450 BECHUANA CHARACTER THIEVISH PROPENSITIES. 



a step farther, pretending that a fine form, perfect in all its 

 parts, can not contain a crooked or an imperfect mind." 

 Judging the mind of a Bechuana by such a rule, it would 

 not be pronounced deficient in talent. Nor is it. But, 

 though the Bechuanas are a very superior race of men, they 

 frequently conceal cunning and duplicity under an open and 

 dionified exterior. Any act, no matter how disgraceful, if 

 attended with success, will make them perfectly happy. 

 "The Bechuana character is frank and sociable, which, 

 however, does not appear to rise from benevolence of dispo- 

 sition, so much as from a degree of etiquette, and habits aris- 

 ing from relationship and docility." Like most barbarians, 

 their political wisdom consists in duplicity and petty cunning, 

 and their ordinary wars are merely predatory incursions upon 

 weaker neighbors for the purpose of carrying off cattle witli 

 as little exposure as possible of their own lives. 



They are exceedingly vindictive and revengeful ; but if the 

 injured party be propitiated with gifts, and the enemy ac- 

 knowledge the error of his doings, apparent cordiality and 

 unanimity generally succeed to the most inveterate hatred. 



From the king to the slave, theft is a prevailing vice with 

 the Bechuanas, and, from what I have seen of them, I am 

 confident that the wealthiest and the most exalted among 

 them would not hesitate to steal the shirt off one's back, 

 could he effect it without being compromised. Their pilfer- 

 ing habits know no bounds, and they carry on the game 

 with much dexterity. When grouped about our camp-fires 

 I have known them to abstract the tools with which we have 

 been working ; nay, indeed, the very knives and forks from 

 our plates. Once they actually took the meat out of the 

 pot as it was boiling on the fire, substituting a stone ! They 

 will place their feet over any small article lying on the ground, 

 burying it in the sand with their toes, and, if unable to carry 

 it away at the time, they return to fetch it at a more conven- 

 ient period. 



