All along each side of this wide pathway that pierces the kraal were ranged hundreds of women, brought out by curiosity to look at us.  These women, for a native race, are exceedingly handsome.  They are tall and graceful, and their figures are wonderfully fine.  The hair, though short, is rather curly than woolly, the features are frequently aquiline, and the lips are not unpleasantly thick, as is the case among most African races.  But what struck us most was their exceedingly quiet and dignified air.  They were as well-bred in their way as the habituees of a fashionable drawing-room, and in this respect they differ from Zulu women and their cousins the Masai who inhabit the district beyond Zanzibar.  Their curiosity had brought them out to see us, but they allowed no rude expressions of astonishment or savage criticism to pass their lips as we trudged wearily in front of them.  Not even when old Infadoos with a surreptitious motion of the hand pointed out the crowning wonder of poor Good’s “beautiful white legs,” did they suffer the feeling of intense admiration which evidently mastered their minds to find expression.  They fixed their dark eyes upon this new and snowy loveliness, for, as I think I have said, Good’s skin is exceedingly white, and that was all.  But it was quite enough for Good, who is modest by nature.

When we reached the centre of the kraal, Infadoos halted at the door of a large hut, which was surrounded at a distance by a circle of smaller ones.

“Enter, Sons of the Stars,” he said, in a magniloquent voice, “and deign to rest awhile in our humble habitations.  A little food shall be brought to you, so that ye may have no need to draw your belts tight from hunger; some honey and some milk, and an ox or two, and a few sheep; not much, my lords, but still a little food.”

“It is good,” said I.  “Infadoos; we are weary with travelling through realms of air; now let us rest.”

Accordingly we entered the hut, which we found amply prepared for our comfort.  Couches of tanned skins were spread for us to lie on, and water was placed for us to wash in.

Presently we heard a shouting outside, and stepping to the door, saw a line of damsels bearing milk and roasted mealies, and honey in a pot.  Behind these were some youths driving a fat young ox.  We received the gifts, and then one of the young men drew the knife from his girdle and dexterously cut the ox’s throat.  In ten minutes it was dead, skinned, and jointed.  The best of the meat was then cut off for us, and the rest, in the name of our party, I presented to the warriors round us, who took it and distributed the “white lords’ gift.”

Umbopa set to work, with the assistance of an extremely prepossessing young woman, to boil our portion in a large earthenware pot over a fire which was built outside the hut, and when it was nearly ready we sent a message to Infadoos, and asked him and Scragga, the king’s son, to join us.