CiiAP. XVII.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 141 



ing the Matabili name. He inquired if we did not 

 wish to visit the Great Lake in the interior, which 

 he said we might easily do, as there had been plenty 

 of rain, and he would send a commando to take care 

 of us. This was a very tempting offer, but we re- 

 plied we were sadly pushed for time, and were afraid 

 of displeasing the white king by overstaying our 

 leave. He rejoined that he would take care and 

 prevent any unpleasant consequences by sending the 

 white king a message about us. 



This afternoon he was reclining on Richardson's 

 bed, his little dark eyes moving with restless acti- 

 vity in every direction, when the well-known sound 

 of a box, which had been imprudently opened by the 

 Parsee, drew his attention to the baggage-waggon. 

 He pricked his ears, hastily sprung from the bed, 

 and, before the alarm could be given, had plunged 

 both arms into the bead chest. Never shall I for- 

 get the triumphant expression of his face at that 

 moment. The lid having been closed upon his 

 ai'ms, his idols were hidden from his sight, but he 

 consoled himself by feeling them, and conjecturing 

 their color.r, grinning the while with extacy, and, if 

 so mild a term can express his manner of asking, 

 requesting to have them all We said that they 

 were all we had left, and that they were brought 

 expressly for him ; but that we must be allowed to 

 keep them until he granted us permission to depart, 

 it being in our country the custom to make a present 

 on taking leave of a great man. Looking eagerly 

 at the beads, he exclaimed " Mooe, mooe ! monanti, 



