sented the empty case of the cartridge and some beads to
the king’s son. Altogether the very ordinary performance
had brought a reputation to the marksman. The trifles I
presented to the king’s son were all I possessed until John
should arrive.
Greatly to my delight, Karemba and sixteen men soon
appeared, the latter having been sent by the king. They
were dispatched at once, Sagwam being charged with full
instructions to bring John, and to tell him that he should
act well with the Chibero men, giving them each a present,
and letting them go home. Sagwam’s parting desire was
that I should not kill the ox until John and he had returned.
Sagwam invariably had a memory of his inward
cravings, and was by this time by far the fattest man in
the company.
I would have gone myself, but since the time when my
feet first began to give trouble, I had covered over 129 miles
of marsh, hill, and plain, and during most of the time my feet
were soaking wet. So I determined to remain where I was,
and try to cure my suffering extremities, besides exercising
some ingenuity in the handicraft of the cobbler. This
neglected, I should be soon unfitted, despite the best
determination, to proceed.
Leisure gave opportunities for observing something of
the character and customs of the happy, or properly
speaking, contented race among whom I was placed. The
women and children flocked around, and appeared to consider
my writing as an occupation of amusement. But
even to Karemba, who had been a great traveller, writing
was an impenetrable mystery. On a previous occasion I
had asked John whether a Mashona could be induced to
carry a letter to the Hanyane river to deliver to any hunters
who might be there. John said that the people did not
understand letters, and would not carry one; the idea being
that it was better to have nothing to do with what they
did not understand.
Some of the younger women here were pretty, possessing
neat, slim figures. Obesity was evidently an indication
of mature development. Hair-dressing was clearly an
operation demanding not a little time. In fact it must
have been very laborious work. The most popular fashion
at this-time was the stringing of divers-hued beads on the
hair, thus making the head look like a mop of many colours.
Married women shaved their heads.
The tattoo marks on the faces, when neatly done, are far
from being repulsive. The women simply pierce the upper
lip, through which a thin wire ring, sometimes ornamented
with a few beads, is passed. Pendant from their necks hang
numerous charms of ivory and wood, also the claws of wild
animals strung together on lines of gut and bark. ' Their
bracelets are of brass wire, the plaiting of which is ingenious;
while thick wire of brass or iron form the anklets.
The men in some cases wear ear-rings and bracelets.
The latter are rings cut from the solid hide of the buffalo, or
some other thick-skinned animal. A very prevalent custom
among the men is the wearing on their necklaces of a
small sheath-knife and snuff-box.
Men have also many ways of decorating their heads.
In the woolly hair some will shave partings an inch wide,
turning them into circular patterns. Others who have an
objection to the curly crop will straighten it with the
finest threads of bark, so that when it is finished it looks
like a mat of twisted silk thread, as it literally shines with
oil. On the loins they wear, before and behind, a strip of
leather, which drops in front nearly to the feet, and is
always garnished with beads of iron, brass, or copper. On