GREETINGS. 145 



(most as flat as a bowling green, and extending 

 trly half a mile into the hillside. Around the 

 waggons were numerous mimosa trees, so wood was 

 abundant, and the size of the fires, and the ruddy 

 blazes that leaped aloft from them, showed plainly 

 that fuel was not being spared. Many were the 

 greetings we received, for these Africans, as a rule, 

 are a most friendly people, and possessed of much 

 affection for their employers, when they are kindly 

 treated. Of course the strangers whom I brought 

 with me were at once made honoured guests, and 

 such a chattering of tongues, greetings, recognitions, 

 etc., as took place, told distinctly how delighted 

 my own folk were to receive visitors and dispense 

 hospitality. 



The mare, I am happy to say, was all right. 

 She had got home about five o'clock, but her ap- 

 pearance without a rider caused no small amount 

 of anxiety. Darkness, however, was too close at 

 hand to follow up her back spoor and make a search 

 for me, but the first light of the morning was to be 

 devoted to that purpose. Moreover, a further 

 cause of uneasiness had existed ; the lion which we 

 had heard had come down within a short distance 

 of the encampment, and had shown such boldness 

 that the Totty had thrown a firebrand at him, and, 

 as he asserted, " burnt his whiskers." This being 

 the case, it was feared that I might possibly try to 

 hunt them up, and in doing so come across this 



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