At the side further from, yet facing us, sat a Kaffir, no doubt a chief, from the authority he seemed to exercise, though certainly my above description of the race did not extend to him, for he was of the most pursy, nay, fat and unwieldy build imaginable. His dress was apparently two aprons of fur or feather, fastened round the waist, so as to fall behind as in front; several bracelets decked his pudgy arms, while his head appeared perfectly denuded of hair, but ornamented with a hard dark ring, and a large round tuft of some material fastened to the top of the forehead like that on a private soldier's hat. By his side was a roughly made utensil, evidently containing liquid, for he drank from it continually; while extended on the ground just before him were the carcases of several recently slaughtered animals. In front of his chiefship were nearly all the other Kaffirs, dressed in a similar fashion, but without the tuft on the forehead, and dancing the wildest dance I ever saw. Dance they did like mad, yet evidently according to some rude idea of figure, the time being perfect. Each waved in one hand a kind of spear, ornamented with a bunch of feathers, and in the other carried a large oval shield. They stood in lines, advanced and retired in perfect order, all the while shouting, singing, and working themselves apparently to the highest pitch of wild frenzy. "I say, Galbraith," said Thompson, as, concealed in the bush, we watched their fierce movements and listened to their horrible yelling, "they are not quite the right sort of customers to which I care to entrust my life, though I ain't more particular about it than others are of theirs." I nodded acquiescence when Mr Ferguson, who had overheard Jack, spoke: "They certainly do not look very peacefully inclined, yet we ought not to judge them from what we see of them now." "I can say, for myself, Sir," put in Jack, "that I don't care to see them again. So rather let my verdict stand." "No doubt," laughed the missionary, "yet the ceremony to me seems a harmless one. I fancy it is a rejoicing after a successful hunting expedition. Look yonder how thickly the game lies." "By that little fat man," said Jack. "Lor'! what a sight of good things he must have eaten to have reached such a girth." "What do you say, Thompson," laughed Mr Ferguson, "shall we make a descent on them, or no?" There was a most eloquent silence on Jack's part, whereupon the missionary turned to me-- "Well, Galbraith, what do you say? With the few resources we have here, starvation may soon be our lot, if we are not previously devoured by some of the fierce denizens of the bush."