110 EXrEDITION INTO 



ino- that he was a mere tool in the hniids of the king*^ dis- 

 missed him without ceremony^ apprizing- him that we could 

 make no exchang-e, except hy his Majesty's order. The 

 courtier retired discomfited, and the result proved that we 

 were not wrong- in our conjecture. 



Shortly after daybreak, and almost before we had dressed, 

 the despot himself was seen approaching with solemn step, 

 accompanied by Um'Nombate, and a man bearing* the iden- 

 tical elejihant's tusk on his shoulder. He was instantl}^ 

 surrounded by ten or twelve persons, who ran from a dis- 

 tance and crouched before him. All this looked exceed- 

 ino'ly ominous. We had heard of the execution of two 

 culprits some time before, in presence of a trader, and 

 Avere half afraid that the old man, having- been detected 

 in his delinquency by some of the spies about the wag-g'ons, 

 was about to suffer condig-n punishment. The king- seated 

 himself upon a chair and looked mysterious ; Um'Nombate 

 squatted himself upon the g-round with the dejected air 

 of a criminal, and the rascally tooth was placed before 

 them. AVe felt very uneasy, but pretended not to notice 

 it, until his Majesty himself drew our attention to it by 

 kicking- it with his foot, and observing- that Um'Nombate 

 wished to receive some beads in exchang-e for it. This 

 speech, although bearing- more the character of a demand 

 than a request, relieved our anxiety, but we replied that 

 ivory was of no use to us, our oxen being- quite unable 

 to transport so heavy a commodit}', — that we were ready to 

 barter beads or indeed anything- we possessed, for fat oxen, 

 adding*, that if the king- wished, we would g'ladly present 

 a few beads to our friend Um'Nombate, but beg-g-ed to 

 decline accepting- the ivory. The king- did wish this Aery 

 particularly, and the beads were according-ly g-iven, the tusk 

 being-, however, left on the g-round, to g'ive to the transac- 

 tion the colour of an equitable exchang-e. 



