172 EXPEDITION INTO [Chap. XX. 



bed, inviting his greasy vrouw to do the same. The 

 stench of this worthy couple was quite overpowering, 

 but he was evidently considered by his countrymen 

 as a person of consequence, being loaded with a 

 profusion of beads and ornaments^ amongst which 

 we remarked a necklace composed of Spanish doU 

 lars, and a medal which had been struck in England 

 in honour of the abolition of slavery. His hair, 

 contrary to the custom of the Matabili, was matted 

 with grease and sibilo, and his consort also was 

 decorated with beads of various colours, to the 

 amount of at least thirty pounds weight. In her 

 own person this lady possessed a concentration of 

 ugliness, which woidd have more than satisfied a 

 score of ordinary females ; and it might almost be 

 asserted without fear of contradiction, that a being 

 of more repulsive exterior never disgraced the fair 

 form of humanity. A crowd of women and girls 

 assembled ro)md the waggon, clamorous for snufF 

 and tobacco, and afforded us much amusement by 

 their insatiable curiosity and good humour. The 

 looking-glass, that never-failing source of surprise 

 and delight to uncivilized beings, produced more 

 than its usual effect upon them. Forming a group 

 of merry faces at the end of the waggon, and chat- 

 tering to each other, they gazed incessantly at their 

 reflected images, trying, by pressing their hands 

 behind the mirror, to discover the cause of such a 

 magical effect ; covering their eyes, and peeping 

 askance to see if their double selves imitated the 

 action. Scarcely a less powerful impression was 



