By the 21st of May Frank Oates was again back at Tati from Bamangwato, this time completing the journey without further mishap. Little worthy of note occurred upon the road. The weather was now settled; the rains had ceased, and the days were usually bright and fine. The general aspect of the country was bare and brown, though, where water was met with, there was still for the most part a corresponding freshness in the landscape, as was the case at “Tchakani Vlei,” a beautiful pond, surrounded by wood and covered with water-lilies, which was reached the second day of the journey. Again at the Palatswe River, further on, was water and abundance of fresh grass, the latter supplying excellent pasture for the oxen. But some days forced marches were required, to get from one watering-place to another, these in the winter season being few in number. This scarcity of water sufficiently accounted for the general absence of game upon the route, only a few small antelope occasionally showing themselves the whole time. In crossing the Motloutsi two lions were observed quite close to the waggons, and Frank Oates gave them chase, but, as related below in a letter referring to the events of this period, was thrown off the scent by the wiles of the Dutchman, Van Roozen, who sought to avoid an encounter. The signs of animal life were rather more numerous on the Shashe River, where some fine water-holes were found in the sand, into one of which a crocodile had recently crawled, leaving the track of his tail behind him at the water’s edge. Here pallah and other game spoor was abundant, and three or four large monkeys were observed crossing the river-bed. Birds too were numerous, including herons, kingfishers, and bustards. In the course of the journey one or two curious snakes were met with, one of which was of a fine silvery hue upon the back, and salmon-coloured beneath. Another, quite black, and of a very deadly kind, evinced a remarkable facility for swelling out its head to an enormous size when alarmed or angry. This snake had a habit, it was said, of hanging down from the trees like one of their branches and attacking such creatures as might pass beneath. On approaching Tati the traveller was struck with the fine autumnal tints of the trees, and observed ahead of him the picturesque range of hills towards the Ramaqueban. At Tati itself the grass was parched and yellow, and everything had already assumed its autumnal or winter garb. Here he was met on his arrival by Mr. Fairbairn from Gubuleweyo, from whom he learnt with pleasure that the king had sent leave for him to go to the Zambesi, a fresh permission having been required. The other travellers for the Zambesi, mentioned above in one of Frank Oates’s letters, had most of them already started northwards, but for one reason or another he was himself yet detained some days longer at the settlement.