FLATS m 
PANDA DEVI IRVING HIS SOL DIKES AT NONDl’ENOD. 
This Plate represents a scene that took place on the second day of my visit at Xondueugu, when the king reviewed 
two of his regiments, the Black and the White Shields, and caused them to go through their evolutions and feats of 
agility and prowess in a most extraordinary manner, 'l’lie troops formed a large circle in the open central space .sur¬ 
rounded b\ the Inns <>l the kraal, and the king stood, or rather trotted about., iu the midst, closely followed by his 
shield-bearer: and not tar from him were baskets containing copious libations of beer. The shouts and praises that rose 
Irnm the assembled multitude were deafening; when tlie king, calling one or other of the more distinguished warriors 
b) name, pointed towards him, every arm was extended and every finger pointed towards the man thus distinguished, who 
leapt horn his place in the ranks, and commenced running, leaping, springing high into the air, kicking and flourishing 
his shield, and going through the most surprising and agile manoeuvres imaginable; now brandishing bis weapons, stabbing, 
panning, and refloating; aud again vaulting into the ranks, light of foot and rigid of muscle, so rapidly that the eye 
could scarcely follow his evolutions. Then came the “ imbont/fut” or “ praisers,” recounting the deeds of the king in a 
string of unbroken sentences, in a loud voice, with every rule of punctuation totally disregarded. After the king was 
tired of moving about- tor bis extreme obesity of person renders this no easy matter—his eluiir was brought to him, and 
the soldiers passed in succession before him, each bowing to the dust and lowering his shield as he passed the august 
presence. I lie White Shields are styled /•. met lopes, and the Black, Kmcuiamnft. To the former alone is it permitted to 
shave the head and wear the milcoko, or ring, which they do with pride, notwithstanding the danger of adopting such a 
fashion under the burning sun. A crane feather is stuck into the ring on the head, which floats proudly from the 
brow, round which is frequently twisted a fillet of otter skin. 
The scene lies iu the kraal of Nouducngu, one of fourteen military capitals, all of which, in turn, form the residence 
of tin king. At the upper part ot the kraal is seen the issigothlo , or harem, where the king’s women are kept. This 
portion of the establishment contains the finest houses, and all the valuables of the king; it is strictly guarded and 
surrounded with high fences. I believe I am the only Englishman who has been permitted to enter the harem of 
Nonduengu. 
It may not be uninteresting here to give a few lines from my journal descriptive of my reception by King Panda 
at his great kraal at. NonduenguSept. 20th. Last night we slept at the new military kraal of Indabakaumbi, whither 
the king had sent word by my messengers that he would be waiting to receive us: the king, however, was not there, 
and we had to travel over an almost impassable mountain-district for thirty miles, to arrive at Nonduengu. The lneo- 
stkasi, or queen, of the kraal sent us a small quantity of thick milk and a jar of millet, and soon afterwards made 
liei appearance, holding two of the king’s children by the hand, for whom she requested a present of beads. The 
children were remarkably pretty, very clean, nicely oiled, and tastefully decorated with girdles of blue and scarlet beads. 
The old lady, on the contrary, was so alarmingly stout that it seemed almost impossible for her to walk; and that it 
required some considerable time for her to regain the harem at the upper end of the kraal was made manifest by 
about fifty of the king’s girls effecting their escape from the recesses of the seraglio, and sallying down the slope to 
stare at us as we rode away from the kraal. The agility of the young ladies, as they sprang from rock to rock, con¬ 
vinced us that they would all he quietly sitting in the harem, as though nothing had happened, long before the Incosikasi 
regained her dwelling. At two o’clock c.m. we reached Nonduengu. Surrounded by a crowd of very troublesome Zulu 
soldiers, we were compelled, according to Zulu etiquette, to remain half-famished for a couple of hours in the burning 
sun, at the entrance of the kraal, before an Induua arrived with a message from the king to conduct us to the hut 
set aside for our reception. An Indium came to us with a paltry message from Umpauda, saying that the king was 
sorry he had not met us at Indabakaumbi, but that his majesty was indisposed, and that we were to be honoured by 
an audience at sunset. We could obtain no food till after we had seen the king, which was at six o’clock: he then 
scut au Induna with a live bullock, an enormous basket of beer (putchualla), borne by two men, and a jar of Dutch 
aniseed cordial! This latter article had been presented to the king by some of the Natal settlers; but bis Zulu majesty, 
doubting the sincerity of their present, and having sundry misgivings that the pleasant liqueur contained poison, was fain 
to try its effects upon his European visitors, who, after emptying the jar, sent an Indium the next morning to request 
another 1 Kittle." 
