ne but to obey with a good grace,
and the travellers, therefore, swung out of their saddles, and, handing
over their horses to a couple of natives who stepped forward to take
charge of them, followed their guide, or custodian, whichever he might
happen to be, through the gateway, not without certain qualms of
apprehension as to the wisdom of placing themselves thus unreservedly in
the power of a savage king, who, if he should so choose, could send them
to a death of unspeakable torment and horror, without the slightest fear
of ever being brought to book. But now, more than ever, was it too late
to hesitate; therefore resolutely stifling their apprehensions, and
assuming a bearing of the most perfect confidence, they advanced toward
a group of several persons whom they now saw arranged in front of the
principal building within the enclosure.

Unquestionably the most important personage in this group was a splendid
figure of a savage, attired in a sort of petticoat of leopard-skin
reaching to just above the knee, a mantle of lion-skin thrown over his
shoulders, gold bangles on his arms and ankles, a beautifully worked
coronet of gold adorned with crimson feathers of the flamingo, two
necklaces--one composed of lions' teeth and claws, and the other, and
larger, of unpolished stones that seemed to emit a faint glint of ruddy
fire--round his neck. He was armed with a sheaf of short, broad-bladed
stabbing spears, and was seated on a sort of throne entirely covered
with an immense kaross of lions' skin. Behind him stood eight savages,
as finely built men as himself, whose dress and adornments at once
proclaimed them to be chiefs, and persons of very great importance in
the Makolo nation. The individual upon the throne was of course none
other than the king himself.

Boldly advancing to within about ten paces of the seated monarch,
Grosvenor and Dick halted, and, according to pre-arrangement, gave His
Majesty a military salute. Then Dick, addressing the king in his best
Kafir, remarked:

"Hail! Lobelalatutu, King of the Makolo, we salute you." Which the
interpreter, who had followed them, promptly interpreted.

"I see you, white men," answered the king, slightly raising his right
hand in acknowledgement of the salute. "You are welcome to the country
of the Makolo. When I was informed of your approach I gave certain
orders to my people concerning your comfort and welfare. I trust that
those orders have been obeyed