On my objecting therefore to the four oxen} as being but half
its value, they replied that they had learnt from the people of Klaar-
water that a musket might be purchased in the Colony for that price.
They appeared however resolved to have it on their own terms ; and
there is little doubt that they were emboldened to act in this manner,
by observing the symptoms of fear which the looks and behaviour
of my own men, had, from the first hour of our arrival, but more
especially during these transactions, too visibly betrayed.
Mattlvi and his chieftains now appeared in serious debate;
while I sat in the midst of them, totally ignorant of what resolutions
they were forming. At this moment Speelman, Philip, and Gert,
came, and in great trepidation, begged me to leave the circle. I saw
so much alarm in their countenances, that I was led to suppose that
they had overheard the council proposing violent measures; and
I therefore rose and walked with them to the waggon. They
entreated me to give up the point in dispute, as they saw clearly,
they said, that it was bringing us into danger. Muchunka and Adam
strongly advised that T should not reject what was offered, but rather
let them have the gun at any price, as it was to be feared that otherwise
bad consequences might ensue.
Whether this advice was well-founded or not, I had no time for
examining; but as I perceived at this instant, reason for believing that
my men would desert me if I increased their alarm by pushing the
affair farther, I desired the interpreter to tell the assembly that
although I considered the gun as worth much more than the price
at which they had rated it, yet, as I desired nothing so much as their
friendship, I should dispute with them no longer on the subject.
To this, moved, as I supposed, by the conciliatory manner in which
I spoke, they replied that six oxen should be given.
Immediately they all rose; and Mattlvi then said, he should
wish to see the gun fired off. This was a request which I could find
no pretext for refusing, although I saw too clearly that all these
transactions were tending towards a point which I was endeavouring
to avoid; that of getting it into their possession before the time
which had been agreed on.
We therefore proceeded to an open place on the outside of the
town, attended by a numerous crowd of spectators. A part of my
men being left to guard the waggons, I ordered the rest to follow
me with their muskets loaded. When the gun in question was discharged,
the Chief desired that the others might also be fired.
In complying with this request, the one which had been loaded
by Stuurman, could not by any means be made to explode ; and on
examination it was found that he had rammed in the cartridge with
the ball downwards. A failure of this kind, while exhibiting to the
natives the power of our arms, was the more unlucky, as it led them
to believe that my party was not entirely composed of men who
were properly skilled in the use of them ; for they watched all our
motions with the most prying attention.
Mattivi then requested that Molaala might be allowed to fire
off one of thé guns. Neither could this be refused ; but as soon as
he had discharged it, instead of returning it to the Hottentot, as it
was not the musket which had been intended for him, he was ordered
by the Chief to take it home to his house. At so flagrant an act
of bad faith, I loudly expressed my dissatisfaction, as it was an open
breach of our agreement ; but he, in his turn, pretènded to be
equally dissatisfied with me for wishing to detain what he had now
bought and made his own ; the whole party at the same time crying
out, that they ought not to give it out of their possession. At this
moment I felt exceedingly irritated at their conduct, so deficient in
honor and every just principle ; but I suppressed my feelings as well
as I was able, since a glance at the crowd and at my own men, showed
me too truly that I was completely in their power, and that my gun
was irrecoverably gone. They must have read in my countenance,
what I thought of their dealings ; but they walked away, exulting in
the success of their cunning, and even, perhaps, inwardly proud of
their superiority over a white-man in this essential qualification, the
possession of which seems in their eyes, and, I am ashamed to confess,
in the eyes of many Europeans, to constitute a man of talents.
Although the state of my feelings at this time rendered me but
little disposed to have further dealings with- them ; yet as the state