the coveted animals evidently touched 
 the heart of John, bat he said sadly : 
 
 " Ah ! master, I like to see dat contree var dey say dar 
 68 lots of olifant. But I must go back to my leetle wife. 
 Master, I tink I am fighting wid dose dam Mashona 
 when I get to de waggon ! " 
 
 Trouble was not confined to the " faithfuls." The Inyota 
 men now said that they were tired ; that the rains would 
 soon be upon us ; that they must get back to their gardens 
 to sow; and above all, that they wished to get back to 
 their women folk. In short, they desired immediately 
 to retrace their steps. 
 
 My answer was, that I had sent a messenger to Sakanii, and 
 if they could show a little patience, I would hunt for their 
 meat, and otherwise take care of them until Sakanii should 
 arrive. All I had promised them would assuredly be 
 paid, and they would go back to their wives with cloth. 
 Numerous reports regarding the return of the king, who 
 was sure to have plenty of cloth, were current ; so that the 
 belief that I would be able to pay the men was natural. 
 
 Fifteen days, however, had elapsed since the messenger 
 had left for the king, and as no reply had come, the spirits 
 of the household were at zero. 
 
 John was a pitiful sight. His face reminded me of the 
 seaside-bather's expression when he emerged from the water 
 and found his clothes gone, while some watchful imps of 
 humanity were witnessing his distress with ecstasies of 
 joy. Sagwam, dissolved in tears, drearily prophesied that 
 he would starve, and surely be killed on the way back 
 
TRUCULENT IN Y OTA MEN. 295 
 
 by the Inyota men, who had threatened many times 
 to carry our hut by assault, as they declared they well 
 knew that the white man had plenty of cloth, although he 
 would not pay. The white man, they said, wanted to keep 
 them until the chief came, and force them to go on to the 
 Zambesi. 
 
 Their manner of protesting was curious ; one would walk 
 up and down the street in front of the hut, looking very 
 much excited, with his eyes protruding, and all the time 
 haranguing his brothers to the effect that he was going 
 home, that they all must go in fact. For the white man 
 would yet make them go to Kunyungwi. If they refused 
 they would get nothing, and if they went they would get 
 nothing — in fact, they would get nothing anyhow ! 
 
 They also said that the endunas had lied to me ; the 
 king would never come. 
 
 Simple as they are, these people never give credit for 
 any good; all are judged as being bad and unworthy of 
 trust, or, like themselves, only actuated by fear or hunger. 
 
 Had I shown them the inside of my sacks, I should 
 have been considered weak, so I declared that if they would 
 not take my word, I would not satisfy their demands ; 
 especially as I had given them no cause for doubt by any 
 previous dealings. 
 
 " Satan " had proclaimed that if disturbances took place 
 the inhabitants would drive the whole party outside the 
 town. These emergencies were met by my reading a 
 special Eiot Act, adapted exclusively for the purpose. 
 
 One evening, on my return from a hunting excursion — a 
 tolerably successful one, for I was laden with koodoo-meat — 
 Karemba came to meet me, with a face radiant with smiles. 
 Of course I at once thought that Sakanii had arrived. 
 Hurrah ! now our troubles would soon be at rest. I would 
 
296 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 tempt the ruler with glittering English sovereigns. Alas ! 
 the king had not arrived ; but John had a long story to tell. 
 A number of strangers — messengers from the king — had 
 come to the town. 
 
 " And," continued John, " de beeg woman, de moder of 
 de king wants to see de master." 
 
 Consequently I followed two men, who took me to the 
 large hut. It was very dark inside, but I was told to go in. 
 As there are no windows in these abodes, I could see nothing 
 on entering. Gradually, however, I could dimly discern the 
 figure of a very old woman, wearing no garments save a 
 waist-cloth, and whose horny skin resembled a bad cigar, 
 when the outer leaf has been removed. The shrivelled old 
 " anatomy " greeted me with some words which I could not 
 understand. She was evidently a native. 
 
 " So, ho ! " was my half-uttered ejaculation ; " if Sakanii's 
 father was like Sakanii's mother, there must have been 
 precious little of the Portuguese about him." 
 
 The miserable hut was almost filled with baskets of an 
 immense size, for holding provisions. Two men were 
 sitting beside the old woman. She said they had just 
 arrived irom the Zambesi, and that her son would follow on 
 the next day. He was on the road, and as a token of the 
 truth of this statement, she showed me an immense knife, 
 which tbe men had brought with them ; the only way she 
 could tell ne was coming, for the old lady's education indi- 
 cated more of the exercise of the hoe than the wielding of 
 the pen. Her bump of understanding was agricultural to a 
 degree. 
 
