168 EXPEDITION INTO [Chap. XX. 



High and low, their bodies are thrown forth upon 

 the plain, soon after life departs, a prey to wild 

 beasts; the flap of the eagle's wing and the howl 

 of the hyaena being their only death-note. In the 

 Zooloo tribe, however, from which Moselekatse has 

 sprung, some respect is shown to the memory of 

 royalty and persons of high distinction ; the defunct 

 dignitary being interred with his head above the 

 ground, wnthin the hut where he has expired or 

 been assassinated. The marriage ceremonies of the 

 Matabili were exceedingly difficult to understand. 

 Acceptance or non-acceptance of a snufF-box on 

 the part of the lady, indicates the success of her 

 suitor, or the contrary : and it would seem that 

 marriage has sometimes altogether been prohibited 

 amongst the Zooloos, or confined to men in ad- 

 vanced life. We were informed that the issigoko, 

 or ring, so often alluded to, indicated a married 

 warrior ; but to this rule there must be exceptions. 

 Of the population of Moselekatse's empire, I can 

 form no correct estimate. The constant wars in 

 which he is engaged diminished the number of the 

 males, but the women are exceedingly prolific. 

 His standing army of warriors of his own tribe 

 exceeds five thousand men, but numbers of the 

 conquered nations swell his followers to a large 

 amount, and are chiefly employed as guardians of 

 his cattle during the intervals of peace. 



On the 29th we took the field, accompanied by 

 the whole of the male inhabitants of three kraals, 

 in addition to those that had accompanied us from 



