HOW A SOUTH AFRICAN KING RULES 129 
periodically made to his majesty; while those whites who 
come in solely to hunt, generally first gain his consent by 
giving him some adequate present, such as a gun or horse. 
Some whites, by long residence in the country, as in West- 
beech’s case, become firmly established amongst the people, 
and then maintain independent positions not likely to be inter¬ 
fered with; for the king who receives annual presents of the 
coveted 'white man’s goods’ affords full protection to the 
trader as long as he behaves himself, and punishes severely any 
molestation offered by the natives to the white man, for whom 
it is no unusual thing for the king to form an attachment often 
amounting to sincere friendship. 
The king’s rule is conducted principally by influence, and 
murder of insubordinate rascals. Any chief arrogating to him¬ 
self privileges customarily belonging to the king, often accorded 
him by sycophantic vassals, is mercilessly put out of the way for 
treasonable acts, as likely to endanger the safety of the throne. 
It is the desire of every loyal chief to have a daughter or two 
married to the king, or at least in the king’s harem waiting to be 
married. Through these connections the king has a far-reaching 
influence, often even sending his wives to their homes, ostensibly 
on a visit, but really as spies, who, on their return, are supposed to 
detail every occurrence faithfully to their lord and master. And 
he, for the time being the most lovable and endearing husband, 
and having a considerable insight into human nature, possessed 
in a remarkable degree by these rulers, manages to worm out all 
information of importance to him. Woe to the girl who at¬ 
tempts to deceive him, for under the constant espionage of the 
other jealous wives, any stray word importing evil to the king’s 
welfare, or any discrepancy between the statements she may 
make in conversation and her report to the king, will surely 
betray any conspiracy. The ensuing thorough investigation 
is safe to expose any double-dealing, and, according to the 
gravity of the situation, she is either sent home to her people 
as unworthy, or, what is more frequently the case, put to 
death, while the usual bloodthirsty regiment is secretly de- 
