232 YOUNG GIRLS PRESENTED TO THE KING. 
yards. Each officer of a district would seem to have 
a different mode of drill. The Wazeewah, with long 
sticks, were remarkably well disciplined, shouting and 
marching all in regular time, every club going through 
the same movement, the most attractive part of the 
drill being when all crouched simultaneously, and then 
advanced in open ranks, swinging their bodies to the 
roll of their drums. 
At every new moon M'tessa went through an exami- 
nation of his idol horns ; but I should not suppose 
him to be much of an augur : he was too light-headed 
and fond of field-sports, of boating, swimming, and 
music, to give much attention to making rain, &c. 
He left all these things to the Witchwezee race who 
were about him, and seldom denied himself to visitors 
at the time of new moon. On the very day that four 
of his women were going to execution, at an audience 
given to ourselves and in our presence, some maidens 
were offered for his harem. He had detained us in 
an outer court for a long time, and probably brought 
us in to enjoy our surprise at the poor naked offerings. 
Each held by the upper corners an open napkin in 
front of her, and all were smeared with grease and 
decorated with girdles and necklaces of beads. After 
being reviewed without a smile, they were told to face 
to the right, and march to the "zenana." As was 
customary, the king then sat on the knees of the 
matron-like woman who had presented the maidens, 
and, having ordered all away but ourselves, the inter- 
preters, and some young lads, a conversation began 
about men and women in general. It is, however, 
worthy of remark, that M'tessa never behaved in- 
decently by word or deed while women were present ; 
