272 EXPEDITION INTO [Cha^. XXXI. 



from them, the savages indignantly demanded if 

 such rubbish could be considered a suitable recom- 

 pense for their long and meritorious services, feigning 

 at the same time as if about to retire. After some 

 consultation, however, they carefully scraped toge- 

 ther the scattered beads; and hanging each a hoop 

 of wire about his neck, and placing their shields and 

 bundles on their heads, departed angrily, Mohany- 

 eom declaring, with a mysterious air, as he opened 

 his shark-like jaws in our presence for the last time, 

 that " when the mightiest of monarchs should be- 

 hold such trash, his royal heart would be very sore .'" 

 Without either guide, escort, or interpreter — in 

 the midst of an unknown wilderness, bordering on 

 the recent scene of bloody strife, and still scoured 

 by the contending parties — our little band was now 

 left in a highly unenviable position. After pro- 

 viding us, as he supposed, with a guard to the 

 verge of his dominions, his Majesty had not, in all 

 probability, deemed it necessary to acquaint the 

 different frontier outposts of our approaching exit ; 

 and deprived as we now were of the means of holding 

 communication with his warriors, should we fall in 

 with them, the least evil that could be anticipated 

 in the present excited state of their feelings, would 

 be a journey back to Kapain. Adding to the above 

 prospect, the probabihty of annoyance or misre- 

 presentation on the part of the recreant escort, we 

 plainly perceived that the sooner we were out of 

 Moselekatse's country, the better it was likely to 

 fare with ourselves. 



