The Palace Of The Queen Of Sheba.

of the overhanging cliffs . Here he stayed awhile to cultivate , with the assistance of his interpreter , Rolle , the friendship of the chief Loinondo , a man of unprepossessing appearance , and not unsuspected of

cannibalism . His difficulties were increased by the temptations held out to his people to desert him , and by the frivolous pretexts for delay invented by themselves ; but he at length reached Sewaas , a poAverful chief

of the Baramapulana , AVIIO had his nest under the eastern face of the same sandstone range , Avell AA'atched and guarded by his people , armed with bows and arrows ,

as the little caravan approached . The interpreter went forward . An audience Avas granted , and the traveller advanced at the head of his party , saluting the chief as he entered . Dili-ills' the absence of the

interpreter , Mauch sat in enforced silence gazing at the grotesque costume of this ruler of 20 , 000 people . His breadth and hei ght seamed to rival each other . His natural

short locks were lengthened by being bound up in tufts Avith bark , and smeared Avith fat , which , melting in the sun , glistened over his face and beard . His flat nose

sought refreshment from the snuff-box : Avhich hung by an iron chain from his neck , and the aroma of majesty Avas such that the traveller Avas fain to light his OAVU

pipe and protect himself by thick clouds of tobacco smoke . He Avas Avaited on by dark-browed Hebes , Avho served him kneeling , and was addressed as the " Elephant , " the " Lion , " the "Steer , " the "Great Baboon , " & c . It may be Avell imagined that Avhen the audience was over Manch

Avas glad to retire to the little cylindroconical hut that had been set apart for him , but Avhich Avas soon rendered unendurable by the croAvd of visitors AVIIO forced themselves upon him . He Avas Avell

supplied Avith maize meal , sour milk , and beer ; but observation or Avork of any kind was impossible when so many curious hands Avere busy overhauling his guns , his instruments , or any other object of interest that

happened to be exposed . A beast was killed for him , but so many begged a share of the flesh that hardly more than a single meal fell to his own lot , while such constant

demands Avere made upon him for presents , that he began to dread complete exhaustion of his stores , and sought the earliest opportunity of taking his lea \ e . . On the 7 th of August the part y travelled

The Palace Of The Queen Of Sheba.

along the south-east side of the hills , over a fruitful country , the baobab and euphorbia becoming more common as they descended into the Limpopo valley , followed by a band of parasites from Sewaas ,

Avatching an opportunity of acquiring some last present from the departing caravan . Passing Sukene ' s , they came upon a barren and stony flat Avith patches of grass and mopani forest , with the thermometer 93 ° Eareuheit

iu the shade , aud not the slightest breeze to allay the intense heat . They reached the banks of the Limpopo a little before noon , iu latitude 22 ° 18 ' 49 " , at an altitude by the aneroid barometer of 1 , 780 feet above

the sea—the river being 250 yards broad . About four hours beloAv this drift a waterfall is reported , and the breadth of the river is increased to 1 , 200 yards . The Tolo Azine Falls , discovered by Captain Elton , are about 25 miles above the drift . North

of the Limpopo they crossed the rivers Bubye and Manetse , Avhere for 70 English miles game was so scarce , and the villages so far from the path , that the Avhole train of about forty persons had to satisfy their

hunger Avith beans , Indian corn , and such roots as they could di _ j up . On the 18 th of August they reached Dumha ' s Kraal , Avhere Mauch restored to their parents several children that had been

stolen in former times . The applause of the Avoinen was unbounded ; but he had to sleep supperless , and it Avas not until next morning that Dumbo supplied him Avith beer , and brought an elephant's tusk ,

Aveighmg lo lb ., for which he asked poAvder and lead . Hitherto he had been accompanied by Albasini ' s men and his interpreter Kolle , but they left him here ; and noAV he hired some of Dumbo ' s men , who deserted ,

taking with them a quantity of calico . Other thefts Avere committed , but some of the plunder Avas recovered and brought back ; and with great difficulty he persuaded some of the people to go on Avith

him tAvo and a half days to the Kraal of Sumba , among granite hills 800 or 1000 feet higher than the plain , watered by rivulets , and bedecked with Avaterboom and other trees . Here Dumba's people ,

quarrelsome ana impertinent to him and the chief's son , deserted him , although they had agreed to bring him on to Maapansule , three and a half hours further . Harassed , annoyed , and plundered on every hand , and uncertain whether at any moment a