| PAGE | |
|---|---|
| Frontispiece. | |
| Pond near Coetze’s Farm | [4] |
| Graves under the Camel-thorn Trees at Mamusa | [6] |
| Shooting Wild Geese at Moffat’s Salt Pan | [9] |
| Hunting among the Rocks at Molema | [11] |
| Baboon Rocks | [14] |
| On the Banks of the Matebe Rivulet | [24] |
| Crocodile in the Limpopo | [32] |
| Battle on the Heights of Bamangwato | [43] |
| Grottoes of the Luala | [46] |
| Troop of Ostriches | [49] |
| Masarwas chasing the Eland | [50] |
| Pursued by Matabele | [52] |
| The Soa Salt Lake | [57] |
| Hunting the Zulu Hartebeest | [62] |
| In the Tree | [66] |
| Startled by Lions | [76] |
| “Pit, are you asleep?” | [91] |
| Nocturnal Attack by Lion | [102] |
| Elephant Hunting | [107] |
| Elephants on the March | [108] |
| Boating on the Zambesi | [110] |
| Impalera | [111] |
| Removal to New Sesheke | [122] |
| Masupia Grave | [127] |
| On the Banks of the Chobe | [129] |
| Hippopotamus Hunting | [132] |
| Game Country near Blockley’s Kraal | [133] |
| In the Papyrus Thickets | [136] |
| Reception at Sepopo’s | [137] |
| Port of Sesheke | [140] |
| Musical Instruments of the Marutse | [147] |
| Kishi-Dance | [169] |
| Mask of a Kishi-Dancer | [170] |
| On the Shores of the Zambesi | [176] |
| A Troop of Giraffes surprised | [184] |
| Aquatic Life in a still Pool by the Zambesi | [187] |
| The Victoria Falls | [194] |
| The Lion expected | [201] |
| Encounter with a Tiger | [213] |
| Hunting the Spur-winged Goose | [214] |
| King Sepopo | [220] |
| The Prophetic Dance of the Masupias | [229] |
| Visit of the Queens | [232] |
| Chase of the Water-Antelope | [249] |
| Lion Hunt near Sesheke | [253] |
| Mashukulumbe at the Court of King Sepopo | [258] |
| Sepopo’s Doctor | [264] |
| A Mabunda. A Makololo | [265] |
| Mankoe | [266] |
| Types of Marutse | [267] |
| A Mambari. A Matonga | [271] |
| Ascending the Zambesi | [274] |
| My boat wrecked | [276] |
| Night Visit from Lions at Sioma | [280] |
| In the Manekango Rapids | [281] |
| Otter-shooting on the Chobe | [283] |
| Spearing Fish | [290] |
| Walk through Sesheke | [292] |
| A Masupia.—A Panda | [297] |
| Singular Rock | [299] |
| Drowning useless People | [300] |
| Sepopo’s Head Musician | [302] |
| Marutse-Mabunda Calabashes for Honey-mead and Corn | [305] |
| Bark Basket and Calabashes for holding Corn, used by the Mabundas | [308] |
| Mabunda Ladle and Calabashes | [311] |
| Marutse-Mabunda Pipes | [344] |
| Pipes for smoking Dacha | [345] |
| Scene on the Zambesi Shores at Sesheke | [351] |
| Camp in the Leshumo Valley | [354] |
| Wana Wena, the new King of the Marutse | [357] |
| Ruins of Rocky Shasha | [372] |
| Boer’s Wife defending her Waggon against Kafirs | [402] |
| Masarwas Drinking | [405] |
| Lioness attacking Cattle on the Tati River | [409] |
| Leopard in Pit Jacobs’ House | [415] |
| Return to the Diamond Fields | [418] |
| Koranna Homestead near Mamusa | [420] |
| Mission House in Molopolole | [424] |
| Night Journey | [430] |
| Fingo Boy | [432] |
| My House in Bultfontein | [434] |
| Rock Inscriptions by Bushmen | [438] |
| Capture of an Earth-Pig | [440] |
| Colonel Warren | [449] |
| Bella | [454] |
| Narrow Escape near Cradock | [460] |
| Main Street in Port Elizabeth | [468] |
| Fingo Village at Port Elizabeth | [469] |
SEVEN YEARS IN SOUTH AFRICA.
THIRD JOURNEY INTO THE INTERIOR.
CHAPTER I.
FROM THE DIAMOND FIELDS TO THE MOLAPO.
Departure from Dutoitspan—Crossing the Vaal—Graves in the Harts River valley—Mamusa—Wild-goose shooting on Moffat’s Salt Lake—A royal crane’s nest—Molema’s Town—Barolong weddings—A lawsuit—Cold weather—The Malmani valley—Weltufrede farm.
I was now standing on the threshold of my real design. After three years spent upon the glowing soil of the dark continent, the scene of the endurances and the renown of many an enthusiast, I had now arrived at the time for putting into execution the scheme I had projected. My feelings necessarily were of a very mingled character. Was I sufficiently inured to the hardships that could not be separated from the undertaking? Could I fairly indulge the hope of reaching the goal for which I had so long forsaken home, kindred, and friends? The experience of my two preliminary journeys made me venture to answer both these questions without misgiving. I had certainly gained a considerable insight into the nature of the country; I had learned the character of the contingencies that might arise from the disposition of the natives and their mode of dealing, and I had satisfied myself of the necessity as well as the comfort of having trustworthy associates on whom I could rely. Altogether I felt justified in commencing what I designed to be really a journey of exploration. At the same time I could not be otherwise than alive to the probability that some unforeseen difficulty might arise which no human effort could surmount.
It was a conflict of hopes and fears, but the picture of the Atlantic at Loanda seemed to unfold itself to my gaze, and its attraction was irresistible; hitherto in my lesser enterprises I had been favoured by fortune, and why should she now cease to smile? I felt that there was everything to encourage me, and definitely resolved to face the difficulties that an expedition into the interior of Africa cannot fail to entail.
It was on the 2nd of March, 1875, that I left Dutoitspan. I went first of all to a friend at Bultfontein, intending to stay with him until the 6th, and there to complete my preparations. Not alone was it my scheme to explore Southern-Central Africa, but I hardly expected to return to Cape Colony at all, consequently my arrangements on leaving this time were rather more complicated than they had been on the two previous occasions.