Mah-dra, may be expresses! in English by I fat ;’ a word which most
correctly accorded with his figure. 1
When they had drunk all the coffee, they seemed inclined to
enter into! conversation. Mattlvi commenced by saying,' that Muli-
hdban his father, a short time before he died, had desired him to be
kind to all his brothers, and to take every care of them; that they
.were numerous, and all depended on him for protection. He then
remarked that Mulihaban was always a great friend to white-
men. To which I replied; Yes, I had already heard that he was,
and that the white-men would therefore lament, on receiving the
news of his death; but that when I should inform them that Mattlvi
was equally their friend, they would rejoice again, and white-men
would again come to see him.
These remarks, and a few others of the same kind, were made
in a desultory manner, and appeared to have no mutual connection,
nor any particular object : they were merely meant as an introduction
to another more important subject which it seems, had occupied their
thoughts long before my arrival, and had been a matter of national
consultation. I t had previously pressed so much on their minds,
that it had evidently been resolved to make.it the very first point of
discussion, as soon as I had reached their town. The Chief, therefore,
informed me that since Afrikaander* had now supplied the
Eamuchars with guns, he. could no longer consider himself safe in
this part of the country, unless he could procure similar arms ; and
that as soon as this most desirable object was obtained, he intended
’to remove his town and all his people nearer towards the Gariep,
to the spot where it stood at the time of his birth. He expressed
himself highly displeased with the Klaarwater people, because they
had hitherto refused to sell him any of their muskets ; but that now
I was come among them, they expected I should be their friend and
should let them have one of mine, as they saw I had many, and
■ could therefore easily spare one out of so great a number.
* I here write this .name as it is commonly pronouhced, and as it was spoken By liis
own family, although it would be more correctly written, AJrikaaner.
So unexpected a demand, and of such a nature, for it had more
the character of a demand than of a request, and made on the very
moment of my arrival, was a circumstance exceedingly unpleasant,
as the earnestness with which it was made, convinced me at once of
the difficulty of the situation in which it placed me. I had no more
than just muskets enough to arm all my men, and three even of
these belonged to the Hottentots themselves, who had preferred
bringing their own guns as being more accustomed to them. It was
putting into the hands of this people a weapon which in the event
of any future misunderstanding would be used against ourselves; so
that we might lose our lives by the very instrument which we had
brought for the purpose of defending them: besides which, ammunition
would also be required. If I refused giving it, I must run
the risk of its being taken either by force or by stealth. I had but an
instant for reflection; my answer must follow the question. I resolved
not to grant his request; although I foresaw that my refusal
would produce some unpleasant consequences.
I therefore replied, that I had no more than one for each of my
men, and that if I were to give up any, some of my own people
must go unarmed, which, as he well knew, was a thing not to be
ventured in travelling through a country inhabited by Baroba (Bushmen)
; that as we were but very few in number, we had the greater
necessity for retaining our arms for our own defence ; that they were
not all my own, and must be taken back to the colony again; that
besides this, he saw that we had no food but what was procured by
hunting, and must be well aware that we had in these countries, no
other means of support, consequently that our lives depended on
our guns, which was not the case with them, as they had abundance
of corn, milk, and cattle. And I concluded by assuring him, that I
felt the most friendly sentiments towards him and all his people,
otherwise I should not have come to see him ; that if I had more
muskets than were wanted, I would willingly let him have one, but
that it was impossible to think of disarming my own men.
All these arguments, which they must have had discernment
enough to think perfectly reasonable, appeared to have no effect in
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