SOUTHEEN AFEICA. 209 



the course of a few minutes the board was swept of its 

 smoking- load^ and tea having* been baled out of a larg-e 

 kettle to the whole party, the repast was concluded by the 

 greedy consumption of half a pound of snuff. 



After a long* and mysterious conference with the guides^ 

 which was conducted at a distance, in an under tone of 

 voice and with gTeat earnestness, Um'Nombate proceeded 

 with an air of cold reserve to open the business of his 

 embassy by presenting* to each of us first, and then to 

 Andries, a leopard's skin, a bag- of Kafir corn, and a scrubby 

 ox. The animal sent expressly for Andries, besides being* 

 hornless, was wall-eyed on the dexter side — a peculiarity 

 which elicited many personal jokes at the expense of our 

 trusty follower, whom his Majesty, when in merry mood^ 

 was in the habit of addressing* by the familiar soubriquet of 

 Mutlee, or cock-ej'e. The pleasantry of the conceit being- 

 fully appreciated, that designation was immediately bestowed 

 upon the ox j and we learned shortly afterwards that 

 Andries had engaged to return from the colony and enter the 

 despot's service, upon condition of being rewarded by the 

 hand of Truey, the Griqua captive. 



After a few unimportant remarks relative to the country 

 we had visited, the game, and the liberal supply of rain 

 which it had been the king's gracious pleasure to send us, 

 the ambassador proceeded, without further preamble, to 

 disclose his important errand, by acquainting us with his 

 Majesty's sudden determination to become the proprietor 

 of a fowling-piece upon the detonating* principle ; at the 

 same time declaring* his own readiness immediately to receive 

 charge of the weapon, together with any other trifling* pre- 

 sents that we might be desirous of sending. We evaded 

 compliance with the first part of this very modest demand 

 by promising, when the elephant-hunting should be conclud- 

 ed, to send a gun by our escort party on its return from 



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