120 EXPEDITION INTO [Chap. XV. 



Piet and the Parsee now guided the waggons : 

 Coeur de Lion, not wishing to find himself in the 

 front of the battle^ volunteered to drive the cattle in 

 the rear, and the other six Hottentots proceeded 

 in advance with solemn step, saluting the king 

 with repeated discharges of musketry, as a com- 

 plimentary mode of announcing our arrival. Several 

 of the subordinate chieftains, who were standing 

 near the gateway of the kraal, then advanced, and 

 as the waggons ascended the acclivity, took the 

 hand of each of our party in succession, repeating 

 the word Fellow I fellow ! fellow ! several times. The 

 principal of these men was Um'Nombate, a peer 

 of the realm. He was an elderly man of slight 

 figure, benevolent aspect, and mild but dignified 

 demeanour. He wore the usual tails, consisting of 

 a few strips of wild cat and monkey skin dangling 

 in front, and some larger and more widely apart 

 behind. The elliptical ring, or issigoko, was sur- 

 mounted by the inflated gall-bladder of a sheep. 

 Andries, Piet, and April, were old acquaintances, 

 and he appeared glad to see them. In reply to 

 our inquiries respecting the health of the king, and 

 whether it was the royal pleasure that we should 

 visit him, he observed that his Majesty was very 

 glad we had arrived, and would come to the wag- 

 gons anon, at the same time directing them to be 

 drawn up outside the gate. The next in rank was 

 a chief of mean and contemptible exterior, whose 

 repulsive manners were but too exactly indicated by 

 his scowling profile. He was deeply scarred with 



