me,--and Tommy can gallop too; but he hadn't a chance with
them, although he did his best."

"They do move along at a tremendous pace in their clumsy fashion. They
take such immense strides with those odd long legs of theirs, that one
has no idea of their speed until one chases them. I never knew a new
hand who tried it, but he was sure to come back with a crestfallen
face."

Three weeks after leaving what they called the elephant-camp the caravan
halted for two days. They had now arrived at the spot where their
troubles with the natives might be expected to begin; they were at the
border of the Matabele country, and here Mr Harvey intended to turn
west, and after keeping along for some time to bend to the south and
re-enter the colony north of Kimberley, and to journey down to Port
Elizabeth, which is the principal mart for goods from the interior.
Between the Matabele and the tribes on their border hostilities had for
some time prevailed, and while they halted Mr Harvey sent forward
Blacking with a few presents to the chief of the next tribe, saying that
he was coming through his country to trade, and asking for a promise
that he should not be interfered with in his passage.

At the end of the second day the messenger returned.

"The chief says come; he says he has been a long time without trade.
But before he answered he talked with his chiefs, and I don't know
whether he means honestly. The tribe has a bad name; they are thieves
and robbers."

"Well, we will go on," Mr Harvey said, "nevertheless; we have got the
chief's word, and he will not after that venture to attack us openly,
for if he did he knows very well that no more traders would visit his
country. His people may make attacks upon us, but we are strong enough
to hold our own. We muster about thirty guns, and in our laager would
be able to beat off his whole tribe, did they attack us; we will,
however, while travelling through his country, be more careful than
hitherto. The waggons shall, when it is possible, travel two abreast,
so that the line will not be so long to guard, and you must not wander
away to shoot. Fortunately we have a store of dried meat, which will
last us for some time."

On the following morning the caravans set out, and after travelling
twelve miles halted on the bank of a stream. Soon after they had formed
their camp five or six natives came in; they brought a few bunches of
ostrich plumes and some otter skins; these th