the country will present no difficulties worthy to be
mentioned by the side of those which have already been
overcome. Never for one moment has my faith in the
future of these countries faltered, and I believe just as
strongly to-day that Rhodesia will be one of the greatest
countries in Africa as I did when I first visited it five
years ago.*
A MASHONA V IL LA GE.
* This was written in 1896, and since then the extraordinary rapidity with
which the railway to Bulawayo has been built has proved how right I was
to believe in the future of this magnificent country. Mr. Rhodes’s foresight
has surmounted all the obstacles in his path; and while, on the one hand,
the disasters that have befallen Rhodesia one after the other have caused the
loss of a year in the development of the country, on the other, the marvellous
rapidity with which the Mafeking-Bulawayo railway has been pushed forward
has placed Rhodesia in a position that the province would not otherwise have
attained— before, at least, half a dozen years hence. The best proof of the
absolute confidence placed in the country and its administration by those who
are on the spot is the fact that, notwithstanding last year’s disasters, there has
been no drop, but rather an increase, in the value of property.
C H A P T E R X.
F RO M S A L I S B U R Y TO T E T E
H AVING collected all the information I required, I
began to think about my future plans. I did not
wish to return by the way I had come j I was anxious
to visit the Portuguese territory, and I
consulted Dr. Jameson as to the best
way of reaching Tete. He strongly advised
me not to go straight to Tete, as
little or no water was to be found on
the way; he suggested that I should
go to Zumbo, an easier way, which
would also enable me to visit the Sino'ia
caves. Having completed my arrangements,
I left Salisbury at half-past ten
at night on the 10th of October, 1892,
and camped outside the town. Dr.
Jameson had kindly lent me a Scotch
cart, and-Mr. Borrow (who was afterwards
killed with Major Wilson) some oxen. The Scotch
cart proved too small, and I hired a waggon at a farm
a day or two’s journey out of the town.
The country through which we were travelling was
mostly open and undulating, with bush here and there.
At times, however, we had to cross heavy swamps, and
with a waggon these were no joke. As we approached
Sinoia the bush became thicker and the country most
mountainous.
During the first week of the journey there was no
2 1 3
T Y P E OF MAKOLOKOLO
(Sinoi'a, M ashonaland).