 While the interview was proceeding, I could not help 
 giving place to the impression that the whole affair was a 
 trick designed to keep me in the town, so that more goods 
 could be had from the too slender store ; the people thinking 
 
KAUEMBA'S JOY. 2f)7 
 
 of course that my supply was inexhaustible, and that every 
 word I spoke was utterly untrue. Moreover, they might 
 think that by detaining me they would ensure their supply 
 of meat. If this in reality was their plan, it was not a 
 bad one ; but I could not afford to fall out with the old 
 lady. 
 
 Keturning from her majesty's presence, I found all the 
 boys in a happier frame of mind, Karemba declaring he 
 was so glad that he could hardly keep still. Poor Karemba 
 was the man who had assisted me most during this arduous 
 trip. When I saw his mirthful mood, I could not help 
 thinking what an easy matter it is to be jolly when all 
 around is sunshine. 
 
 This faint glimmer of hope and excitement was soon 
 past, and I wandered down to the sandy bed of the 
 Msingua Kiver, where I dug a deep hole, and had a bath. 
 Thus ended another day's proceedings. 
 
 I now discovered that " Satan's " real name (by the way 
 not half so appropriate as that which I bestowed upon him) 
 was Vitrine Usigingome. Along with others of his caste, 
 he appeared dawdling in the streets, inviting me to go and 
 drink beer, under the impression, doubtless, that this would 
 keep me in a humour to part with goods more readily. 
 Accompanying the crowd, we soon arrived at the lounging 
 place of these peculiarly lazy men, consisting of a circular 
 grass roof raised upon poles, and a very good dried mud 
 floor, on which a cane mat was placed, where the company 
 lay or squatted to drink pombe for the livelong day. Such 
 is the dolce far niente of these half-castes — a life of most 
 repulsive indolence. 
 
 And yet they are the progeny of conquerors. As such 
 they must be given due deference by the sons of the con- 
 quered, who, when they approach to address them, or to sit 
 
298 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 in their presence, must go through the odd shuffling of feet, 
 which I have already described. 
 
 It disgusted me immensely to see natives who were 
 quite as good intellectually, and physically excelling these 
 creatures, shuffling their feet before their assumed superiors, 
 who are called white men, although it would defy an anthro- 
 pological wizard to guess their origin, and a nineteenth cen- 
 tury Socrates to ferret out the usefulness of their existence. 
 Sometimes, as the poor people would pass them in the street, 
 a shuffling of feet took place, and a clapping of hands, after 
 which salutation the humbler mortals would pass on. 
 
 This pitiful servility reminded me of the fawning of the 
 poor Mexican peone (who in every sense of the word is a 
 slave), whom I have seen as he cringed before his lord and 
 master, especially when working for his own countrymen. 
 flow the miserable peone kneels to the ground to beg for- 
 giveness for every trivial offence ! The sight is enough to 
 make one's hair singe with the heat of the head ; it is so 
 abhorrent to see a man kneel before you, or before any 
 other mortal. Bending low the knee to mankind, or to 
 any material form, seems to be the depth of dishonourable 
 humiliation. How infinitely superior is the man who stands 
 erect, and speaks freely, knowing that at best he is only 
 confronting a fellow-being ! 
 
 On some occasions, by the way, in the valley of the 
 Zambesi, I have witnessed chastisement by the use of the 
 l)almero. This is an instrument of torture infinitely more 
 effective than our barbarous cat-o'-nine-tails, and an equally 
 important relic of savagery. 
 
 The man receiving punishment is made to hold out his 
 hands alternately, so that the operator is enabled to give 
 blows as hard as he can uj)on the open palms. When the 
 stroke is given, the flesh is drawn into the small apertures 
 
THE BROKEN BANK. 299 
 
 of the weapon, so that an excruciatingly painful effect is 
 produced. As soon as the assigned number of strokes has 
 been delivered the victim rolls on the ground cringing 
 before this emblem of Christian authority, to show how 
 thankful he is that his life at least has been spared. 
 Curiously enough, the first cat-o'-nine-tails I saw in Africa 
 was among the furnishings of a Mission station. 
 
 But to resume my story. Days passed, and hopes of 
 Sakanii ever coming were dying away. I felt that more 
 active steps would have to be taken. There was positively 
 nothing left even to buy a chicken. Notwithstanding my 
 promises of payment as soon as the king should arrive, the 
 people would not give me anything. 
 
 One old man brought me beer, doubtless expecting a 
 great reward in days to come. But we led a wretched life. 
 Misfortunes, however, had a certain quieting effect upon 
 the nerves. The old enduna — Kaparam by name — was a 
 constant visitor, and an irrepressible beggar to boot, although 
 he was earnest as well as arduous in his endeavours to gain 
 a reward in this world, by constantly bringing pombe, with 
 the evident purpose of thawing my heart, so as to draw 
 forth the beautiful flannel blanket I had not got. He 
 could not be induced to believe in my absolute want, but 
 had a firm faith in the fancy that copious supplies of pombe 
 would bring out the material truth. Latterly he too turned 
 away his face, probably thinking that I was the closest man 
 he had ever met. 
 
