he mark, were seated his wives, fully a dozen in number, all clad in
their most sumptuous apparel in honour of the triumph which their lord
and master was about to achieve. Each of them wore half a dozen heavy
necklaces round her throat, on which were strung beads and shells and
studs; fish bones and birds' eggs; teeth of fishes and wild beasts;
small bells and thimbles, and wooden reels on which thread had been
wound, purchased of European traders and converted to these strange
uses. It was not round their necks only that they wore these
encumbrances; wrists and ankles and waists were similarly loaded, until
it became almost impossible to distinguish any part of their persons,
and they were absolutely unable to stand upright under the heavy burden
of their garniture. The rest of the women and the men formed two long
lines on either side of the scene of the contest, and it was evident
from their looks, that they took the keenest interest in the issue of
the struggle.

"Now you look here," began Omatoko as soon as the chief and the
Englishmen had saluted one another; "you each take weapon you mean to
use--no allowed to change it. Chief throw three assegais, white
medicine-man fire three shots; whoever hit nearest middle white leather,
he win. If white man win, he have three assegais. If chief win, he
have white man's fire-tube. Is it good?"

"All right. I make no objection," said Lavie, with a nod of
intelligence to his companions; and the chief also signifying his
assent, the trial began.

Umboo was the first to step forward. He motioned to one of the
attendants to bring him the bundle of assegais which he carried, and
made a careful examination of them. The lads had never before had a
good sight of this weapon. It was nearly seven feet in length, the iron
head being some eight inches long and two broad. As the spears in
question had been designed for the chief's own use, the best workmen had
been employed upon them, and Lavie was really astonished at the skill
and taste displayed in the manufacture, which could hardly have been
outdone by the best English workman. Having chosen his missiles, Umboo
now prepared to throw them. Brandishing the first of them in the air,
and moving his hand to and fro, until it was exactly poised, he bent
backwards and hurled it with all the force of his herculean frame. It
flew straight to the mark, and buried itself in the dark wood a few
inches from the white leather ci