kopje one mass of flames and smoke, | flocks of parakeets now flew chattering even the trees blazing furiously. I and screaming overhead, and birds suppose it is partly owing to the frequency of these fires that the "bush" consists so rarely of trees higher than hawthorns, and that their stems are so conspicuously and inartistically black in color.

IX.

with notes reminding one of thrushes and larks used to depress me continually by their song; for they made me sadly regret the spring at home which I had lost, and long for the spring here which I was about to lose. I had often heard of the beautiful standard-wing nightjar, and was one day bemoaning Beira, September 17th. not having seen any, when suddenly, as WE had to hurry away from Umtali the sun went down, with noiseless several days earlier than we had in-flight one passed close to me, his long, tended, because of an alteration in the white streamers waving as he went by, time at which the steamer for the Cape and disappeared ghost-like in the darkwas to call here. So we had only time ness. for one expedition, of course to a gold mine, - but combining therewith"

At Revue huge moths, like our own emperor" but with wings five or six

much pretty scenery and pleasant com- inches across, were just coming in pany. numbers out of their cocoons; and every now and then, as you walked along, up started a monster grasshopper with scarlet wings rustling as he flew; and then down he would flop, tuck the scarlet away and become invisible again. One day I saw a strange cloud of a red-brown color, such as I had never seen before. It was a great flight of locusts, which happily passed away from us. We have had too many

of these gentry already.

The scenery from Umtali till you get to the flat coast belt, is all hilly and beautiful. Umtali is some three thousand feet above the sea, so the road descends nearly the whole way except for a long hill over the pass east of the township. Here we first saw palms and bamboos growing on the banks of the streams. The vegetation gets gradually more and more tropical as you descend, but until we got to within seventy or eighty miles of the coast, After descending the pass near Umwhere its character has become too dif- tali we came to a bit of road continuferent from the high plateau to com- ally crossed by deep dongas,' or pare with it, we were surprised to find watercourses, with a very steep pitch that the spring seemed less advanced in and out such as it would never the lower we came, in spite of a warmer occur to one as possible to drive into atmosphere. Indeed, at Salisbury in in England, but which one takes as a the middle of August, the flowers were matter of course out here. Still, when as much out as at Umtali nearly a fort-lying in bed at night, with one's head night after; and it was only after heavy down and one's feet up, feeling as if rain a week later that we saw many the wagon were at an angle of fortynew flowers spring up. Among these five degrees, while the oxen vainly was a pretty scarlet flower shaped somewhat like a periwinkle, over which we spent much time in attempts to dig it up; but as after going down about a foot and a half its single long root never showed any indication of diminishing in size, much less of coming to an end, we at last desisted in despair. Birds and insects increased greatly in numbers and variety as we descended. There had been comparatively few of either on the high plateau. Large

endeavored to draw it up the side of the gully, one could not help wondering what would happen to one if the trekchain broke. I said something of this sort to our conductor one day, when he immediately regaled me with one or two stories of such accidents, all ending, "the wagons were smashed to bits."

All the way down to the railway we continually passed by lines of "boys " carrying goods on their heads to Um

disc, with a hole in the middle by which it is hung round the neck. The disc is about as large as the bottom of a tumbler, and with a deep spiral groove on one side, the other being quite smooth. I cannot make out whether these are natural or artificial. They are said to come from a long way off inland, and it is very difficult to induce a native to part with one.