 " Satan" and Co. by this time had ceased to invite me to 
 drink beer with them. They also had found out that the 
 " bank was broken." 
 
 The Inyota men came and said they were hungry. Forty- 
 eight hours had passed since John had left to hunt, and 
 just after dark he appeared, and I at once saw by his 
 
300 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 unhappy expression and jaded bearing that he had had 
 bad luck. 
 
 Here was a perplexing situation ! The people showed 
 they thought that now I would be forced to give them 
 some of the cloth (which it was fondly thought was stored 
 away) to buy some food, although the fact was that I had 
 parted with the last blanket for a basket of meal for them. 
 I felt sure they were hungry, for the meal had been finished 
 three days before. Now there was absolutely nothing left to 
 buy meal or sweet potatoes. 
 
 In the afternoon I had sent to " Satan " to say that I 
 wished some chickens, for which I would pay on the chiefs 
 arrival ; but his answer was that he wished payment on the 
 spot. This is exactly the Kaffir character. 
 
 Being now completely at a loss to know what plan to 
 adopt, I went forth to meditate and resolve ; but my reflec- 
 tions were disturbed by a very wrathful woman, who 
 happened to be telling her husband something about his 
 character in very trenchant and searching tones. Troubled 
 and despondent, I took up my gun and wandered into the 
 forest, where I managed to shoot some guinea-fowl and 
 francolins, both very shy, being close to the town and hard 
 to get a shot at. 
 
 I indulged in a brief meditation, for while in pursuit of the 
 birds I had not ceased to turn over in my mind the most 
 feasible plan of relief, until the time arrived when I had to 
 hurry back to the town before the portals were closed for 
 the night. They are invariably strongly barricaded. 
 
 A new resolution was now firm, and I felt I could say 
 
 truly — 
 
 " I have set my life upon the cast, 
 And I will stand the hazard of the die." 
 
 This place was intended neither for man nor beast. I 
 
I DETERMINE TO FIND THE KING. 301 
 
 myself would go forth to endeavour to unriddle the enigma 
 Sakanii. 
 
 The only obstacle was the objections of the men. My 
 feet also were full of torture. I wont to John, certainly 
 not for a supply of happy inspiration, but to divulge my 
 resolutions on the subject. 
 
 It was long after dark. We sat outside the hut. Our 
 conversation was decidedly melancholy in tone, fur it must 
 be remembered that John had returned from an unsuc- 
 cessful hunt 
 
 " Well, John, what shall we do ? " 
 
 " My gaut, master," said John, shaking his head, " de 
 sugar is done, and de tea is done, and de rice is done, and 
 everyting is done, and dur is no meat, and us shall die 
 from de hunger ! " 
 
 " No, John," I answered, " there is one course yet left. 
 I must start myself and try to find Sakanii. I will not 
 return until I do find him. In the morning I will tell the 
 old woman that she must give the boys enough to eat when 
 I am gone." 
 
 "She shall give nothing midout de cloth," said John 
 prophetically. 
 
 " You know I have gone ahead at different times before 
 this and have not failed. By making long marches I 
 ought to reach the river in three days. Help me to get 
 boys early in the morning, for to-morrow I will go. Good- 
 night." 
 
 Again I confronted the old lady, who this time was sitting 
 at the door of her hut smoking a long cigarette rolled in 
 the dried ear of the corn. More than once she put the 
 lighted end in her mouth, but was so thoroughly dried up 
 that she did not appear to suffer. 
 
 Explaining the situation, I said that I wished her to 
 
302 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 give me four boys to go to the king, as I could not wait 
 longer; also that my men were very hungry, and that I 
 would bring back cloth and make her a good present if 
 she fed them. 
 
 " I will give you boys," she said, " but Sakanii is coming : 
 he will be here this moon ! " 
 
 Then, thought I, there is plenty of time to starve. 
 
 "The women are making beer," continued the royal 
 mother ; " and see ! there are numbers of people gathering 
 from Msenga who bring ivory to sell to him. He must 
 come." 
 
 The old lady then told some of her Msenga slave-women 
 to carry down meal to my men. Before the sun was half 
 high I was once more ready to take leave of the party. 
 Umfana came with me, and leaving the rest of the house- 
 hold I quitted Chibinga, evidently much to the astonish- 
 ment of the inhabitants. A great deal of time had been 
 lost, and all manner of reports had been circulated, 
 some of them no doubt with intent to intimidate, but all 
 of so wild a character as to be beyond description. These 
 reports never found credence in my mind. At any rate 
 they had not the effect of checking my purpose. John 
 informed me that the people had declared that they would 
 kill Karemba and himself if I did not return. He evidently 
 thought that I meditated flight. 
 
