curious. The
framework is made of an iron plate beaten out thin, over which is
stretched milk-white ox-hide.

The weapons that each man bore were simple, but most effective,
consisting of a short and very heavy two-edged spear with a wooden
shaft, the blade being about six inches across at the widest part.
These spears are not used for throwing but like the Zulu "_bangwan_,"
or stabbing assegai, are for close quarters only, when the wound
inflicted by them is terrible. In addition to his _bangwan_ every man
carried three large and heavy knives, each knife weighing about two
pounds. One knife was fixed in the ox-tail girdle, and the other two at
the back of the round shield. These knives, which are called "_tollas_"
by the Kukuanas, take the place of the throwing assegai of the Zulus.
The Kukuana warriors can cast them with great accuracy to a distance of
fifty yards, and it is their custom on charging to hurl a volley of
them at the enemy as they come to close quarters.

Each company remained still as a collection of bronze statues till we
were opposite to it, when at a signal given by its commanding officer,
who, distinguished by a leopard skin cloak, stood some paces in front,
every spear was raised into the air, and from three hundred throats
sprang forth with a sudden roar the royal salute of "_Koom_." Then, so
soon as we had passed, the company formed up behind us and followed us
towards the kraal, till at last the whole regiment of the "Greys"--so
called from their white shields--the crack corps of the Kukuana people,
was marching in our rear with a tread that shook the ground.

At length, branching off from Solomon's Great Road, we came to the wide
fosse surrounding the kraal, which is at least a mile round, and fenced
with a strong palisade of piles formed of the trunks of trees. At the
gateway this fosse is spanned by a primitive drawbridge, which was let
down by the guard to allow us to pass in. The kraal is exceedingly well
laid out. Through the centre runs a wide pathway intersected at right
angles by other pathways so arranged as to cut the huts into square
blocks, each block being the quarters of a company. The huts are
dome-shaped, and built, like those of the Zulus, of a framework of
wattle, beautifully thatched with grass; but, unlike the Zulu huts,
they have doorways through which men could walk. Also they are much
larger, and surrounded by a verandah about six feet wide, beautifully
paved with powd