SOUTHERN AFRICA. 125 



tlie most positi\e injunctions to accompany us wherever 

 we pleased to g'O within the king-'s dominions^ and not to 

 return until he had safel}^ conducted us to the Yaal Hiver, 

 and he had been further directed to obtain from one of the 

 kraals on our route a subordinate captain named 'Ling-ap^ 

 to assist in protecting- us. Mohanycom having- accom- 

 panied Um'Nombate, when that minister visited the colony 

 under Dr. Smith's escort (for the purpose of forming- an 

 alliance on the part of his Majesty ^^"itll the Cape Govern- 

 ment)^ could understand the g-eneral tenor of conversation 

 held in Dutch, and could even express himself intelligibly. 

 Andries could stutter tolerably in Sichuana, and possessed 

 a smattering" of Zooloo, and we thus hoped to be able to 

 proceed without the aid of a sworn interpreter. 



Owing- to our unlooked for detention in the morning-, we 

 were g'lad to halt for breakfast after an hour's travel. Our 

 long" and wearisome marches throug'h a parched and sterile 

 country, in the course of which, as will have been remarked, 

 our cattle were frequently' deprived of all sustenance for 

 many hours, had so reduced them in condition, that they 

 could hardly support the weig-ht of their own emaciated 

 bodies. The last feed of corn was here divided among'st 

 three of the horses that appeared most in need of it, the 

 other half- starved wretches thrustino- in their noses for a 

 share, at a loss to understand why they should be excluded 

 from so rare a feast. 



Shortly after leaving- Kapain, we observed a dog-, with 

 neatly trimmed ears and tail, following- Mohanycom, who 

 repeatedly endeavoured to drive him away, saying- that he 

 was the king's dog-, and had been captured with Mr. Bain's 

 waggons. Two messeng-ers were speedily sent to bring- 

 back this pet, and his Majesty, unwilling- to let slip so g-ood 

 an opportunity of asking- for something-, had desired them 

 on no account to return Avithout a fresh supply of wax 