 I took some boys to accompany me for a few miles, in 
 case I might have the good luck to be able to send some 
 meat back to the party. 
 
 About a couple of miles' walk brought us to a small 
 opening which ran for some distance back into the dense 
 forest. Here I could see that the boys had observed some- 
 thing, and taking a rapid survey of the ground, I distin- 
 guished, at a distance of about one hundred and eighty 
 
SUCCESSFUL SPOET. 303 
 
 yards, a fine boar standing beside a sow. Tlieir colour so 
 closely resembled the little scrub which they wore vigorously 
 uprooting that it was by no means easy to get a good "sight" 
 on them, and the difficulty was made greater through the 
 fact of their facing me. 
 
 However, as they evidently were startled at sometliing 
 I concluded to have a try, even at that long range. 
 Aiming carefully at the head of the boar, I had the 
 satisfaction of seeing that almost simultaneously with the 
 crack of " C. L. K." down he fell, to the unbounded delight 
 of the boys, but greatly to the sow's discomfort, for she 
 made two or three circles at her highest speed, giving out 
 piercing squeals, and then dashing off into the long grass. 
 At once I was off in hot pursuit ; for I had the feeling of 
 a veritable savage, seeing that my camp was hungry, while 
 my own little party had a very small supply of meal. 
 
 On I sped as quickly as my legs could bear me. I 
 succeeded in " winging " the sow, but just then down I 
 fell suddenly into a deep hole which was covered with the 
 great folds of forest grass. By the time I got up the sow 
 had too much of a start, and managed to get off. 
 
 Returning to the scene of the boar success, I found the 
 boys busily engaged in cutting-up. The bullet had indeed 
 gone straight to the mark, for the beast was shot just 
 between the eyes, an achievement which delighted the boys 
 almost as much as it pleased myself, for shots of this kind 
 were far from being invariably successful. While the cutting- 
 up was proceeding, I struck out to discover what further 
 favours of fortune might be in store ; feeling that it would 
 be a great advantage to be able to send plenty of meat back 
 to cheer the heart of the disconsolate John, and fill the 
 hankering voids of himself and his companions. 
 
 Hardly had I proceeded a hundred and fifty yards from 
 
304 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 the busy butchers when I discovered something moving 
 among the trees at an inconsiderable distance off. Imme- 
 diately hugging the ground, I crept cautiously up, croco- 
 dile fashion, and discovered a herd of those most beautiful 
 animals, the Impala antelopes [Mpyceros Melampus) ; but 
 the cover not being sufficient, my presence was soon detected 
 by the objects of the chase — as sharp of eye and fleet of foot 
 as they are lovely in form — and away they sped fast through 
 the forest. Putting my best foot forward, I was soon pur- 
 suing in hot haste ; but the thorny creeper tripped me up 
 once or twice, tearing the flesh of my hands in a most 
 unmerciful fashion ; but in spite of this I succeeded in 
 wounding a fine specimen, with a good head ; and, after a 
 furtlier run, managed to bag him. An extraordinary feature 
 connected with these creatures is their wonderful vitality. 
 
 Shouting lustily to the boys they soon appeared, and 
 the reader may believe that it was with a glad heart that I 
 sent back a good supply of meat to the party at Chibinga 
 and proceeded on my journey northwards. 
 
 When I departed from the town, I left behind the chances 
 of starvation so far as I was concerned personally. iGruinea- 
 fowl — Kanga Tore, as the natives called them — francolins, 
 and turtle-doves abounded in enormous numbers on our line 
 of route. Immense flights of small finches swept swiftly 
 through the air. They would rise and fly with great 
 rapidity in one direction, and then suddenly turn back and 
 sweep past us, making a noise like the gust of a lively gale 
 singing through the rigging of a ship. Many large owls 
 were seen, also grey vultures and storks. 
 
 The track during the first part of our journey led us 
 through a dense jungle forest of mimosas, acacias, baobabs, 
 various palms, aloes, and tropical grasses, with sharp needle- 
 like points. The black thorns that were strewn on the 
 
ON THE MKUMBRA RIVER. 305 
 
 ground were constantly sticking in the boys' feet, and it is 
 a curious circumstance that although the people belong to 
 this country, and continually suifer from the painful incon- 
 venience spoken of, they are rarely seen making or possess- 
 ing a pair of sandals of thick hide, or anything that would 
 afford protection to their lower extremities. While out 
 hunting I have noticed how they would avoid the belts of 
 thorny acacias, for the small twig with its stinging point 
 lies unperceived in the short scrub grass, so that it is im})os- 
 sible for them to avoid it. 
 
