1 68 MATABELE LAND. 
man who works at the mine came up, and I told him 
the case. He knew the Kafirs, and at once ordered 
them off, giving one of them a good slap on the side 
of the head, which upset him. Then they all 
jumped to their feet and brandished their knob- 
kerries. I threw off my coat, and my ally and I 
stood ready and waited for the first blow to be struck, 
whilst Van Roozen stood afar off. This attitude 
decided the Kafirs not to risk a fight, and they said 
they would go with me to Brown and talk the matter 
over. We went accordingly, and Brown told them 
if they wanted to do so to take the case before the 
king, and they soon subsided and slunk away. I 
might have had the greatest possible annoyance if it 
had not been for the plucky conduct of Dobie from 
the mine. 
" Fairbairn's waggon was stopped when he came 
here by some Matabele, and he gave them some 
goods, but vowed he would complain to the king and 
get them into trouble. I suppose these three Kafirs 
thought they too could get something. The king, I 
believe, would kill them if he knew. There are, of 
course, no prisons ; and when any of his subjects 
go too far they get put to death, and thrown out 
to the hyaenas. He is an excellent friend to the 
white men here, and his people live in fear and 
trembling of their lives. Since I was at the royal 
residence, I am told he has killed some dozen of the 
leading men of the country for making suggestions 
to him. ' I must show them,' said he, ' who is king,' 
— and he showed them. 
