A KAFFIR BELLE. 211 



bracelets made of beads and brass, while her ankles were 

 encircled with a fringe made from monkey's hair. This 

 was the full-dress costume of Peshauna. To these adorn- 

 ments the most affable and agreeable manners were added,, 

 quite divested of that hauteur and assumption so often 

 practised by acknowledged belles ; she had a most graceful 

 way of taking her snuff; and stuck through her ears were 

 two very long mimosa thorns for the purpose of combing 

 her woolly locks. I think all must agree in placing her 

 on record as a most charming and divine nymph ! She 

 was, alas, another's ! Twenty cows had been paid for 

 her, and five men assagied, before she became the pro- 

 perty of my gallant friend Inkau. It took at least a pint 

 of gin before I could work him up to tell his story, 

 which he did in words something like the following; 

 his action and expression, however, had so much to do 

 with the beauty of the story, that it loses fearfully in 

 retailing : 



"I had long heard people talk of Peshauna being a 

 beauty, but did not think much about it until I went 

 buffalo-shooting near her father's kraal. I stopped there 

 one night and saw her. Ma mee ! she was muthle kakulu !" 

 (the superlative of beautiful) . ' ' I talked to her a great 

 deal, and I thought that she would soon like me. I went 

 out next day, and shot a young buffalo. I managed to 

 get help enough to bring it to the kraal, and I gave it all 

 to Peshauna. Her father had asked many cows for her, 

 but somehow no one had yet offered enough. When I 

 heard this, I felt very frightened lest some one should 

 carry her off before I could manage to buy her. My two 



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