tali, and returning unloaded. This is occasionally see, is an ivory-colored because of the difficulties of transport, owing to the tsetse fly in the low ground. Mr. Coope, who accompanied us from Umtali, showed quite a genius in persuading these natives to sell us their knives and other treasures. He would begin by talking to them, gradually bringing them into such a state of good humor that they kept bursting into fits of laughter. Then he would proceed to barter for the article we Considering how short is the hair on wanted, and gradually wheedled them their woolly pates, it is wonderful what into pulling it out with reluctant hands variety of ways the natives have of and pathetic smile, yet unable to resist arranging it. Many wear combs made the voice of the charmer -and the of a dozen or more quills tied together bright rupees temptingly held before in the shape of a half-closed fan, and them. Nearly all these " boys car- this often fastens in one or two shabby ried pillows small carved wooden bits of ostrich or other feathers. Somestands with a concave top, on which to times they divide the hair by wide rest the back of the head. Personally, partings all over the head, so that it is I had far rather sleep with my head left in long parallel ridges. But one on the ground than resting on one of of the most peculiar ways of decoratthese, but tastes differ. Some of the ing it, is by taking a number of small natives had oblong dishes cut out of locks and tying each of them closely thick bark, or carried the food of their round and round with a wisp of grass, party wrapped up in a kind of cloth leaving a little tuft at the end, so that made of bark, got chiefly from the their heads look exactly as if they had machabel-tree. This tree has a leaf stuck on a sort of cocks-comb of furather like a polypody fern, but with sees. many more leaflets-I have counted as many as nineteen on each side and growing in graceful tufts like bunches of ostrich feathers. It is one of the most beautiful and characteristic trees in the country. The natives also usually carry knives, often with handles and sheaths most artistically decorated by getting fire on former occasions. in patterns with fine brass or copper wire (probably made in Germany). Sometimes knobkerries and assegais are similarly ornamented. Very often they carry a pointed piece of iron, like a large packing needle, in a sheath hung round the neck by a thong of leather like a boot-lace. This is for taking thorns out of their feet. With it are frequently hung a few brass rings like curtain-rings, or a snuff-box. These last are of many sorts, cleverly carved in wood, and of an infinite variety of shapes and patterns; or made from the seed vessels of different plants, carefully hollowed out.

Another much-prized ornament you

One of the men who passed us had two sticks for making fire, and he showed us how he did it. One of the sticks was about fifteen inches long, and about half an inch in diameter. The other was flatter, and had already in it several shallow round holes made

He took the latter piece, and having cut a smaller, irregular-shaped hole in it, he squatted on the ground holding it firmly down at each end by his two feet. He then took the first piece of stick and held it upright between his two palms, and with the point of the lower end resting in the hole he had just made in the horizontal stick. He twirled the upright stick rapidly between his hands, and in less than a minute it had bored a round hole in the other, and the dust so produced began to smoke and then ignited like tinder. A companion brought a little handful of fine dry grass which caught a spark from this, and which he held half en

closed in the palms of his hands, gently | joyed. I felt quite a lump in my throat blowing on it till it flamed up. It is as our wagon turned away, and only perfectly marvellous how little the na- saved the situation by taking a hasty tives mind being burned by a fire."snap-shot as it departed. From They will stand over one while the there to the coast you have to go flames are licking up their bare legs through "the fly" as they always say and never move, and will keep their here; that is, the belt of land infested hands and feet in red-hot ashes with with the tsetse fly, whose bite is certhe utmost indifference for several sec-tain death to cattle, horses, and dononds.

reims

keys, though the latter often live for a few months after being bitten. Mr. Coope had made arrangements for our journey from Chimoio's to the railway by engaging two sets of carriers and a

sounds rather a large order, but it proved Mr. Coope's appreciation of the situation; for when we reached Chimoio's we found that the engine drivers were drunk, the commandant's promises had not got beyond the stage of words, and one set of carriers had vanished. Luckily there remained the set of carriers Mr. Coope had brought with him. The contents of the wagon were spread out on the ground, and to each carrier was given his appointed load, the efforts of some of them to skulk off with less than their share of weight being amusing to watch. The commandant and his English wife entertained us with the utmost hospitality, and at last, about three in the afternoon, we started, the gentlemen walking, and I in a hammock. We had not gone very far before we came on the traction-engine standing deserted by the roadside, the men in charge having

