the veins on the surface here is exceedingly rare compared
with other mining districts I have visited. I t 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 profitable
way of reducing these ores. So far prospecting has
merely meant that the white man has followed the workings,
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 irregular
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 imperiling
their possessions but actually their lives for the
ignis fatwus of a rich lode. The chances are really a thousand
to one against finding a really good one.
Here in Tati, however, we get an insight into misplaced
ambition, and a painful exemplification of absolute ignorance
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 “ headquarters”
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.