SOUTHERN AFRICA. 137 



report of this event reaching' Moseiekatse, who^ whatever 

 his vices may be^ is j^et extremely anxious to produce im- 

 pressions favourable to himself amongst the white people, 

 he immediately despatched a commando with directions to 

 bring" the sui'vivor, who had taken refuge with a hostile tribe, 

 alive — in order that by his testimony he might clear himself 

 from all suspicion of murder. Ignorant of the intentions 

 of the commando, and alarmed for his own safety, the Hot- 

 tentot resisted, and being slain in the attack, his head was 

 laid at the feet of the king*. The despot, however, far 

 from being pleased with the zeal shown by his warriors, 

 ordered fom' of the principal of them to be put to death, 

 on the ground that they had merely brought a lifeless 

 head instead of the living person, as he had commanded. 



Notwithstanding such acts of cruelty on the part of the 

 tyrant, the devotion of the Matabili warriors to his com- 

 mands almost exceeds belief. No soldier dares present 

 himself to Moselekatse who has been wounded in an ignoble 

 part, or has failed to execute his duty to the very letter. 

 If a lion attacks his herds, either his death, or that of their 

 guardians invariabl}'- ensues. Armed only with assagais 

 and shields, they rush in upon the marauder, and generally 

 at the expense of one or two of their lives, which are held 

 of no account, retire from the conflict, bearing with them 

 his head and feet to their royal master. These are left to 

 decompose within the fence of the imperial kraal, which, 

 as I have already explained, is strewed with the bones of 

 wild animals. War is the prevaihng passion of the Mata- 

 bili ; they burn with an insatiate thirst for the blood of 

 their enemies, of whom they cannot even speak without 

 assuming an aspect of vengeance and fury. They are 

 doubtless the stoutest soldiers in Southern Afiica, not ex- 

 cepting- the most disciplined troops of the Zooloo tyrant, 

 from whom they deserted, and whose invading armies they 



