SOUTH AFRICA 45 



a great number of oxen are turned loose and the 

 warriors show their skill in slaughtering them with 

 the assegai ; a bad bungle is greeted with ironic 

 cheers and shouts, and a general scramble takes 

 place to avoid the charges of the wounded ox. 



When the functions come to an end the Impis 

 parade en tnasse in the presence of the King, 

 chanting a song and stamping their feet on the 

 ground in unison with the tune. Then the King 

 descends from his wagon, takes an assegai in 

 his right hand and casts it with a mighty throw 

 in the direction of their supposed enemies. A 

 huge feast ends the performance. 



Mr Colenbrander took me up to be presented 

 to His Majesty. On seeing me he said, "The 

 white man is very thin," and immediately ordered 

 food and beer. The food consisted of a huge 

 steak, which I did not eat, but after one of the 

 witch doctors had tasted the beer, a custom to 

 show it was not poisoned, I took a good drink 

 of it. It is made from millet seed, and requires 

 to be drunk often before one relishes it. On 

 the following day Captain Sitwell was taken by 

 Colenbrander to interview His Majesty, and an 

 incident happened which might have had serious 

 consequences for all the white folks there. 



On leaving the King's presence Sitwell took a 

 pipe from his pocket, closing the case with a snap 



