The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1894-04-19

" AAsNoS oAAoA0 "oA0 d AOI VI AdAlE pOLS mao
OF clay, in which they boil their beans
rice, etc.; gourds that they carry wats
in and small quantities Of grain. Ther
were stones that they ground their mea
with and in nearly every hut was thin
that looked like a heating stove, with
hole near the bottom and an open to-
covered with loose fat stone. 1t wa
not used as stove as it was made 8
unburned clay and there had been fire.
made in the middle OF the floor. I think
they were the cupboards Of the Mash
onas, as found gourds in them cor
tanning small quantities of grain. On
the tops Of the large granite ricks were
lot of granaries that looked like minia
ture huts. These were mostly empty
1t was in some of these we found the
beans we brought away. Some Of these
granarles were made Of clay and thatched
with poles and long grass, others OF
poles set in circle and daubed with
clay and thatched, others were made Of
basket work and thatched and daubed.
The huts were made of poles set in a
circle close together and daubed with
clay inside and out and thatched with
long grass. The doors were mostly
wicker work, but few had wooden
doors. We also found a number of
Eunting nets, with which the natives
catch game by driving them into them
and then spearing them. We would
have liked to have brought them away
as curios but they were too heavy. I
found assigu', which I brought away.
| do not know what made them desert
the place. They may have thought that
our party was going to attack them, but
we were to have gone about thirty miles
further. '''
The Mashonas are very timid set.
They make their villages among large
rocks, and If they chose to resist twice
their number could not take them; as it
is six policemen go and burn kraal
when they have been making trouble.
The one we visited one person could
only pass at a time, so it would be easy
for them to shoot from behind rock
Nesbit went out to the kraal where
the man was shot and found it deserted.
They are going to leave six men at
Chimongas all the time to keep order
and try and catch the murdere rs.
Three days after the wagon returned
and FIVE days later saw us IN Salisbury
again. ,.,
saw great variety Of ferns while
'amped-nearly dozen varieties close
together.
Since [ got back part of the Salisbury
column returned and with them some of
Raafs men-"Rif Raft" a punster an
oroprlately called them, as they we're
,he sconrings of Johannesburg. Men
Who were in the Victoria column told
ne they could not leave any Of their kit
or five minutes without 1t being stolen.
4 triumphal arch was made with flags,
'vergreens, etc, and most of the stores
displayed flags and bunting. The men
we're met by the citizens and Mr.. Duncan.
duncan delivered a speech and then the
enior member Of the sanitary board
the only city organization We have at
'resent) read an address, welcoming
hem, after which they marched to the
aarket hall. where refreshments were
erved (mostly liquid). The following
ay dinner was given them at the
1arket hall. Altogether about e4oO
7as spent on them. OF course the stores ]
nd canteens got the most benefit out of {
). One man gave ten guineas and the
ext day sold forty cases of liquor, etc. +
AS there was nothing doing I tried to s
'in the police for three months-- Just
nough to carry me through the rainy I
'ason,-but the district inspector said t
would have to Join for year. He told t
70 they could get all the men they q
anted in the Cape Colony and England /
aly too willing to sign for year or a
zen more. !;
When [ got back from the patrol I s
und Baker had hired Shangaan to
lrry water from the river, wash our r
othes, etc. We call him Kodac-"we Il
'ess the button, he does the rest.'' Il
hen kodac came he had nothing on n
1t two aprons one before, the other Q
hind. Baker gave him a sack, with a Il
lie cut in it for his head one fol, each d
N, He looked quite respectable then. 81
So far / have not seen any timber fit G,
make lumber. Carpenters here buy 3,
al the old packing cases for the lum- is
r they contain, as imported pine Is D
ry expensive n
What timber there is here is attacked al
sort OF fly that boresT into the wood al
It'll 1T is honeycombed through and ct
is down. Imported wood is not at A
,ked by them, but the white ants al
exile every kind, but they are easier to ly
~ fhnxN