Captain Thorburn met King Impande, the father of the great King Cetywayo, while a young trader in Zululand. Family tradition has it that he heard that Impande was in need of medicine and in exchange for what relief he was able to give to the dying king, and also in thanks for the many entertaining stories he told him on his death bed, he was presented with the staff, spear and axe offered in this lot. They have remained in Thorburn's family and are sent for sale by one of his descendants. Thorburn later accomplished the remarkable feat of hauling a steamboat across southern Arica from Cape Town to the Transvaal.