Two nights after we left Umtali our four mules bolted with the spider, which coming against the wheel of our wagon was finally reduced to a condition beyond even the powers of the traction-engine, besides arranging with trekker's friend to remedy. the Portuguese commandant (for we So it was left behind at the Revue had entered Portuguese territory at River. Here also one of our horses Massikessi) for another set of carriers died, in spite of the eager ministrations and a machila or hammock. This of the whole party. Near there are some very tall fan-palms. Were it not for the veldt fires there would soon be a large grove of them, for there were any number of young ones coming up, and the burnt remains of many more. During the few days of our stay at Revue we had a good deal of rain, coming unusually early in the season, and we had thus an opportunity of ob- | serving the difference in comfort of a life on the veldt during wet or dry weather. It is certainly not an agreeable life to remain cooped up in a wagon, shivering in clothes in which you formerly complained of heat; the wood too wet to make a fire, and with the knowledge that if the rain goes on much longer you will run short of spirits of wine and be unable even to make tea. Luckily the situation was not prolonged to this point with us. The dark, rainy nights are those in which lions do most abound, and a few miles off Dennison heard them roaring near where he had outspanned on his way back to join us with the buckwagon. This gave me hopes that I might still come across one, but we got down to Chimoio's without seeing anything of greater interest than a puffadder, and the lions abstained from even a grunt.

At Chimoio's we bade a final farewell to our conductor and boys and to the trekking life we had so much en

gone on the burst." Most of our way lay along the half-finished railwayline, high grass or bush on either side, and quantities of lovely lilac petunialike flowers bordering the track.

amble

Practised machila - bearers along at a rate of about six miles an hour, but mine only went about four, and as they went, when Mr. Coope, who understood their language, was not near enough to hear them, they sang songs in which the words "Makadze Máma " (Lady Mother, — mother being

a term of respect among the natives) We reached ninety mile peg just in continually recurred. Whether they time to catch the train, and were alsang in my praise or not I cannot tell, lowed to go down to seventy-five mile but as when previously bargaining with peg in one of the empty trucks. For Mr. Coope about their pay, they had some way we kept along the watershed, admitted that though tall I was not fat, which in some parts is so narrow that I hope it was the former. you almost see over both sides at once. At dusk we stopped after going about Once or twice we went through a patch ten miles, and then found that two of of almost tropical forest. The trees our carriers were missing, and those were very large- they would look two carried most of our food and uten- large in England with tall, bare sils. We had some tea, a little very stems. Some were buttressed at the peppery desiccated soup, some very dry bottom as though boards had been put salt ham, and some biscuits, - not an against them; others looked like living inviting meal for tired and thirsty men. | fagots, the sticks of which had partly With the aid of a patrol-tin, a basin, a grown together and sprouted at the frying-pan, and the lid of a biscuit-tin, top. which had to do treble duty as cups, plates, pots, and pans, we managed very well.

A few miles from "seventy-five," the line winds along a series of narrow The tent was put up for cuttings and embankments, from the latter of which you get very fine extended views, the crimson of the magoussy-trees and the rich green of the large Kaffir plums, which remind me of evergreen oaks, giving a splendid effect of color, backed by blue hills in the distance. The line is single, the gauge only two feet, and the earthen embankments are so extremely high and steep that they look as though they must be washed out with the first heavy rain. As we passed through one of the cuttings a snake, which had evidently fallen in over the top, reared itself up and struck at our truck with all its force, falling back impotently, as with the indifference of fate the train pursued the even tenor of its way.

me, and the men slept outside wrapped in waterproof sheets. It was lucky they had them, for the dew was so heavy that the tent was dripping inside when I got up next morning. We were off again by sunrise, only stopping for an hour or so before midday to rest and eat, and hurrying on in hopes of catching a "construction " train which was to bring up rails to "ninety mile peg." Mr. Coope had surveyed a good deal of this country some time before, and told me that near here he had been waked one night by myriads of bites, and found he was assailed by a column of ants marching across country and destroying everything in their course. Every chicken he had was bitten to death by them, for being shut up they At seventy-five" we were taken could not escape. I don't think I have straight to Herkuer's, the only "house ever mentioned the "stink ants" to of accommodation" in the place which you. They are the only kind that ever has no bar; and I must say that the troubled us. It is said that if you an- following night I was thankful there noy them in any way, as, for instance, was such an abode to go to, for anyby treading on them or unwittingly thing like the noise and drunkenness at burning them in your campfire, they the bars I never heard. We had some emit a most horrible odor. Certainly nice little huts to sleep in with thatched every now and then we did experience roofs and bamboo walls. On arriving such odors, but I never investigated to we asked for dinner, and were told that see whether they were made by the they would neither provide us with ants or not. No other insects ever food nor cook for us, though they troubled us at all, during the whole of our wagon journey, though the horses and cattle were covered with ticks.

