PROSPECTING IN RHODESIA; NORTH OF TRANSVAAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2389, 14 December 1899, Page 40

PROSPECTING IN RHODESIA; NORTH OF TRANSVAAL.

By William M'Adam.

As I told you in my last, I intended taking a trip (exploring purposes) with a friend who was going about oO miles from this to locale a copper mine. We started off ten days ago, and a very curious series of experiences I have had. He had six negro porters to carry blankets, food, and a plentiful supply of talt — about 301b — to buy food on the way for them. We started at 11 o'clock on Wednesday, and inarched about 13 miles; then had our beds, made of grass, on the ground under the beautiful sky.

Next day marched 15 miles. We passed o store kept by a white man, who had married a Japanese. Paesed a lot of streams coloured milky, qr rather sky-blue milky, from the granite country through which they run ; a;>d any number of kopjes. These kopjes are peculiar to South Africa, and are hillocks of all sizes of granite rocks, pilec 1 up in most erratic confusion, 40ft high often, and representing thousands of tons. We -camped on Thursday at a stream — t.he first clear water — called the Shitora.

On Friday we passed a lot of Kaffir gardens, where they grow their grain, and camped near a kraal. Our beareis found some largo an<l small pots of beer. They stole one of the smaller, and brought it to us. The beer was like their porridge or gruel, and had an acid, but not unpleasant, taste. The round earthenware pots were of female workmanship, and very good pottery it wa/».

Next day came to a store kept by a Britisher, near the Oomboomvoonto River, and met a prospector ; then crossed the river, and called at Tambora's kraal. Tambora came out after some delay, due to recovering from a beer drink, and also ,o don his royal robes, which consisted of steward's peaked cap and a long overcoat, both *very dirty, matching his skin. My companion had a long interview with him, getting information, and then we went off and camped in a sort of a lean-to, put up for temporary purposes by the natives.

On Sunday we dropped into a kraal, Ihe chief being Ko-sheeri. He was ju?t having a harvest bee. A number of the natives had rolled up, and were thrashing out the crop. Thir was done by all and sundry, man, woman, and child whipping the ears of corn with long, lithe wands. They then adjourned for the customary refreshment. We Fat among the aristocracy, the commoners having a place to themselves. The party got very n-erry, and the women- had a funny little dance, some of them with their children on their backs, who hung on like limpets all through the gyrations. I made the youngsters quite happy by putting a few grains of salt into their hands, anc 1 it was curious to see how they enjoyed it, and how carefully it was shared all round — not a particle wasted.

The women (beei emboldened) came quite up, and were not shy, as they usually are. They commonly keep away from white men. About a mile away went into another kraal. More salt to the kiddie?. Caused great merriment by putting a largo supply into one yc.ur.gester's mouth.

Next morning started, under the guidance of Mr Sourboa, an elderly gent, lightly clad iv about a yard of very thin cotton and a few

beads, for the Oodzie River, and also for a hot spring, which, towards evening, with some trouble, he found for us. It was very hot; the hand could scarcely be held in it. There was about as much of the water as would run through a 2-inch pipe, and it had a horrid smell, as of rotten eggs. We were now in the low, hot country. In answer to an inquiry, a native told vis that about a day's journey up the river there was a lion — a sort of old family lion (like the family ghosts and curses in some novels), which haunted a particular chief's kraal. It was looked upon as a family distinction, but I did not .quite appreciate it. However, we were not disturbed. On Tuesday we crossed the river. As my companion had a dog he did not want to lose, we got 50 pr so of the local natives to form a double row along the ford. We got through all right, also the dog, but three natives were taken by the crocodiles/ Curiously enough, one was taken from the up river row. This, lam told, is comparatively rare. A handful of salt each compensated the disconsolate widows, of whom there were five.

After marching some considerable distance we came to a nice valley full of native plantations, palm trees, and those little fan palms that are used for decorative purposes at home. We came to a place with three huts, and our bearers went nosing about, and found beer. Shortly after the owner turned vp — an elderly dame, not fat, not fair, but fully 40, with three little boys. The beer was then bought for salt, and fully discussed. We were then guided by a howling swell to a kraal. The swell was got up to kill. His head was nicely shaved, all except a triangular patch above the forehead, in which was stuck a very pretty comb, made of about seven pieces of pointed wood, something like a wooden knitting-pin, only about 4in long, tied together with brass wire in a pretty design. He had a small native knife strung round his neck, the knife's sheath covered with thin brass wire, very neatly put on. The remainder of his costume was not important. He guided us some distance, and told us how to go the rest. We then got to a kraal. It consisted of three of four skeletons of huts — just the bare framework. We camped a few yards away, so that all domestic arrangements were open to our eyes. There were several youngsters, very shy, but soon succumbing to the fascinations of salt, and we became great friends. One little one would not take the salt from me, but took it from another girl*. She then took the handful to a woman, then another woman, and so on, so that all my young friend got was a lick of her own fingers. Many a European child could not have resisted so great a treat in such a way.

Next day we were piloted to some holes in tlio ground, where the ancients worked copper. Thee were in a nice, tropical valley, with a lot of Baobab trees, about 60ft high a-ul 20fl or 30ft round. Here we were rushed by an elephant, which chased me. I can as.sure you I ' did some quick running, and jinked behind one of the; Baobabs, which tho elephant ran against so violently as to stun himself, giving my friend time to run in and hamstring him) co that. we easily killed him. Elephant's foot is very nice eating. Tho next few days we went up the river, and we nearly lost the dog by a python, which reached down fvom a tree overhead, but fortunately (?) only picked tip p, small nigger, who was employed to drive the flics off the dog. We recrossed the river, too high up for tho crocodiles, but had rather a curious adventure. Just as we were crossing, we saw what seemed to me a great snake reaching high out of the water. My companion did not hesitate a moment, but caught it with a twist of his sjambuck, a heavy whip used for driving on niggers. It was an ostrich crossing, but the current was too strong, and tore the whip from my companion's grasp ; so we lost the ostrich. Except a curious experience with baboons, we got home to Umtali all right last night.