of theirs was of the opposite kind, and all were delighted at having
at last obtained a gun, there was on their side no dissatisfaction or
irritation against me. As it would have been useless, and, perhaps,
not good policy, to have explained the true object of my visit to
their country, they conceived that all business which now remained
for me to do, was to proceed with the bartering; and as it was known
that the beads had been exhibited with this view, they now called
upon me to bring them forward.
In the mode of managing such business, I submitted to the instructions
of Muchunka, who was acquainted with the practice usually
adopted by the Klaarwater Hottentots, and who directed that the
canvass covering of one of the waggons should be extended on the
ground in the middle of the public enclosure, and the beads laid out
upon it in parcels. I had, during my residence in the Transgariepine,
learnt the usual relative value of beads at Litakun, and had taken
care to expose no more than would be sufficient for the purchase
of oxen enough for one team, which I judged would be as many as
my present exigences required.
Neither the chief nor any of his brothers were inclined to barter,
notwithstanding their eagerness to have the first sight of the beads.
Serrakutu brought a large elephant’s tusk for exchange, although I
had expressly declared that it was oxen, and not ivory, which I wanted.
He therefore took this home again ; but brought nothing further to
market. Adam, who knew the value of all my goods, took a quantity,
for which he agreed to bring me six oxen on the following day;
but when he showed the purchase to his father who had promised to
give him the required oxen, he was ordered by him to demand more
beads in addition to the quantity which had been bargained for. As
such a mode of trading would, I foresaw, produce endless disputes,
should this be taken as a precedent by the other inhabitants, I refused
to make any alteration after an agreement had been made, and
therefore took back the beads. The Chief and all his party, together
with a crowd of lookers-on, were present the whole time. Mattivi
begged for a knife, and Serrakutu did the same; but this was done
privately. I afterwards complied with their wishes, but enjoined them
not to mention that it had been given to them. The former, seeing
some loose beads lying on the canvass, greedily scraped them up and
gave them to one of his sons.
This market lasted about an hour and a half, and though I offered
at least twice as much beads for an ox, as were usually obtained
from the Hottentots, yet not more than two oxen were actually
purchased. This apparent disinclination to barter, did not arise
from any deficiency of oxen among them, or from any want of
desire to possess my beads; but, as I afterwards had reason for
suspecting, from a hope of thus compelling me to part with fire-arms
and ammunition, in return for oxen which they knew to be essentially
necessary to my progress.
The remaining goods were then put again into the chest, and
I retired to my waggon, where I was soon afterwards visited by the
Chief. He brought with him a calabash of milk, intended, as I
supposed, for a peace-offering, as he gave it me without demanding
any thing in payment. I offered him, however, the usual piece of
tobacco; which he very readily accepted. He, on his part, had
no cause for being out of temper; but as he knew that I had, he
seemed desirous of testifying his good-will towards m e; and sat in
the waggon above an hour, which he spent chiefly in teaching me
Sichuana.
We were joined by other chieftains, who also took amusement
in giving me lessons in their language. These people were always
found to be very ready to render me service of this kind, and much
pleased when they had taught me any new word or expression ; but
they never forgot at the end of it, to request a piece of tobacco.
In begging for any trifling gift or remuneration, they never asked for
sikhaka (beads); these being considered more especially as money,
to be employed only as the medium of trade with distant tribes, and
for the purchase of the more expensive articles; while muchuko
and lishuena (tobacco and snuff) being consumable merchandise, are,
though highly valued, regarded as a less important species of property.
I had sufficient reason for admiring one of the customs of the
Bachapins ; that, notwithstanding they never at anv other time left