222 PUNISHMENT OF A THIEF. 



could suspect was the Ajawali whom I found so dis- 

 agreeably close to me this morning. I knew he was 

 not honest, and never liked him from the first. He 

 was fond, too, of bullying the other men, and, being 

 a powerful man himself, generally had his own way. 

 I at once accused him of stealing the powder, upon 

 which he threw down his load and became exceed- 

 ingly insolent, going so far as to call me names and 

 spit on the ground close to my feet. My first impulse 

 was to shoot him, but thinking better of it, I handed 

 the gun to Chinsoro, and hitting him right between 

 the eyes with my fist, sent him clean off his legs. He 

 jumped up in an instant, and endeavoured to close 

 with me, but another hard blow on his nose sent him 

 flying back ; and as his claret began to flow copiously, 

 he seemed to think he had had enough of it. I ap- 

 proached him, but when he saw me coming he ran 

 away, and stood within some forty yards of me. I 

 told him to take up his load and come on. He re- 

 fused, in a quiet but determined manner, saying he 

 would not carry it another yard. Taking the rifle 

 from Chinsoro, I told him if he attempted to run 

 away I would shoot him dead, and walked straight up 

 to him. When within two yards he threw himself 

 down on the ground and asked me to forgive him, 

 saying he knew if I fired at him I should kill him. 

 Telling him to get up and take his load, I gave the 

 gun again to Chinsoro. He obeyed, and ere he had 

 gone a hundred yards confessed to having stolen the 

 powder, and obtained a full pardon. I never after 

 had cause of complaint against this man. 



I was walking through a little patch of underwood 



