THE CHIEF IGNORANT EXCHANGE VISIT. 419 



caross. This latter, however, he almost immediately ex- 

 changed for waistcoat and jacket. 



Piet the Griqua, and a Bechuana man. whom a trader 

 (then at the Lake) had kindly placed at my disposal, were 

 my interpreters. After the first salutations were over, I ex- 

 plained to the chief the motives of my visit, the friendly 

 wishes of the British government at the Cape, and so forth. 

 He listened to my story with apparent attention and in pro- 

 found silence, eyeing me the whole time suspiciously. But 

 he asked no question, nor did he venture any remark. 



Having conveyed to him all I had to say, I prepared to 

 depart. Previously, however, to taking leave, I requested 

 him to have the goodness to give me some information about 

 his country, to which he abruptly replied, 



" I know nothing at all !" 



" Is there, then," I said, " none of your people who can 

 furnish me with some account of it 1" 



"No," was his immediate answer. 



I was annoyed, but felt the necessity of concealing my 

 vexation ; and, soon after rising, I said, " Well, Lecholetebe, 

 perhaps, when we become better acquainted, you will be more 

 communicative. In the mean time, when it suits you, come 

 over to my encampment and have a chat, and maybe you 

 will find something there to captivate your fancy." 



I had no occasion to say this twice, as I too soon found to 

 my cost. Unlike our fat friend, King Nangoro, who had the 

 courtesy to make us wait about three days before he conde- 

 scended to see us, the Bechuana chief could scarcely restrain 

 his curiosity for as many hours. 



When he arrived I was busy preparing some skins of birdr; 

 and snakes, which caused no small amount of jesting among 

 his followers. One fellow, more inquisitive and impertinent 

 than the rest, approached close to me, and, seizing one of the 

 reptiles by the tail, held it up before the multitude, whicli 

 were now thronging my tent to inconvenience, and, addres?- 