 Soon we arrived at the Mukumbra river, which may be 
 described as a long winding stretch of sand. It forms a very 
 wide road (broadening in some places to three, four, or six 
 hundred yards) through the vast forest, its shifting sands 
 extending to the union with the Umzengaizi river about 
 twelve miles south of the Zambesi, The fall of the 
 river bed is very gentle, so that the silt is not carried off 
 during the rainy season, which is the only time that there 
 is water to be found in it. Here and there on the banks 
 and out in the centre of the arid silt tall reeds of water- 
 cane spring up, also beds of spear-grass, whose bristling 
 prickles are as quick as the point of a cambric needle or 
 sharp as the tsetse fly's stab. 
 
 Upon these low and dry sands we saw the spoor of almost 
 every description of wild animal. The whole force of an 
 African menagerie had evidently been out in search of 
 water. There was the great spoor of the elephant; the 
 heavy spoor of the rhinoceros, which left holes dug deep 
 in the sand ; the spoor of the hyena with its long claws was 
 clearly imprinted beside the clawless signs of the lion which 
 might be devoid of such weapons, judging from the smooth 
 marks it leaves ; then we had smaller animals, such as the 
 jackal, the wild cat, and small wolf; while signs of the 
 
 VOL. I. X 
 
306 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 leopard were very abundant. The red-legged plover was 
 noticed. 
 
 Although we saw the spoor of elephants and rhinoceros 
 these animals in reality were very scarce. Koodoo, impala, 
 eland, wild boar, wart hog and many of the smaller antelopes 
 were plentiful. Reed buck were to be seen in scores. 
 
 Speaking of the places where the pools of water lay 
 throughout the dry season, the guide informed me that we 
 should have to go some miles further before we reached 
 them. 
 
 It was now late and we had had a very hard day ; the 
 first on which I had got a real " benefit " from the tsetse 
 fly. The condition of torment which I thought tiresome 
 before, I would now have welcomed as a state of comparative 
 bliss. The heat had been intense. Bathed in perspiration 
 we walked through the shifting sand, which yielded like 
 soft snow under the feet, while the stifling sultry air was 
 literally alive with the tsetse fly, against whose maddening 
 attacks clothes were no protection, our only safeguard being 
 to beat them off with twigs and small branches of shrubs, 
 giving a by no means pleasant exercise under a torrid heat. 
 For the same purpose the natives generally use the tail of 
 a buffalo mounted on a wooden handle, an implement with 
 which they swisk their naked bodies while travelling 
 through the fly-infested country. 
 
 Regarding the fly itself, I cannot remember a more faithful 
 description than that given by the late Mr. Thomas Baines 
 in his admirable book "The Gold Regions of South-Eastem 
 Africa." This author remarks : — 
 
 " The tsetse is little more than half an inch long, and 
 rather more slender than a common house-fly. The abdomen 
 is marked with transverse stripes bf yellow and dark chesnut 
 fading towards the centre of the back, so as to give the idea 
 of a yellow stripe along it ; the belly livid white, the eyes 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE TSETSE FLY. 307 
 
 are purplish brown, and the wings, of dusky glassy brown 
 colour, slip one over the other, just as the blades of a pair 
 of scissors when closed — so that the tsetse at rest on man or 
 animal may infallibly be known by this one token. 
 
 " No fly which rests with its wings half expanded, like the 
 house-fly, or closed together like a j)ent-house roof, can be 
 the tsetse; but if one is seen in which the wings exactly 
 overlap — one lying flat upon the other — that is ' the fly.' It 
 has six legs, and tufts of hair over its body ; its proboscis of 
 piercing apparatus is about one-sixth of an inch long ; its 
 sight and smell seem to be keen ; its flight straight and 
 rapid. To speak either of its sting or its bite would convey 
 an erroneous idea. The Dutch colonists say it ' sticks,' and 
 this is certainly more correct, as it first pierces the skin 
 with its lancet, and then injects a fluid (poisonous to oxen, 
 horses, and dogs) to thin the blood before drinking it." 
 
 Fortunately at night the flies take a rest ; but I have felt 
 them " stick " more than once during nocturnal hours. 
 General experience, however, shows that they do not give 
 much trouble after sundown. 
 
 Our guide at length cheered us with the news that the 
 long-looked-for oasis had been reached. The goal of bliss 
 which we had anticipated with so much anxiety was a small 
 pool of water. Near at hand, upon the high bank of the 
 river's sapless bed, stood our old skerm which long before 
 had been used by the natives, but whose deserted circle 
 was now overgrown with thick grass. 
 
 I pitched my bed cover a little further into the forest on 
 a small patch of open sandy soil with thicket around, and 
 made a fire directly in front of the little tent. 
 
 By this time I lived as the Kaffirs lived. So a little 
 porridge of maize meal and some roasted impala haunch 
 formed an acceptable supper, washed down with the water 
 
308 TEE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 for which we had thirsted so long. The day had been one 
 of the most fatiguing that I had ever experienced ; not on 
 account of the distance, but owing to the nature of the 
 ground, the irritating attacks of flies, the intensity of the 
 heat, and the painfully troublesome condition of my shoes, 
 which were brimming with burning sand. Fatigue was by 
 no means confined to myself, for very soon a chorus of 
 resonant snoring told that the whole company had found 
 grateful rest after the discomforts of the weary day. 
 
