The day after writing this letter--on the 3d of December--Frank Oates started off again, as above mentioned, towards the Zambesi, and soon came up with Stoffel, who had left upon the 1st, in company with another trader who had joined him on the Matengwe. Dorehill had turned back with Wood and Selous. From this point to Tamasancha, a watering-place on the road to the Zambesi, where Stoffel and his companion intended standing till April, the road lay chiefly through heavy sand, and was traversed in about a week. Soon after starting, the Matengwe River, which had now been kept near for some time, was left flowing towards the westward, and shortly afterwards the Nata River was crossed. From here to the Daka, a small river not far from the Zambesi, water can only be obtained along the road at the various “pans,” or small ponds, which occur at intervals throughout this portion of the country, no other rivers intervening. At Tamasancha, which was reached on December 10th, Frank Oates, after a short rest, parted from his companions, proceeding forward on the 14th alone towards the Zambesi. The country, from this point, is only varied from sand and thick bush by the occasional occurrence of these “pans” or “vleis,” the favourite haunts of wading-birds and wildfowl. Soon after leaving Tamasancha one was passed (Flamakinyani) closely encircled by large trees, and a little later was another (Geruah), about the size of a duck-pond and extremely pretty, surrounded with the greenest of grass, whilst all around it extended the barren and sandy veldt. About here giraffe and other game was met with, including sable antelope, eland, and wild pig. Fresh elephant spoor was seen north of Tamasetsie, but the time now allowed of no delays for hunting. The “poison-plant,” growing low, and bearing a yellow plum-like fruit, was gathered on one occasion near the waggon-track. [Illustration: AFRICAN DWARF GOOSE.--_Nettapus auritus._ (Length about 11 inches.)]