“Tati,” he writes, “presented on our arrival a very pretty and lively appearance. I like it better than any place I know of, to stand at. Here are no crowds of rude people to come round the waggon. All is green, and numerous little well-built houses dot the ground; of course I mean well-built for the interior of South Africa, but it is rough work enough nevertheless. There are the three waggons of the Gardens, two English brothers hunting in the country, and the waggon of Mr. Thomson, on his way with his wife and children to a missionary meeting at Kuruman. There is Nelson’s waggon, who is going away for a time, and possibly will visit England. He leaves to-morrow according to his present plan, with Mr. Thomson, they carrying the mail. Then there is Klaas’s waggon, and Jacobs’s waggon; the latter[35] living here with his wife and daughters until the regular hunting season. He makes occasional short excursions from here, and is now about to set off for the Semokwe for a three weeks’ hunt after elephant. A troop of they say at least 200 elephant came close to Tati lately, but, probably hearing the engine, turned. One account sets them down at a still larger number. In the letter I found awaiting me here from Willie, written when he came out of the hunting veldt, he tells me he has been to the Semokwe, where he has had good sport. Seventeen elephants, he tells me, had just been killed on that river; this would be by Fejeune. Captain Garden and his brother are accompanying Jacobs on his projected hunt, and I am going to join them too. Klaas and Henry Wall are also going, and a lot of Bushmen. Jacobs shot a fine lion close to Tati lately; brought him to bay with dogs early in the morning, and shot him from horseback. They trapped another; the third, a lioness, escaped. They had been taking Jacobs’s bullocks.... A lot of people came up to my waggon when we outspanned, and Mr. Thomson invited me to supper. In the evening we all met at Brown’s. Brown has given me a piece of bread. I enjoy it without butter or anything else with it; it is a wonderful treat.” The following day the large party here alluded to started on their hunt. Before leaving, Frank Oates wrote to his brother William, now in England, as follows:-- “TATI, _February 24th, 1874_.