Our March into the Desert

           Wehadkillednineelephants,andittookustwodaystocutoutthetusks,andhavingbroughtthemintocamp,toburythemcarefullyinthesandunderalargetree,whichmadeaconspicuousmarkformilesround. Itwasawonderfullyfinelotofivory.Ineversawabetter,averagingasitdidbetweenfortyandfiftypoundsatusk. ThetusksofthegreatbullthatkilledpoorKhivascaledonehundredandseventypoundsthepair,sonearlyaswecouldjudge. 

           AsforKhivahimself,weburiedwhatremainedofhiminanant-bearhole,togetherwithanassegaitoprotecthimselfwithonhisjourneytoabetterworld. Onthethirddaywemarchedagain,hopingthatwemightlivetoreturntodigupourburiedivory, andinduecourse,afteralongandwearisometramp,andmanyadventureswhichIhavenotspacetodetail,wereachedSitanda’sKraal,neartheLukangaRiver, therealstarting-pointofourexpedition. VerywelldoIrecollectourarrivalatthatplace. Totherightwasascatterednativesettlementwithafewstonecattlekraals andsomecultivatedlandsdownbythewater,wherethesesavagesgrewtheirscantysupplyofgrain, andbeyonditstretchedgreattractsofwaving"veld"coveredwithtallgrass,overwhichherdsofthesmallergamewerewandering. Totheleftlaythevastdesert.Thisspotappearstobetheoutpostofthefertilecountry,anditwouldbedifficulttosaytowhatnaturalcausessuchanabruptchangeinthecharacterofthesoilisdue.Butsoitis.