ely finished my
breakfast on the following morning when a messenger arrived at the wagon
with the intimation that King Moshesh commanded my immediate presence
before him.

I at once arose and, unarmed, accompanied the messenger, with Piet in
close attendance, bearing the parcel containing the presents which I
designed to offer for His Majesty's acceptance. As I approached the
open gate in the palisade a number of people, both men and women, were
passing in and out, all of whom regarded me curiously. A few of the men
saluted me with upraised right hand and the exclamation "'Nkos'!" but
for the most part they seemed undecided whether to regard me as a friend
or an enemy, and therefore preferred for the moment to maintain an
attitude of neutrality. Immediately inside the gate there stood a guard
of twenty men, fully armed with shield, assagai, and knobkerrie, under
the command of an induna, and here we were stopped, for the induna
seemed indisposed to allow Piet to accompany me; but I explained that he
was my body servant, and that the bundle which he bore contained
presents designed for the king's acceptance, whereupon we were, somewhat
reluctantly, permitted to pass on. Naturally, we were no sooner inside
the gate than I began to look about me, and the first thing that struck
me was the admirable arrangements which had been made for the defence of
the place in case of attack. For while the top of the palisade was, on
the outside, about fifteen feet above the surface of the ground, on the
inside it had been backed up with earth forming a platform about twelve
feet wide and just high enough for a man of average height to see
between the sharpened points; while at a height of about four feet above
the level of the platform there was a continuous row of slits, about
eight inches high by two inches wide, and about nine inches apart, the
obvious purpose of which was to afford the occupants of the platform an
opportunity to thrust with their spears at a foe attempting to scale the
palisade from the outside, without unduly exposing themselves. Approach
to the summit of the platform was obtained by a continuous flight of
rough steps cut in the earth all along its face, and next the foot of
the steps was a road of about twelve feet wide. Then came the outer row
of huts, between which and the next row was another road, about eight
feet wide. There were four rows of huts running entirely round the
enclosure, inside of which