66

would allow us a Barmecide's feast in the shape of empty cups and plates. Luckily our missing boys having turned up, we had some provisions

with us, and though I cannot say that | and-span uniformed guard of England,

either their quality or variety were very enticing, we were far beyond minding trifles of that sort. On the second day we attempted to improve our fare by buying some tinned cabbage at the store, but when opened the odor was such that with one accord we fled hastily from the hut.

spent his time in trying to shoot every hawk or crow we passed. It amused him, and did not hurt the birds. When not shooting he kept striking matches and throwing them into the long grass on either side, and whenever it caught fire he pointed out the fact to us with conscious pride. He must have used up several boxes in this way. I caught a number of tsetse flies in the train, which were buzzing about just as a horsefly would do at home, but unluckily some ants afterwards got into the box in which I kept them and ate them all up. A little way from Fontesvilla two of the wheels of our railway carriage went off the line. This is apparently so common an occurrence that some of the passengers did not on this occasion even take the trouble to get out. In about ten minutes the wheels were put back on the line, and we reached Fontesvilla safely, having been nine hours going seventy-five miles.

Our carriers were paid the day after we arrived, and immediately proceeded to a neighboring store, where they spent a large proportion of the 4s. 6d. they had earned in purchasing the storekeeper's whole stock of parasols marvellous objects, with each section of a different and flaring color. The boys paraded the village with these over their heads, grinning from ear to ear with child-like delight. It was the more comic as they don't care a bit how hot the sun is on their heads, and anything they put on them is simply with a view to ornament, as, for instance, the brim of a straw hat without its crown. But some tribes always wear hats, some of which are like our famil- Fontesvilla is on the banks of the iar " chimney-pots, ," but made of grass, Pungwe, which is here a tidal river. and looking quite as absurd. The men- The S.S. Kimberley came up soon tion of parasols reminds me of what I after our arrival, and we were hurried do not think I told you before-how I off into it, as the captain wished to broke the stick of my umbrella at Pa- start before the tide turned. Neverlapsye, and had it mended by a Bechu-theless, soon after starting, we stuck ana native. It came back spliced with on a sandbank, and remained there till ornamental brass wire-work in beautiful patterns. The only drawback was that it would neither open nor shut.

Next morning we left by train for Fontesvilla, the line being laid in zigzags where the ground sloped steeply, and the last few miles crossing an absolutely flat plain just above the level of the sea, and one vast marsh in the rainy season. Here we ought to have seen herds of zebras, buffaloes, and all sorts of antelopes, as they frequently come pretty close to the train; but our usual luck attended us, and though I was told that the distant black dots were some of these animals, they might just as well have been the common cow for anything I could see.

The guard of our train, whose red and yellow" blazer" and shabby grey wideawake hardly recalled the spick

the tide rose again next morning. The Pungwe is very wide here, and the water is so muddy as to curdle in almost solid masses as the steamer cuts through it. The land on either side is absolutely flat, and very little above the level of the water. It is clothed with innumerable small trees about the size of large hop-poles, which are said to be mangroves. These are continually undermined by the current, and the banks seem to consist of nothing but the overhanging roots of trees about to fall, while the edge of the water is lined with those that have already fallen. White egrets stand in the mud among them, and in one place we saw a troop of monkeys clambering along. We reached Beira on September 13th, being most kindly received by the British consul, and are now wait