most Satanic description, looking all the time devilishly
upon the upturned face of the watch. I then walked slowly
and solemnly round the waggon, describing a fair circle,
from which I mysteriously waved the crowd away, tacitly
intimating that within the charmed radius mortal man
dare not come. I then stood still, and again gazing at the
watch declared in fearful tones that whoever stole during
my absence would be known and overtaken by a dreadful
vengeance. I t was amusing to observe the terror and awe
depicted upon the faces of the astonished crowd.
We were hardly half a mile on our way when Karemba
gave out the interesting news that we had forgotten the
sheep and the goat. No time was to be lost, so back we
went at “ the double.” Again the endless question turned
up, “ Where, in the devil’s name, was Taroman ? ” Only
after a long search did we discover the scoundrel talking
to some Mashona women.
He said he had lost one of the sheep, so that now we had
only two left, besides the poor goat, which was just like a
dog in its tameness.
Had the old humbug lost all the sheep I could have
understood the calamity, but to lose one, when the little
beasts were always inseparable, was beyond the limits of
comprehension. I could not help thinking that Taroman,
with his rascal instincts, had one of the animals slyly
hidden for future “ lifting.”
“ Ah ! ” said the hypocritical delinquent, “ I shall never
see master again.”
“ And lucky for me, too! ” I thought; for I would
certainly become prematurely aged if he remained long
in my train.
We soon overtook the party, which by this time had
reached the southern bank of the Hanyane river. The
waterway at this point was about sixty yards wide and
averaging three feet deep. We crossed to the northern
bank, and much to my delight I found that the majority
of the camp-followers—altogether a troublesome incubus
had remained on the other side of the river, being averse
to the wetting.
Crossing the Umtenge river, a small affluent of the
Hanyane, meandering through a country splendidly adapted
MODE OF CROSSING RIVERS.
for farming, and overgrown by coarse, yellow-tinged grass
closely resembling fields of ripened wheat, the party suddenly
came to a dead stop, the chorus being that they
would camp and sleep on this favoured spot. As a matter
of course, John lay down, and said that he was sick, very
sick indeed! But I was both anxious as well as determined
to proceed, and would allow no loitering or malingering
at this point. A vigorous protest was necessary; so I at