“_June 19th._--Very cloudy day, after a mild night; inclined to rain. The induna and a large crowd here early. I took down the substance of the induna’s words. They were thoroughly confirmatory of my worst fears. He said though they here would not stop me by main force, the kraals ahead would do so. _They_ spoke as my friends. If I persisted in going on, they would send to inform the king, who would despatch a party of Matabele to seize my waggons and take possession of my goods. I thought it best to take down the substance of what the induna said to me, in order to report it to the king. Umganulo, an induna, he stated, brought the following news from the king four days ago, and went back immediately:--All white men going to the Zambesi to be stopped, and their boys killed if they attempt going on with them; waggons to be taken to the king if orders are disobeyed. The king too has stopped people going by all other roads to the Zambesi, and messengers also passed here the day before yesterday, going on to the Zambesi, to tell all white men who are already there not to return till the rains fall, as they may bring sickness. The king has also said that no one may go across the veldt to him from here, but all must go by way of Tati. “_June 21st_.--Rather cloudy, but fine. Got up about 5 A.M.... Girls here very early with corn; also some goats brought for sale, of which I bought two for a cotton blanket, also a little more corn, some leather bags, and a calabash. A tall lad, formerly a driver for Palmer, and a most free and easy individual, having relapsed into the national dress, offered his services to me as a hunter, if I should return this way. I ask John his character. John says he once took a knob-kerry to Mr. Palmer, when the latter wanted to thrash him. But he was not to blame for that, says John; a notion of John’s which I had to let him see did not meet my approval. “Some of the girls who came to-day were very profusely ornamented with beads. The thickly-matted hair, plastered together with black wax-like cement, is disposed of (as I noted before) in three principal locks; one falling over the forehead to between the eyes, and one in front of each ear, surmounted with brass rings. The ears are pierced with small rings. Round the neck hang massive chains of beads, tastefully arranged and blended. A leather kaross, or dressed skin, is worn as a robe, and this is hung with long strings of beads. Long strings of beads too hang round the hips, and in front are long strips of leather. Round the waist are numerous brass rings and bead rings also. The girls are by no means shy. “To-day poor Mozanga told me of some trouble he was in, and I thought he complained of a beating, but it seemed he had heard of the death of the induna of the kraal where I engaged him, a young man, who they say died in the Zambesi hunting veldt. He must have gone there at a very unhealthy time. Mozanga wept bitterly; he is a very kind-hearted boy.