File:Matabele land and the Victoria Falls (Plate 6) (6895836258).jpg

I50 MATABELE LAND. forward all letters to him from Maritzburg ; so when I arrived here and found none I could not make it out. To-day, however, a note arrived, the monthly mail coming in. This note was from Hepburn, telling me that a letter and newspapers were at his house for me, and directing me to apply to a converted native, who is studying for the church, and who, with others like him, forms a college adjoining the missionary houses. I was not long in going up, and found the things as he had said, amongst his books. ... " I left Tati for this place on the 4th of April, and reached here in a week. I had to come here for supplies. It is about 150 miles ; but the journey is no trifle. I generally trekked during the night, and slept comfortably, the ground being soft sand for the most part, and the waggon going slowly and without jolts. We usually made two treks of perhaps three hours each, say from 3 to 6, and from 8 to 11 p.m., and set off again about 2 a.m. and trekked till sunrise, which was about 6 a.m., making a trek of about four hours. Call our rate of travelling two miles an hour in heavy ground, this gives about twenty miles a day, roughly, and this is good trekking, and could not be kept up for long. Now. however, there is still plenty of grass and water, though winter is setting in and the rains nearly over. Two waggons accompanied me, with two traders and a hunter in them. The latter is quite a young fellow, who left England three years ago. He was educated at Rugby. One of the two traders was Fairbairn,