travelled with, and had always been Jack’s particular chum.
They had not seen each other for months, but Jack
had at once spotted his old friend. But the most curious
part of the performance was to come. After lying down
together for a few minutes they got up, and Jack began
to examine in an inquisitive fashion the head of his
friend, then started licking'him on the eye, soon braying
in the most heartrending fashion. I discovered afterwards
that the pony had had an eye put out since we last saw
him, and there is no doubt that the donkey expressed his
sorrow for his friend. This donkey was the most intelligent
animal I ever had in my possession.
Anxious to return to Europe without delay, I enquired
about means of transport. I soon heard that
the Macloutsie ’ post - cart had left the day before
my arrival. I then enquired about the oxen that
had been sent to my camp while I was on the
Zambezi. I heard that they had been sent, at the request
of the French Consul at the Cape, by the Bechuanaland
Trading Association, and that £9 apiece had been
charged for them. Considering that, at that time, the
best& oxen were worth £6 , and that four out of the
twelve that had been sent, ranged between 12 and 15
years of age, ¡1 found that a little too much advantage,
had been taken of the fix I . was in. But better still
followed. The next day the manager of this Company
sent me a bill for 1 5s., for petty expenses connected with
the cashing of the money, being the cost of a wire sent
to know whether the French Consul was good for the
amount. This, of course, I declined to pay. Then wishing
to get rid of the whole of my outfit, I went to see the
manager, and asked him to take back the animals. He
replied that to oblige me he would do so, and offered
me £ 3 per head ! I was offered £4.0 for a waggon that
had cost over ¿120. Disgusted, I made up my mind
to leave Palapshwe ; fresh meat and rest had worked
wonders with my health, and I decided that, rather
than make a present of the waggon and oxen, I would
get some use out of them.
So that, to everybody’s astonishment, four days later
I started for Matabeleland.
“ Why, have you not had enough of it ? ” asked someone
of me.
“ No,” I replied; “ I am only just at the beginning of
my trip.”
I little thought then, that a couple of years later, I
should still be at it, and that I should find myself in
Uganda.