you; say now, therefore, why have ye come into my country, and what want
ye now that I have permitted you to enter it?"

"Nay, O King," I retorted, "beyond what you have already given me--
namely, permission to hunt in your country--I want little or nothing,
except permission to trade with your people. There is gold in
Mashonaland, which is a metal that, so far as I have thus seen, ye have
little use for; but among my own people it possesses a certain value:
therefore have I come hither, bringing with me goods which I am prepared
to barter for gold among your people, if they will. But if not, it
matters not; I can buy ivory with those goods on my way back to mine own
land. Also, I am seeking a young white 'ntombozaan who was stolen from
among us some twenty-two moons ago, and carried off into the interior,
whither I know not. I think she cannot have been brought so far as
this; yet, who knows? Have you heard or seen aught of such an
'ntombozaan, O King?"

"I have not, white man, nor is she in Mashonaland, for otherwise I
should have heard of it and seen her," answered Lomalindela. "The few
strangers who enter my country are brought to me, and I deal with them
as I will. No, she has not been here; therefore that part of your
errand is soon disposed of. And as to the other part of it, I will
consider the matter at my leisure. Have ye aught else to say to me?"

"Merely to ask Your Majesty's acceptance of certain gifts which I have
brought with me. Is it the king's pleasure that I produce them?" I
blandly enquired.

An expression of covetousness flashed into the king's eyes as he nodded
and replied briefly:

"Yes, you may produce them."

I beckoned to Piet, who, as my supposed body servant, had been permitted
to enter the great square with me, and he at once stepped forward with
the bundle containing the presents, which he laid at my feet. Then
deliberately, and with as much ceremony as I could infuse into so
commonplace an act, I unfastened the bundle, extracted the items of
uniform one by one, unfolded them, and held them up for inspection. The
king regarded each garment attentively and somewhat wonderingly as I
held it up, but did not appear to be very profoundly impressed; and I
began to fear that my great coup was about to miss fire. When, however,
I came to the sword, drew it from its scabbard, flourished the
glittering blade round my head, and made several cuts and points at an
imaginary enemy,