 I had taken no precaution about making a skerm, con- 
 tenting myself with telling the boys to keep the fires 
 burning. Tired though I was my sleep was uneasy and 
 interrupted. Occasionally when half awake I could hear 
 the low roaring of a lion, the roar seeming to come from a 
 distance. After listening for a little I rolled over, being 
 anxious to find repose. 
 
 A strange noise awoke me. Sitting quickly up with my 
 ears on the alert, I heard a sound like a low purr. What 
 was it? An anxious thrill went through me. Perhaps, 
 owing to uncertainty or the excitement of the moment, I 
 did exactly what I should not have done ; but that I did 
 not know till afterwards. I seized the small rifle which 
 lay close by, and crawled out of the diminutive tent as 
 quickly as possible. Before I could get upon my feet, how- 
 ever, a lion passed by, close in front, and with a low growl 
 disappeared in the bush. 
 
 This incident I confess took my breath away for a 
 moment; possibly owing to the noise I heard before it 
 "bolted" me from my calico shelter than the actual sight of 
 the monarch of animals. Had I seen him out at the foot 
 of the tent when I awoke I could easily have shot him, 
 for the moonlight was clear. The lion, however, must have 
 been close to my head when I first heard the purring sound. 
 
A LTON ADVENTURE. 309 
 
 The noise I made in getting out — for crawling was the 
 only means of getting from beneath my covering —had 
 evidently startled my midnight visitor. 
 
 The reader may imagine what my feelings were when I 
 looked around and saw that the fires were out and not a 
 Kaffir to be seen ! I at once grasped the situation. The 
 wretched creatures had left me, and betaking themselves to 
 the shelter of the old skerm, w^ere at that moment all fast 
 asleep huddled up together in a thicket, and perfectly 
 protected, as they had barricaded it with branches. This 
 discovery gave me not a little annoyance. Certainly I 
 ought to have known better ; but I was under the impression 
 on going to rest that the boys would sleep round the fire 
 and keep it blazing, and I was usually careful that it was 
 near the entrance to my shelter. 
 
 Next morning on examination we found the lion spoor 
 close to the tent. I followed it with the boys for some 
 distance until it was lost in the thicket. After this 
 startling experience I made up my mind that in future no 
 camp should be formed without a skerm, whatever happened, 
 and no matter how tired the company might be. 
 
 How uncomfortable are even my memories of the dawn of 
 those miserable days! Kemembering the rising sun I 
 seem yet to feel the scorch of its invincible heat. The early 
 glow invariably proclaimed the advent of terribly oppressive 
 days — days for which it would be impossible to find words 
 to describe the utter misery of their tropical torments.* 
 
 * Since my return I have been much impressed by the fitness for those 
 times of Mr. Edwin Arnold's powerful lines : — 
 
 " Then breaks fierce Day ! The whirling dust is driven 
 O'er earth and heaven, until the sun-scorched plain 
 Its road scarce shows for dazzling heat to those 
 Who, far from home and love, journey in pain, 
 Longing to rest again." 
 
310 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 As we proceeded on our way wading through the endless 
 sands of the Mkumbura river, under the blistering heat, the 
 tsetse seemed to stick faster and firmer. Sometimes we 
 came upon small pools of stagnant water, where the sand 
 was damp and walking was not so wearying ; but where 
 the sand had drifted dry and fine pedestrian progress was 
 laboured and exhausting. The Kaffirs were constantly 
 sitting down, looking as though their last step on earth had 
 been taken. 
 
 I questioned the boys as to the ground we had still to 
 cover. Their reply was that if we could reach a small town 
 called Msenza that night, we should at the rate we were 
 travelling be at Chigurindi on the Zambesi next day at 
 noon. If Sakanii was en route we should be sure to meet 
 him, as all his boys used the river road, the forest being 
 too dense to pass through direct. 
 
 At five o'clock in the afternoon we reached the junction 
 of the Mkumbura with the Umzengaizi river which we had 
 crossed near to its birthplace, away in the lonesome recesses 
 of the Umvukwe mountains, where it was about the size of 
 a little Scottish burn, although here it coursed as a river of 
 about a hundj-ed yards in width. Shallowness was the chief 
 characteristic of the stream, which at no place exceeded a 
 yard in depth, it being the dry season of the year. The 
 rains would not begin until the end of October or be- 
 ginning of November, two or three months later. At the 
 junction of the channel the width was about four hundred 
 yards, but the Mkumbura had no running water. 
 
