SOUTHERN AFRICA. 99 



plimentmy mode of annoinicing- our arrival. Several of the 

 subordinate cliieftains^ who were standing- near the g'ateway 

 of the kraal, then advanced, and as the wao-o-ons ascended 

 the acclivity, took the hand of each of our party in succes- 

 sion^ repeating' the word Fellow ! fellow ! fellow ! several 

 times. The principal of these men was Um']N^ombate^ a 

 peer of the realm. He Avas an elderly man of shg-ht fig-ure^ 

 benevolent aspect^ and mild but dig-nified demeanour. He 

 wore the usual tails^ consisting of a few strips of wild cat 

 and monkey skin dang'ling' in front, and some larg-er and 

 more widely apart behind. The elHptical ring-, or issigolio 

 AA'as surmounted by the inflated g*all-bladder of a sheep. 

 Andries, Piet, and April, were old acquaintances, and he 

 appeared g'lad to see them. In ve]\\y to our inquiries respect- 

 ing- the health of the king-, and whether it was the royal 

 pleasure that we should visit him, he observed that his 

 Majest}^ was very g'lad we had arrived, and would come to 

 the wao-o-ons anon, at the same time directino- them to be 



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drawn up outside the g-ate. The next in rank was a chief 

 of mean and contemptible exterior, whose repulsive manners 

 were but too exactly indicated by his scowling- profile. He 

 Avas deeply scarred with small-pox ] and excepting- a neck- 

 lace of lions' claws, three inflated g-all bladders on his pate, 

 and a g'oodly coat of g-rease upon his hide, was perfectly 

 naked. I saw nothing- remarkable about any of the others. 

 They all carried snuff-boxes stuck in their ears j a collection 

 of skin streamers, like the tails of a lady's boa, attached to a 

 thin waist-cord, being- the nearest approach to an habiliment 

 among-st them. All their heads were shaven, sufficient hair 

 only being- left to attach the issigoko, which is composed of 

 sinews sewn to the hair, and blackened with g-rease. 



Shortly after the oxen were un3'oked, and the tent erected, 

 Mohanycom, the king-'s page, came forth from the kraal 

 bearing- the congratulations of his Majesty. He too, was 



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