They were all men of mature age, mostly veterans of about forty, and not one of them was under six feet in height, whilst many stood six feet three or four.

They wore upon their heads heavy black plumes of Sakaboola feathers, like those which adorned our guides.

About their waists and beneath the right knees were bound circlets of white ox tails, while in their left hands they carried round shields measuring about twenty inches across.

These shields are very curious.

The framework is made of an iron plate beaten out thin, over which is stretched milk-white ox-hide.
The weapons that each man bore were simple, but most effective, consisting of a short and very heavy two-edged spear with a wooden shaft, the blade being about six inches across at the widest part.
These spears are not used for throwing but like the Zulu "_bangwan_," or stabbing assegai, are for close quarters only, when the wound inflicted by them is terrible.