106 EXPEDITION INTO 



CHAPTER XVI. 



RESIDENCE AT KAFAIN. 



We were shortly afterwards visited by the king- without 

 either pag*eant or ceremony. This he considered a confi- 

 dential interview, and said he had come ^^ to see what we 

 had <rot for him/' The weather beino* cold he was attired 

 in a handsome black leathern mantle ; its ample folds, 

 reaching* to his heels, well became his tall and manly per- 

 son ; and he looked the very hecm ideal of an African Chief. 

 He had complete^ thrown aside that reserve and g'ravity 

 which in a public assembly he had conceived most be- 

 coming-, and now appeared in hig'h g'ood humour, joking*, 

 laug-hing-, and familiarly pulling" our beards, of which the 

 luxuriant growth elicited his admiration and surprise. He 

 frequentty asked us how many wives we had, and whether 

 they also had beards. We thought this an auspicious 

 moment in which to revert to the subject of our desired 

 exit by the Yaal River, but took especial care to exclude 

 Andries from the conference. Besides being- a bad inter- 

 preter, we had seen that he was personally opposed to 

 the measure, and we consequently preferred Richard, who 

 had now recovered his self-possession, and was a much 

 more impartial drag-oman. 



Arrowsmith's map of Africa having- been produced, we 

 placed a finger upon GraatF Reinet, Kuruman, and Moseg-a, 

 explaining to the king how many days journey would be 

 saved, if we were to return to the Colony b}^ the Yaal 

 River. He shook his head as before, and petulantly ob- 



