THE GREAT DANCE. 99 
learnt it was the day of the Great Dance, and hurried 
the drying and locking up of my things, so as to be 
ready to go and see it. Some majachas came out, 
and had a row, and bruised one another near my 
waggon. 
" As soon as I had finished packing I joined 
the Thomsons, whose waggon had drawn up in front 
of Myers's store, where the dancing was to be. 
Meantime, Thomson says, they had been going 
through ceremonies at the kraal, where dancing was 
still going on, but very shortly they expected the 
king and people out. However, Thomson and I 
went to the kraal to see, and were well repaid. In 
the midst of a large circle formed by warriors, four 
wives of the king, dressed all alike, and modestly 
covered, were dancing, or rather slowly pacing. 
Each had a checked print over her shoulders, and a 
black skirt reaching low down. With them was a 
future wife, partially clad in gaily-coloured calicos, 
but without skirt. The wives, Thomson says, are 
very nice women. As I went with him through the 
crowd, I could not help seeing what respect is 
shown him, and how all make way for him. 
"Suddenly the royal sister appeared, and presented 
a most singular, not to say magnificent, appearance. 
It was something like the appearance of the prima 
donna at the opera, or the leading spirit in some gor- 
geous pantomime. She is very stout, and tremend- 
ously ^;2 ^^^^ /^zVz/, and her skin is of a coppery hue. 
She wore no dress, and the only covering above her 
waist was a number of gilded chains, some encircling 
