PREFACE.
T h e s e volumes do not contain the story of an expedition
in the accepted meaning of that term : in other words, they
do not relate the intentions, progress, and achievements of
an organised and fully-equipped company entering and
traversing unknown territory. Records of such expeditions,
more particularly in connection with African investigation,
are numerous; but in the case of the present narrative I
hope for a hearing because my journey was undertaken and
accomplished alone; I was unaided, and had no companionship
of white men, neither had I a corps of regularly
enlisted carriers.
When, at Chibinga, I was abandoned by the few so far
faithful Kaffirs, who had accompanied me northwards from
Matabeli-land, I was left to depend upon personal resources—
to seek food and guides from the various wild tribes whom I
encountered.
From that circumstance I imagine that the recital of my
experiences should present a very clear reflection of the
natural life of some of the races in south-east equatorial
Africa. What I mean by this is, that regularly organised
bodies of men, total strangers to the communities they
meet with, are often kept at a distance from the people
through natural suspicion or prejudice. Being alone, and
taking guides merely from tribe to tribe, I was looked upon
generally as a sort of curiosity, although it must be remarked
that through this very solitariness several dangerous