DILATORY MODE OF TRADING. 279 



dispatched two mounted men in different directions, 

 with instructions to ride hard and seek the spoor, and 

 these returned at a late hour, having found them. 



On reviewing my trading, I could not help feeling 

 annoyed at the dilatory mode in which it progressed. 

 I had now spent two entire days endeavoring to trade, 

 yet no exchanges had been effected. For this, how- 

 ever, there was no help. I could not have acted other- 

 wise, and on the following day I reaped the benefit of 

 my unyielding resolution. 



Althougli I voted the trading an intense bore, it was 

 nevertheless well worth a little time and inconvenience, 

 on account of the enormous profit I should realize. The 

 price I had paid for the muskets was ^16 for each case 

 containing twenty muskets, and the value of the ivory 

 I required for each musket was upward of £30, being 

 about 3000 per cent., which I am informed is reckoned 

 among mercantile men to be a very fair profit. Sicomy 

 was in those days in the possession of very large quan- 

 tities of splendid ivory, and still considerable quantities 

 pass annually through his hands. Since I first visited 

 Bamangwato, and taught the natives the use of fire- 

 arms, they have learned to kill the elephant themselves; 

 but previous to my arrival they were utterly incapable 

 of subduing a full-grown elephant, even by the united 

 exertions of the whole tribe. All the ivory which Sico- 

 my then possessed, and the majority of that which still 

 passes through his hands, is obtained from elephants 

 slain with assagais by an active and daring race of 

 Bushmen inhabiting very remote regions to the north- 

 ^vard and northwest of Bamangwato. 



The manner in which Sicomy obtained this ivory was 

 by sending a party of his warriors to the Bushman, 

 who first obtained the tusks in barter for a few beads, 



