140 EXPEDITION INTO 



their calabash, or water flag-on. We could hear of no 

 funeral ceremonies among'st them. Hig^h and low, their 

 bodies are thrown forth upon the plain, soon after hfe 

 departs, a prey to wild beasts , the flap of the eag"le's wing" 

 and the howl of the hysena being* their only death-note. 

 In the Zooloo tribe, however, from which Moselekatse has 

 sprung*, some respect is shown to the memory of royalty 

 and persons of hig-h distinction j the defunct dig*nitary 

 being* interred with his head above the g-round, within the 

 hut where he has expired or been assassinated. The mar- 

 riag'e ceremonies of the Matabili were exceeding*ly difficult 

 to understand. Acceptance or non-acceptance of a snuff- 

 box on the part of a lady, indicates the success of her suitor, 

 or the contrary: and it would seem that marriag^e has 

 sometimes altogether been prohibited among-st the Zooloos, 

 or confined to men in advanced life. We were informed 

 that the issigolw, or ring*, so often alluded to, indicated a 

 married warrior ; but to this rule there must be exceptions. 

 Of the population of Moselekatse's empire, I can form no 

 correct estimate. The constant wars in which he is eno;*ao:ed 

 diminished the number of the males, but the women are 

 exceeding-ly prolific. His standing* army of warriors of his 

 own tribe exceeds five thousand men, but numbers of the 

 conquered nations swell his followers to a larg*e amount, 

 and are chiefly emj^loyed as g'uardians of his cattle during* 

 the intervals of peace. 



On the 29th we took the field, accompanied by the 

 whole of the male inhabitants of three kraals, in addition 

 to those that had accompanied us from the Mariqua River. 

 The country here is g'enerally undulating*, extensive mimosa 

 g'roves occupying* all the valley, as well as the banks of the 

 Tolaan River, which winds among*st them on its way to 

 join the Mariqua. We had not proceeded many hundred 

 yards before our prog*ress was opposed by a rhinoceros 



