July 23. This was a usual winter day in Bulawayo. The strong trade-wind was blowing a cloud of dust through the town. The train for the Zambesia was due to leave at 7 A. M., and as I was late, it left on time. The guard's whistle blew as I paid for my ticket. I hastily bade my wife and child good-by, and boarded the train a little after it was in motion. An uneventful ride through uninteresting country in a compartment with five Italians who could speak no English, brought us to Mbanji, one hundred and sixty-six miles from Buluwayo. This is the end of the Cape Cairo line at the present time. We were met at the station by a native who had lived with us at one time. He seemed glad to see me, and taking up my blankets and rifle, showed us a retired place in the bush near the water, where we could sleep for the night. We had a very comfortable night, and felt quite rested at dawn.
July 24. I found in making up my loads that I had five carriers and six loads. I spent the morning looking for a carrier, but found none. In the afternoon I found a boy who agreed to carry thirty-five miles for me. I hired him, but, as it was near the Sabbath, we could not start until Sunday. I arranged everything for an early start on Sunday morning.
ON THE VELDT
July 25. We had a pleasant Sabbath, with prayer and social meeting at the beginning of the Sabbath, Sabbath-school at 10 A. M., and prayer at the close of the day. One of the boys was drawing water from a well, and the rope broke, and our bucket was lost. I borrowed a rope to go down after it, but the rope was too short. We then cut a long pole and dropped it down; by going as far as the rope would reach, we could then go down the pole the rest of the way, and were soon in possession of our bucket.
July 26. We started very early and walked six miles to Jacob's old kraal. Here we found plenty of water in the river, so we stopped for a while. We had an early dinner, and went on again at 1:30 P. M. We traveled ten miles, and made our camp for the night. I found that two of my carriers were not in the camp when I arrived. I inquired about them, and learned that one of the boys from the mission had remained behind to watch the boy that I had hired at the end of the railroad. The mission boy soon arrived, and reported that the other had run away with his load. Thus my bread, sugar, salt, caramel coffee, fruit cocoa, dried apples, towel, and soap disappeared. As salt was very scarce in the country north of the Zambesia, we made the entire journey without it. I was able to get a little sugar at Victoria Falls by paying thirty-five cents a pound for it. I had to wash without soap, and use an undershirt for a towel.
July 27. I walked on to Wankie's kraal. We bought some corn-meal and a few peanuts for food. I had some fever. I think it was due to traveling in the hot sun. The country was very hilly, almost mountainous, so it was hard climbing for the carriers with their loads.
July 28. We left Wankie's early in the morning to go across country to the coal-mine. I had breakfast with an American contractor who is working on the railway. I saw the native commissioner about the boy who stole my load. He promised to arrest him, and to recover the goods. A short walk in the evening brought me to the coal-mine. I was kindly received by the manager, Mr. Price. He gave me a good dinner and a comfortable bed. These two things are always gladly received here. This was the last night in a bed for many weeks. After leaving Wankie's, we put down the blankets on the ground where night overtook us, and slept until morning. There are no hotels in this country, and if there were, it would be too expensive for a missionary to put up at them.
July 29. I spent most of the day looking round the coal-mine. There are forty or fifty thousand tons of coal on the embankment. They will start screening soon. It is a good quality of soft coal. I did not enter the mine, as it is very dirty. There is a great scarcity of native labor at present. The natives have two objections to working at the mine. One is that their food is very coarse, and as a result many have dysentery. They also object to going into the hospital when they are ill. The mine managers thought it would be a very humane thing to erect a hospital, and have a doctor and a trained nurse to look after the sick. This was done in a very creditable manner. But the superstitious native has a horror of going into a hospital. He prefers to stay in the bush to die alone, rather than go into what he calls the “house of death.” He also prefers the native remedies to the white man's medicine. As a result of these conditions it is difficult to get the required labor for the mines. Missionaries often make the same mistake of trying to bend everything to the white man's ideal, which is often nearly as far from perfection as is the native's ideal.
