248 THROUGH GASA LAND. 



I do not think that it is characteristic of the 

 natives of this part of the world to harbour a feeling 

 of revenge for a lengthened time, brooding over their 

 wrongs and nursing them, till the sufferer becomes 

 frantic, as is the case with a Malay, nor do I think 

 that a Zulu or Mashoona would run "a muck " after 

 the manner of the Eastern people mentioned. No ! 

 if they intended retaliation, immediate steps would 

 be taken to accomplish it, and the hurricane of 

 wrath that would be exhibited would be terrible to 

 witness, but, like tropical gales, the very excess of 

 the violence soon exhausts itself, and a placid frame 

 of mind rapidly afterwards follows, when peace and 

 good will can be firmly restored by a kind word or a 

 trifling concession. Thus I think treachery, as the 

 term is interpreted in southern Europe, is unknown 

 among them as a means of avenging private 

 quarrels. The stiletto, bowie-knife, and revolver, 

 even if known here, would have an easy time, if 

 they depended upon their special work for employ- 

 ment, and vendors of them would find these articles 

 so little in demand, that it was unremunerative to 

 keep them in stock. In spite of our boasted civilisa- 

 tion, we may from this learn a lesson that, deserves 

 thoroughly digesting. 



Here, another quiet night was passed ; this may 

 be owing to the large fires that were kept going 

 throughout the hours of darkness, for I frequently 

 heard a panther across an adjoining ravine, before I 



