... “We only stayed a few days in Durban, and came on here, as this is a much better place for getting an outfit for the interior. It is 54 miles from Durban, and not a particularly interesting place. There are hills all round, without much vegetation, and covered with long coarse grass. It is much cooler than it is at Durban, as it is 2000 feet above the level of the sea. It is winter now, and rather cool at night, but still very hot during the day. We arrived here three weeks ago to-morrow, and to-morrow we intend making a start up country. We have each got a waggon and fourteen oxen, besides five ponies between us, and three Kafirs to each waggon. We are going with a man called Gray, who is going up to Lake Ngami to trade. He is quite a young fellow, and has only been out here four years. He knows the country through which we are going, and says it is extremely healthy, and the native tribes all friendly. He has taken five waggons, and left on the 11th instant, but as his waggons are heavily laden, we expect to overtake him in a week.[5] “Buckley and Gilchrist started with their waggon yesterday, but Frank is not ready, he has so many things to get.[6] “We have got some blankets, beads, knives, etc., as there is no good taking money, and everything you want you must pay for in that way. The waggons are very comfortable and hold a great deal, including a mattress which lies on the top of the boxes. We are taking coffee, sugar, tea, flour, oatmeal, pickles, some brandy, and several other things for our own use. The Kafirs are supposed to get nothing but meal, which they boil in a large pot and eat with the help of pieces of stick. They occasionally get a little coffee also.... There is very little here in the way of fruit and vegetables. The only fruit now is oranges, though there are peaches and apricots in the season. Altogether, there seems very little pains taken to cultivate the land, as the niggers are too lazy to work, and white labour is expensive.” On May 15th the waggons of the two brothers started, with W. E. Oates’s servant, Thomas Bell, who had accompanied him from England, and made their first halt about four miles from Maritzburg. Frank Oates, still at Maritzburg, writes thence the following day, May 16th:--