120 EXPEDITION INTO 



■ — a work of considerable laljour^ in the prog'ress of which 

 outchiuilla was liberally circulated to the perspiring- Hot- 

 tentots. It was about three o'clock^ and the pavilion had 

 reared its head a second time. A brigiit thoug-ht then 

 suddenly crossed the royal mind. Investing* himself with 

 the duffel gTeat coat; placing' the red flannel nig-ht cap on 

 his head; and commanding* two wax candles to be lig'hted 

 and placed before him, he seated himself with a dig-nified 

 deportment upon an inverted calabash; the contents of 

 which he had previously swallowed; and became totally 

 absorbed in the contemplation of his surpassing* impor- 

 tance. It was Avith difficulty that I preserved my g-ravity; 

 and having* hastily complimented the king* on his accession 

 of property; and reminded him of our wish to leave the 

 following* day; I left him to his domestic enjoyments. 



In the evening* Truey brought to the wag"g*ons a dish 

 of stewed beef from the king*. Despite of our assertions 

 to the contrary; he could not help suspecting* that we still 

 had beads in our possession; and thoug'ht that the attractive 

 Griqua maid might find means of inducing* us to part with 

 some more before we departed. The poor g*irl shed tears 

 when she heard spoken the lang-uag-e of her tribe; and 

 beg*g"ed us to convey to her father; should we see hiru; 

 the intellig*ence of her safety and that of her cousin Wil- 

 helni; who had been sent to a distant kraal; the day before 

 our arrival; in charg-e of a wag*g*on containing* two Dutch 

 g'irls; prisoners of war; of whose presence the king* was 

 anxious that we should; if possible; be kept in ignorance. 

 She had herself resided for some time at the kraal in 

 question with the king*; who is in the habit of passing* 

 several months of the year there with one hundred of his 

 wiveS; all of whom are decorated with bead dresses of the 

 nature I have described. Every femalC; married or sing-lc; 

 is at his command ] his subjects not having* it in their 