 Crossing the Umzengaizi we travelled hard, and long after 
 daylight had departed we halted beside the small town of 
 Msenza. Inquiries were there made whether anything was 
 known of Sakanii, and to my unbounded delight and 
 astonishment I was told that the object of our anxious 
 
KING SAKANII AT LAST ! 311 
 
 and weary search was resting in the town with a krge party 
 of followers. 
 
 I at once sent word that I was near at hand and had 
 come with a view to seeing him. When the boys returned 
 Umfana's (my interpreter) face was aglow with joy at our 
 having encountered the important man we were in search 
 of, and in whose hands our fate might be said to rest. 
 Umfana stated that the king would be glad to see me. 
 
 I then made my way to the enclosure, inside of which 
 were numerous huts. At one end of the enclosure beneath 
 the canopy of a sunshade hut I found the all-important 
 Sakanii, whose figure was distinct in the ruddy light of a 
 fire and two candles. 
 
 Candles ! Here was civilisation absolute ! What other 
 luxuries I wondered would be there to fill me with astonish- 
 ment ? 
 
 King Sakanii received me most courteously. At a rapid 
 glance I could see that he travelled in as comfortable a 
 way as possible. I had a depressing consciousness that he 
 looked upon my condition as being somewhat dilai)idated. 
 He asked me curious questions. Eep lying to one of them 
 — " How I travelled ? " — I clearly astounded him by saying 
 that I had been on foot for months, and that I had arrived 
 from Chibinga in less than two days. Of course I told him 
 that it was impossible for me to bring any animals here for 
 fear of the " fly." 
 
 Sakanii then proceeded to tell me of some of his ex- 
 cesses in the way of comfort. He was carried; he only 
 walked a little for the sake of his health. I should see 
 in the morning how nicely his people ran along with him, 
 drumming and singing happily, ever active as long as there 
 was a noise. 
 
 " If you are not too tired," he said, " we will start in the 
 
812 THE FAR INTERIOB. 
 
 morning. I am going to Chibinga, and have plenty of cloth 
 and beads to buy ivory from the Msenga people." 
 
 We could get on fairly well in conversation, but he was a 
 difficult man to understand. He was very dark in com- 
 plexion, but his features were good. His figure was slight 
 and active. He informed me that he claimed the country 
 we were in, and also had a town called Chigurindi on the 
 Zambesi. The town was situated between Zumbo and the 
 mouth of the Umzengaizi river. 
 
 Sakanii's father was named Vicente Rubero de Fonseca, 
 which also was his own name, although the natives called 
 him Sakanii. His mother was the old native lady, my 
 friend at Chibinga, of whom I have already spoken. 
 
 Coffee was made, and it seemed to me to be the most 
 refreshing beverage I had ever imbibed ; it had the effect of 
 an enlivening tonic, and invigorated my mind with brighter 
 prospects. I felt as though I could reach Chibinga in a 
 day, although the distance was over fifty miles by the 
 course we had taken. 
 
 A number of the natives who accompanied Sakanii were 
 of the Wazezurus (of the Banyai family), as they are termed 
 by the Portuguese. They knock out the upper incisors 
 between the eye teeth, the deprivation giving them a singu- 
 larly hideous appearance. 
 
 At Msenza I was within half a day's journey of the 
 Zambesi, this being the second time — the first was at 
 Chuzu's — I was near the great river, although fate decreed 
 that I should see its waters from yet another point. But 
 even if it had not been necessary to return to Chibinga to 
 fulfil my contracts with the boys, I could not have canoed 
 down the river to Tette on account of the Kebrabasa 
 rapids. Step by step I would have to tread the old tracks 
 back to Chibinga — and then ? Nous verrons. 
 
A MERRY MARCH. 313 
 
 Early in the morning the beat of the batiika (drum) 
 announced that the time for departure had arrived. A 
 biscuit and a cup of coffee formed our hasty matutinal 
 meal, after which the novel caravan went on its way to 
 Chibinga. After crossing the Umzengaizi river wo renewed 
 our acquaintance with the soft yielding sand of the bed of 
 the Mkumbura river. Much to my amazement the men 
 who bore Senhor Rubero de Fonseca in his machilla* ran 
 quickly and almost with gusto through the sand, although 
 it gave way under their feet at every step, and the perspira- 
 tion in. beading streams rolled over their shining ebony 
 skins. Noise was essential in these abnormal efforts of 
 energy. The more the drums were beaten, the greater 
 the spirit displayed by the bearers in quickening their 
 pace. Under such conditions the Kaffirs have very strong 
 staying powers ; noise influencing their progress just in the 
 same way as music lightens the feet of dancers. The 
 party progressed under the piercing heat of a fiery sun, 
 which, glaring from a cloudless sky, certainly made the day 
 the hottest I had spent in all my life. The dazzling effect 
 of the glistening white sands was as powerful against the 
 eyes as the blinding reflections of snow-covered regions. 
 
