Копи царя Соломона

           Thismanhaddepartedatanextraordinaryspeed, whichInfadoosinformedmehewouldkeepupalltheway,asrunningwasanexercisemuchpractisedamonghispeople. 

           Theresultofthismessagenowbecameapparent. Whenwearrivedwithintwomilesofthekraalwecouldseethatcompanyaftercompanyofmenwereissuingfromitsgatesandmarchingtowardsus. 

           SirHenrylaidhishanduponmyarm,andremarkedthatitlookedasthoughweweregoingtomeetwithawarmreception. SomethinginhistoneattractedInfadoos’attention. 

           "Letnotmylordsbeafraid,"hesaidhastily,"forinmybreasttheredwellsnoguile. Thisregimentisoneundermycommand,andcomesoutbymyorderstogreetyou." 

           Inoddedeasily,thoughIwasnotquiteeasyinmymind. 

           Abouthalfamilefromthegatesofthiskraalisalongstretchofrisinggroundslopinggentlyupwardsfromtheroad,andherethecompaniesformed. Itwasasplendidsighttoseethem, eachcompanyaboutthreehundredstrong,chargingswiftlyuptherise,withflashingspearsandwavingplumes,totaketheirappointedplace. Bythetimewereachedtheslopetwelvesuchcompanies,orinallthreethousandsixhundredmen,hadpassedoutandtakenuptheirpositionsalongtheroad. 

           Presentlywecametothefirstcompany,andwereabletogazeinastonishmentonthemostmagnificentsetofwarriorsthatIhaveeverseen. Theywereallmenofmatureage,mostlyveteransofaboutforty, andnotoneofthemwasundersixfeetinheight,whilstmanystoodsixfeetthreeorfour.