July 30. I started on at 10 A. M. In two hours I came to the Daka River. We stopped for dinner here. I met the post cart from Victoria Falls. It was a Scotch cart drawn by eight oxen. When they arrived at the kraal to exchange the span, it was found that the herdboy had lost the oxen. There was a delay of three hours until they could be found. This was sufficient for the passengers to miss the train that left for Buluwayo that night, and they had to wait four days for another. One must learn to go slowly in this country. If you walk, you can go three miles an hour. If you go on the mail cart, you travel two miles an hour, and pay fifty cents a mile for the privilege of being delayed.
July 31. We traveled only about ten miles, and stopped for the Sabbath. We saw three hyenas in the road in the afternoon. One of the carriers shot at them, but as usual he missed the mark.
August 1. We had our usual Sabbath services. We enjoyed much of the blessing of God. It is good to praise the Lord in the woods. Here we were far from civilization, and miles from the habitation of man. There are no natives in this section of the country, but God seemed very near. We had a praise service to thank him for his care thus far on the journey.
August 2. We walked ten miles before breakfast, and camped on the Mtetsi River. This is a nice stream, and has some beautiful farm land in the valleys. We had a long walk, fifteen miles, in the evening, and encamped at a post kraal. There was no water after we left the river, so we were thirsty. We begged a drink at the post kraal, and learned that the water was three miles off the road. We preferred thirst to going after it.
August 3. We had a pleasant early morning walk of three miles. There was a well near the road where we stopped for breakfast. The water was scarce and dirty, but it was that or nothing, so we had to use it. I met three white men at this well. They were on their way to15Buluwayo. One of them was an American, who had been north of the Zambesia in search of gold. Being taken ill with blackwater fever, he became delirious, and was picked up by the natives as he was lying unconscious in the veldt. They carried him to the mission station, where kind Mr. and Mrs. Chapman nursed him back to health. After breakfast we had a long walk, and a longer one at night brought us to Victoria Falls. Two man-eating lions had been making trouble near this place. I am thankful to say that they did not come where we were.
August 4. We went to see the falls early in the morning, but we could see only very little of them on account of the spray. The river is at least six feet lower than it was when I was here two years ago. The drought that affected South Africa last year must have extended to the head waters of the Zambesia also. It was the first time that the carriers had ever seen a large river, and they were filled with wonder. We walked four miles up the river to the crossing, but we had to wait all day for a boat. It was very hard for the carriers, as they had no food. The river is one mile across. One of the boys asked if the sea was much larger than this river. He wanted to know if I thought he would be seasick in crossing. I had dinner and spent the evening with Mr. Clark, with whom I was acquainted. He is ferryman and forwarding agent for all supplies that enter Northwestern Rhodesia at this place.
August 5. I met Mr. Van Blerk this morning. He kindly offered me his horse to ride to the district commissioner's camp. I declined, as the distance was only four miles, and I was accustomed to walking. I found that Mr. Sykes, the district commissioner, had visited our station near Buluwayo, and was in perfect accord with our plan of work for the natives. He kindly gave me much information, and assistance in the way of a guide and carrier. I met Dr. Middleton here. He has been over all this country as far north as the Congo. He gave me much information in regard to the country and the people. He travels as I do, on foot with carriers. We left in the afternoon for Kalomo, one hundred miles to the northwest. This is the present capital of Northwestern Rhodesia, and the residence of the government officials. The country here is wooded, with sand ridges and open valleys along the rivers. The water is scarce along the native foot-path, but is plentiful along the wagon road. I prefer the foot-path, as it is ten miles shorter.
August 6. We spent most of the day in a dirty Batoka village. I bought eggs, peanuts, and meal for food. These people were carrying their water three miles. They make their gardens among the sand ridges, as they are too lazy to dig in the harder black ground along the rivers. Last year there was little rain, so there is great scarcity among them. I camped for the night in an old store. The wind was high, and it was very cold. It is contrary to my custom to sleep in such places, but under the circumstances I thought it would be justifiable. I soon found my mistake, as it was alive with vermin. I preferred the cold outside.
August 7. I traveled about five miles in the morning, and camped at a mission station for the Sabbath. It is under control of the French Protestant Society. There were six boys in attendance at the school. There is a native teacher in charge. He has a comfortable house and clean surroundings.
August 8. We had a good Sabbath. The Lord came very near and blessed us abundantly. We studied the experiences of Paul on his way to Rome. One of the boys had fever.