 Sakanii's party had a good start, for until I had given 
 myself a good hour's work progress was very slow. But 
 after warming to the task, and in spite of my shoes being 
 full of sand, the pain became less, and I hobbled along like 
 a " six-days-go-as-you-please " man. There was no stopping. 
 To cool off would be ruinous, and would involve much 
 difficulty in getting into swing again. When the machilla 
 bearers rested I would pass them, so that on the whole 
 
 ♦ The pole was a choice piece of bamboo about four and a half inclies 
 through and thirteen feet in length, covered with zebra hide, witli wreath- 
 like wrappings of zebra mane at each end of the pole. 
 
 VOL. I. ^ 
 
314 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 we were pretty equal ; I making as good time as I could 
 do, for five-and-twenty miles would have to be covered 
 before night, and I was determined to reach our destination 
 simultaneously with the other party. 
 
 Bodily pain told that I was a fitter subject for the machilla 
 than its occupant, Senhor Rubero. 
 
 The tsetse were not so bad as they had been on the 
 previous day. Nevertheless they kept our arms busy all 
 the while. In the afternoon there came towards the banks 
 of the river numerous wart hogs, impala in great numbers, 
 and koodoo. In the bed of the stream I saw a herd of 
 reed buck (Gervicapra arundinacea). It is a marvellously 
 beautiful sight to see these animals leaping away in rapid 
 retreat, one after the other bounding high in the air with 
 quickly impulsive and yet remarkably graceful leaps. 
 
 Camp-making formed a very lively scene. Compared 
 with my small escort, the sight of a force of eighty picked 
 followers busily at work was quite imposing. When I 
 pitched my small, and, by that time, rather filthy little 
 bed-cover, the contrast between it and Senhor Rubero's 
 sumptuous residential marquee was so marked that the sight 
 occasioned no slight merriment. Laughter rang out on all 
 hands, and I at once had an invitation from the king 
 to share space with him, which I accepted, although I was 
 very well satisfied with my humble but serviceable cover. 
 
 Similar experiences and trials were encountered next 
 day, the tsetse being particularly diligent. Evening, how- 
 ever, showed that we had a good record of miles left behind, 
 reducing the distance to Chibinga to ten miles, which 
 we arranged to cover next morning. 
 
 My mind had a feeling of airy gladness when I thought 
 that I should now be in a position to satisfy the expectations 
 of my long-suffering men before they set out on their return 
 
RETURN TO CHIBINOA. 315 
 
 homewards, and to show that after all there was a possi- 
 bility of meeting some one foreign to them who would keep 
 his word. 
 
 As yet I had not revealed to my new friend Senhor Rubero 
 what my wishes were with regard to the boys ; but in the 
 evening, as we sat comfortably imbibing our coffee upon 
 a cane mat and surrounded by numerous camp-fires, which 
 shed a warm and cheerful light upon the scene, I told him 
 where I had come from, and what my intentions wore with 
 regard to future movements. I informed him that all my 
 boys were going to leave me here, and that 1 hoped I could 
 rely upon his assistance in finding men to proceed with me 
 upon my journey. 1 also asked for some coffee. His reply 
 was that he could give me men, but only a little coffee, as 
 he had brought with him but a small quantity for his own 
 use ; such a luxury, as a matter of course, having no sale 
 among the Kaffirs. 
 
 Long before daybreak I was up and on the march. I 
 wanted to get a good start of my friend, whose constant 
 relays of macMlleiros permitted a running pace to be kept 
 up, altogether too fast for me under the circumstances. 
 
 The morning air was cool, and I made a good gap between 
 us before Eubero succeeded in striking his tent and getting 
 under way. We crossed fresh spoor of the rhinoceros 
 (black). Something like the excitement of a race inspired 
 the onward movement, but I knew that we should soon be 
 overtaken. I listened with a keen ear, and gradually the 
 faint rumble of drums could be heard in the distance, be- 
 coming more audible and swelling louder and louder until 
 the pursuing party came in sight and were upon us. 
 
 Now, however, the evenly poled walls of Chibinga were 
 visible in front. In dense masses the inhabitants swarmed 
 out of the town. As they excitedly rushed forward in mad 
 
316 THE FAR INTERIOR. 
 
 exultation, the machilleiros shouted with a new vigour, and 
 drums were beaten with redoubled energy, ceaselessly 
 encouraging the heated throng which moved helter-skelter 
 towards the town. All together we arrived in the plaza 
 of Chibinga just as the hands of my watch touched the 
 hour of nine. Right in front of us was Senhor Ruber^'s 
 house. We had been away for four days and four hours, 
 and had covered a hundred miles of ground. This state- 
 ment is given as a fact, not as a feat. 
 
 ^ 
 
 END OF VOLUME 1. 
 
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