in immense sacks carried on people’s heads. We buy water of the women, which has to be brought some distance. [Illustration: LIMPOPO OR CROCODILE RIVER.] “This is a large town of Kafir huts. The people are of the Basuto branch. The king, Sekomi, visited me this morning, and seating himself on the front-box of my waggon, commenced a conversation, which one of our drivers interpreted, the end of which was that he wanted some coffee and sugar. I gave him five pounds of gunpowder, worth fifteen shillings. He accepted it, and then returned it, asking for coffee instead. I then gave him two or three pounds of coffee, worth perhaps five shillings, which afforded him great satisfaction, and after thanking me he walked off in a stately manner, followed by his train, his right-hand man carrying the coffee in his robe of skin. During the interview the latter produced a huge sort of bodkin from a sheath, and extracted a thorn from Sekomi’s finger with the utmost gravity. There are a good many white men living here to trade, and also a missionary, on whom I intend to call. “I cannot more fully describe the country at present, or our journey. It has not the charm for me that the western world has, but I think further north there must be far more attractive scenery than anything we have yet encountered. The days are hot, though there is often a refreshing breeze. The thermometer is about 82° in the shade during the hottest part of the day, and one hot day in the sun it rose to 100°. The nights are cold, and we have yet had no insect pests, but our animals are infested by ticks.... It is very annoying never to be able to get letters from home. Mr. Hathorn, of the Standard Bank at Pietermaritzburg, has promised to forward all letters sent to his care for us, and to assist us in every way he can. We found him most kind and obliging in every way in Pietermaritzburg.” On August 4th, the writer, still at Bamangwato, adds:--“Willie, Buckley, and Gilchrist have gone on. They started yesterday, and I intend to start to-morrow, and shall overtake them. I believe the prospects of the journey are very satisfactory. I have had a long talk to-day with Mr. Mackenzie, one of the missionaries here. He is a very nice fellow, and knows all the country well, and has written out for me a long list of the various watering-places on the road to the Tati and on to Mosilikatze’s. He is the author of a book called _Ten Years North of the Orange River_, and is now instructing some natives for missionary work--some six or eight, I think, living in a sort of college. The other missionary is a Mr. Hepburn, who gave a little service in his house yesterday. I am certain they will both do anything they can to help us.”