Upon the following day I was to begin my travels alone.
Morning brought a good deal of busy, bustling work.
I t 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. Windvogel.
T h e " F a it h f u l s .”
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 D RU N K !” 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 towards 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 Fairbairn
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 my only, companions.