Копи царя Соломона

           TheyworeupontheirheadsheavyblackplumesofSakaboolafeathers,likethosewhichadornedourguides. Abouttheirwaistsandbeneaththerightkneeswereboundcircletsofwhiteoxtails, whileintheirlefthandstheycarriedroundshieldsmeasuringabouttwentyinchesacross. Theseshieldsareverycurious. Theframeworkismadeofanironplatebeatenoutthin,overwhichisstretchedmilk-whiteox-hide. 

           Theweaponsthateachmanboreweresimple,butmosteffective, consistingofashortandveryheavytwo-edgedspearwithawoodenshaft,thebladebeingaboutsixinchesacrossatthewidestpart. ThesespearsarenotusedforthrowingbutliketheZulu"bangwan,"orstabbingassegai,areforclosequartersonly,whenthewoundinflictedbythemisterrible. Inadditiontohisbangwaneverymancarriedthreelargeandheavyknives,eachknifeweighingabouttwopounds. Oneknifewasfixedintheox-tailgirdle,andtheothertwoatthebackoftheroundshield. Theseknives,whicharecalled"tollas"bytheKukuanas,taketheplaceofthethrowingassegaioftheZulus. TheKukuanawarriorscancastthemwithgreataccuracytoadistanceoffiftyyards,anditistheircustomonchargingtohurlavolleyofthemattheenemyastheycometoclosequarters.