Come here and look," and he led her through the entrance
of a square cattle kraal which stood close by. Within were tufts of
rank grass, and a few bushes, and among these scores of skulls and other
bones.
"The Matabele killed these in the time of Moselikatse," he said. "Now
do you wonder that we who remain fear the Matabele, and desire guns to
defend ourselves from them, even if we must sell our secrets, in order
to buy those guns, who have no money to pay for them?"
"No," she answered, looking at the tall, dignified man, into whose soul
the irons of fear and slavery had burnt so deep. "No, I do not wonder."
Next morning at daybreak they trekked on, always through these evidences
of dead, forgotten people. They had not more than ten miles to cover to
reach their long journey's end, but the road, if so it could be called,
ran up-hill, and the oxen, whereof only fourteen were now left to drag
the heavy-laden waggon, were thin and footsore, so that their progress
was very slow. Indeed, it was past midday when at length they began to
enter what by apology might be called the town of Bambatse.
"When we go away from this, it will have to be by water, I think, unless
we can buy trek-cattle," said Meyer, looking at the labouring oxen with
a doubtful eye.
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