BAIMANGWATO AVARRIORS. 27o 



ridges of these rugged mountains, and, as v,''e proceed- 

 ed, I observed finely-wooded wild ravines stretching 

 away into the bosom of the mountains. 



Here we were joined by three of Sicomy's men, who 

 informed us that they were in daily apprehension of an 

 attack from the Matabili, who they heard were march- 

 ing against tliem. In consequence of this, Sicomy and 

 all his tribe had forsaken their kraals, and were now liv- 

 ing in wild caves and other secluded retreats in the sides 

 and on the summits of these rocky mountains. They 

 led us round the base of a bold projecting rock, and then 

 up a wild and well-wooded rocky ravine, bearing no 

 traces of men. On raising our eyes, however, we per- 

 ceived the summits of the rocks covered with women 

 and children, and very soon detached parties of Sicomy's 

 warriors came pouring in from different directions, to 

 gaze upon the white man, I being the first that many 

 of them had seen. These men were all armed and 

 ready for action, each bearing an oval shield of ox, buf- 

 falo, or camelopard's hide, a battle-ax, and three or four 

 assagais. They wore karosses of jackal's and leopard's 

 skins, which depended gracefully from their shoulders ; 

 and many of them sported a round tuft of black ostrich* 

 feathers on their heads, while others had adorned their 

 woolly hair with one or two wavy plumes of white 

 ones. Both men and women wore abundance of the 

 usual ornaments of beads and brass and copper wire. 



"We were presently met by a messenger from Sico- 

 my, saying that the king was iiappy we had arrived, 

 and that he would shortly come to see me. We pro- 

 ceeded up the bold and narrow ravine of Lesausau as 

 far as it was practicable, the water being situated at 

 its upper extremity. Soon after we had encamped 

 Sicomy drew nigh, accompanied by a largn rdinuc of 

 M 2 



