Копи царя Соломона
Twala the King
WehadalreadygivenafewtoInfadoosandScragga,andfoundthattheyweredelightedwiththem,neverhavingseensuchthingsbefore. Atlengthwedeclaredthatwewereready,andguidedbyInfadoos,startedofftotheaudience,Umbopacarryingtherifleandbeads.
Afterwalkingafewhundredyardswecametoanenclosure,somethinglikethatsurroundingthehutswhichhadbeenallottedtous,onlyfiftytimesasbig,foritcouldnothavecoveredlessthansixorsevenacresofground. Allroundtheoutsidefencestoodarowofhuts,whichwerethehabitationsoftheking’swives. Exactlyoppositethegateway,onthefurthersideoftheopenspace,wasaverylargehut,builtbyitself,inwhichhismajestyresided. Alltherestwasopenground;thatistosay,itwouldhavebeenopenhaditnotbeenfilledbycompanyaftercompanyofwarriors, whoweremusteredtheretothenumberofsevenoreightthousand. Thesemenstoodstillasstatuesasweadvancedthroughthem, anditwouldbeimpossibletogiveanadequateideaofthegrandeurofthespectaclewhichtheypresented,withtheirwavingplumes,theirglancingspears,andiron-backedox-hideshields.
Thespaceinfrontofthelargehutwasempty,butbeforeitwereplacedseveralstools. Onthreeofthese,atasignfromInfadoos,weseatedourselves,Umbopastandingbehindus. AsforInfadoos,hetookupapositionbythedoorofthehut. Sowewaitedfortenminutesormoreinthemidstofadeadsilence,butconsciousthatweweretheobjectoftheconcentratedgazeofsomeeightthousandpairsofeyes.
