“In the afternoon Fairbairn and I rode over to see Mr. Thomson, the missionary. He will act as interpreter if I wish, but does not think it necessary. As we returned at sundown, we met a party of natives. They were Umtegan’s troop, returning from an ‘impey,’ or raid, with cattle taken from the Mashonas, a tribe not altogether subject to the king, though a part of them are. Umtegan was in European clothes, and on horseback. They stopped to go through the exercise of certain rites before entering the town. They had only a few hundred bullocks with them. Lately some thousands were brought in by an impey of a similar kind. At supper I had a young lion to pet; it belongs to the king, and roams about amongst the traders. There is a waggon at Fairbairn’s made at Beverley, in Yorkshire, which was brought out here in separate pieces, and fitted together afterwards. Fairbairn says it is a capital one. The poor man who brought it from England died before landing. “_September 16th._--Took the king my present--a central fire shot gun with ammunition. As I approached, with men carrying it, he took me by the hand and led me to a waggon, and sat on the ‘dissel-boom.’[21] We all sat on the ground. He was much pleased with the gun, and thanked me. The men with me would ask for beer, and he sent us to his sister for it. She was lying on a rug at her hut door, and I was introduced.” It was now ascertained from those here who knew most about the matter, that it was not even yet considered too late to reach the Zambesi that season, by taking a more direct route from this place, to be accomplished for the most part on foot, instead of proceeding along the usual trade route by way of Tati, which is available for waggons, but a good deal further round from the King’s Town. On hearing this, Frank Oates at once determined to try and reach the river by the shorter road that season, and the remainder of the time he spent on this occasion at Gubuleweyo was chiefly occupied in obtaining information for the expedition, and making the necessary arrangements for it. The early part of the journey could be accomplished with the waggon and oxen; after that it would be necessary to go on foot.