Chap. XX.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 165 



rally at the expense of one or two of their Hves, 

 which are held of rto account, retire from the con- 

 flict, bearing with them his head and feet to their 

 royal master. These are left to decompose within 

 the fence of the imperial kraal, which, as I have 

 already explained, is strewed with the bones of wild 

 animals. War is the prevailing passion of the 

 Matabili ; they burn with an insatiate thirst for the 

 blood of their enemies, of whom they cannot even 

 speak without assuming an aspect of vengeance and 

 fury. They are doubtless the stoutest soldiers in 

 Southern Africa, not excepting the most disciphned 

 troops of the Zooloo tyrant, from whom they de- 

 serted, and whose invaded armies they have thrice 

 routed in a pitched battle with terrible slaughter. 



To be fat is the greatest of all crimes, no person 

 being allowed that privilege but the king. Speak- 

 ing evil of the king, or alluding to the heir apparent, 

 are considered equivalent to treason, or compassing 

 the death of the Sovereign in Britain. Neglecting 

 his cattle is reckoned a capital crime, the execu- 

 tion following upon the sentence, from which there 

 is no appeal, " quick as the thunderbolt pursues the 

 flash." 



It is not permitted to a svibject to allude to the 

 elephant in the presence of the despot ; " the noble 

 elephant" being one of his titles. When speaking 

 of hunting that animal, IMoselekatse frequently 

 urged us to instruct some of his warriors in our 

 method ; but as his people can neither ride nor be 

 persuaded to fire a gun, it was impossible to comply 



