SOUTHERN AFRICA. 103 



to his unqualified satisfaction^ he suddenly cast off his tails, 

 and appearing- in purls naturalibus, commanded all hands to 

 assist in the difficult undertakino- of shaking' him into the 

 tartan trowsers. It was indeed no easy work to perform — 

 but once accomplished, his Majest}^ cut a noble fig-ure. The 

 Parsee wore a pair of red silk braces, which he presently 

 demanded, observing' that the}^ would supply the place of 

 those that Mrs. Moffat had forgotten to send. Shortly after 

 this, he directed an attendant, who was crouching" at his feet, 

 to take every thing' to his kraal 5 and resuming- his solemnity 

 and his seat, tea was brouo-ht in. A number of o-ourds 

 filled with outckualla, or beer, were placed by the king''s 

 orders before the assembly, who, passing- them from one to 

 the other, emptied them on the spot. Richardson and my- 

 self drank tea out of two battered plated g-oblets, whilst the 

 king-'s mess was served in a floAvered china bowl, as being- a 

 more attractive vessel, and less likel}^ to retain the heat j but 

 having- eyed the different drinking--cups for some time sus- 

 piciously, he handed his own to his attendants, and then 

 extending- his arm abruptly seized upon ni}^ g"oblet, and 

 g-reedily drained the contents. It is well known that the 

 savag-es, however debased they may be in the scale of 

 humanity, are keenly susceptible of indig-nity 5 and he 

 either considered himself slighted or had prudently deter- 

 mined, until we should become better acquainted, to taste 

 nothing- of which we had not in the first instance partaken 

 ourselves. 



It was now time to allude to our affairs, and having- re- 

 peated that our principal object in coming- into his country, 

 was to make his acquaintance, we proceeded to ask permis- 

 sion to hunt elephants. This request was readily g-ranted : 

 but on stating- that we had little time, and should wish to 

 return to the colony by a nearer route than the one we had 

 come, he shook his head and g-ravely remarked that there 



