192 "too fat" EFFECT OF FIRE-ARMS CUNNING. 



ergetic orations, they had no more effect on the ear of royal- 

 ty than if addressed to a stock or a stone. It was in vain 

 that he represented to his majesty the advantages of a more 

 immediate communication with Europeans. Nangoro spoke 

 little or nothing. He could not be eloquent because excess- 

 ive fat had made him short-winded. Like Falstaff, his 

 "voice was broken." Any attempt on his part to utter a 

 sentence of decent length would have put an end to him, so 

 he merely "grunted" whenever he desired to express either 

 approbation or dissatisfaction. 



In common with his men, he was at first very incredulous 

 as to the effect produced by fire-arms; but wlien he wit- 

 nessed the depth that our steel- pointed conical balls pene- 

 trated into the trunk of a sound tree, he soon changed his 

 opinion, and evidently became favorably impressed with their 

 efficacy. As for the men of his tribe who had not yet seen 

 guns, and who had flocked to the camp to have a look at us, 

 they became so alarmed that, at the instant of each discharge, 

 they fell fiat on their faces, and remained in their prostrate 

 position for some little time afterward. A few very indiffer- 

 ent fireworks which we displayed created nearly equal sur- 

 prise and consternation. 



In another interview with Nangoro he requested us to 

 shoot some elephants, which were said to abound at no great 

 distance, and which, at times, committed great havoc among 

 the corn-fields, trampling down what they did not consume. 

 However much we might have relished the proposal under 

 other circumstances, we now peremptorily refused to comply. 

 We reasoned thus : " Supposing we were successful, Nangoro 

 would not only bag all the ivory — an article he was known 

 to covet and to sell largely to the Portuguese — ^but he would 

 keep us in Ondonga till all the elephants were shot or scared 

 away." Neither of these results suited our purpose. The 

 cunning fellow soon had an opportunity of revenging himself 

 on us for this disregard of his royal wish. 



