S42 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
Fairbairn’s abode was very full; but there seemed to 
be always room for one more. Of course in this country 
beds are unknown articles of furniture ; cane mats being 
the familiar couches for the luxury of repose. Thanks, 
however, to the generous warmth of hospitality, we were 
soon comfortably housed, although I must admit that it 
was with regretful reluctance that I left the waggon, in 
which I had spent so many pleasant weeks, even for the 
better accommodation afforded by a house. 
Fairbairn, Selous, and myself went up to see old King 
Lo-bengula. I was very eager to know in what sort of 
humour was the old gentleman. A missionary, Mr. 
S-, who had had a quarter of a century of Christian 
effort in Matabeli-land, and was able to know the 
character of the people, had, when we met him in full 
retreat in Becliuanaland, given a dreadful account of the 
condition of affairs, saying that it was impossible to live 
in Matabeli-land since the difficulty about the hippo 
killing. The poor missionary’s beard had been pulled, 
and he had to suffer other indignities which as an 
apostle of divinity he could not brook. But what special 
exemption could he expect ? Many observers note that 
after five-and-twenty years of missionary labour there are 
no converts to the faith of our fathers. After so long a 
period of profitless contention with a people who are 
both deaf and blind to persuasion, it could hardly be 
expected that Mr. S-would find more sympathetic 
treatment than other whites. 
Fairbairn informed me that with the payment of all 
the fines the troubles about the sea-cow row, to which I 
have referred, had vanished, and that now the old man 
was in a very good humour. 
When we entered the king’s kraal I could see him 
seated under the roof porch. A few of his people were 
around. All of us shook hands with him, and were 
received with more courtesy than might be expected 
from a savage king. We sat on the ground beside him, 
and his prettiest slave girls brought in beer. Kneeling 
before us they would drink first, and then hand the liquor 
to us. 
