246 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



of his men for ammunition. When Mahura left I pre- 

 sented him with some sugar for his coffee and a whip- 

 stick. 



The chief again made his appearance, accompanied 

 by his interpreter and several of his people, early next 

 day, bringing stout young cattle to barter for guns and 

 ammunition. Having taken coffee, the chief called me 

 aside, and, pointing out to me two good-looking young 

 oxen, said they were his, and that he wanted powder for 

 them. I asked him how much he would require, and 

 he replied that he had brought a measure, and that if 

 I would fill it with powder I could have the two oxen. 

 When I beheld the wooden measure I thought the chief 

 was going to drive a hard bargain with me. On filling it, 

 however, with powder, I found that it held about eight- 

 een pounds, and as this was not an exorbitant price for 

 two good oxen, I was very glad to get them, and I told 

 the chief I was satisfied with his measure. He and all 

 his people seemed to think they had got a bargain, and, 

 the example now being set, the trading went on rapid- 

 ly, and by sundown I had purchased twenty-two oxen, 

 twenty of which were quite fit for work. In the fore- 

 noon Mr. O. and I went to look at the cattle (which we 

 allowed to remain night and day in the veld), and had 

 the satisfaction to find a decided improvement in them. 

 The chief was in high spirits all day, and on leaving 

 me in the forenoon he said he would give me a fat cow 

 to kill for my people, and that he would bring me a 

 large-horned ox to purchase. In the evening the fat 

 cow was brought and slain, but the herds brought the 

 wrong ox, so the chief sent it back again. A cousin 

 of the chief, named Mokalliharri, anxious to cultivate 

 my good graces, gave me a fat wether. We remained 

 several days longer purchasing oxen, which, together 



