I staid for a few days in the village of Kgola, where
the people were very kind to nie. One day I heard a
woman crj-ing out as if she were in great jjain. Asking
what was the matter, a man told me the king was pun-
ishing one of Jiis wives ; and others said that, if I did not
go to her help, she might be killed. I hurried to tiie
king's house, and there, in front of the veranda, a specta-
cle met my eyes which froze my blood with horror. A
woman was tied by the middle to a stout stake driven
into the ground. Her legs were stretched out and fast-
ened to other smaller stakes, and stout cords were bound
round her neck, waist, ankles, and wijsts. These cords
were being t'wisted with sticks ; and, "s\hen I arrived, the
skin was bursting fTom the terrible compression. The
poor woman looked at me. The king was in a perfect
rage ; he himself was the chief executioner. His eyes
were liloodshot, and his lips were white with foam. I
had to be careful in expostulating ^vitli the king, f (jr fear
that he might kill her at once in a fit of rage. I walked
up, and, taking him by the arm, asked him, for my sake,
to release the poor woman, and not to kill her. He
seemed to hesitate ; he did not answer, and went into his
house. I threatened to leave if he did not release her.
