2 9 o ikings of tbe tRofc, IRffle, ant> Gun 



of the Bechuanas, often practise on their credulity, and, 

 a short time before I visited Sichely, a party of Griquas 

 who were hunting in his territory had obtained from him 

 several valuable karosses in barter for a little sulphur, 

 which they represented as a most effectual medicine 

 for guns, having assured Sichely that by rubbing a 

 small quantity on their hands before proceeding to 

 the field they would assuredly obtain the animal they 

 hunted. 



It happened in the course of my converse with 

 the chief that the subject turned on ball-practice, 

 when, probably relying on the power of his medicine, 

 the king challenged me to shoot against him for 

 a considerable wager, stipulating at the same time 

 that his three brothers were to be permitted to 

 assist him in the competition. The king staked a 

 couple of valuable karosses against a large measure 

 filled with my gunpowder, and we at once proceeded 

 to the waggon, where the match was to come off, 

 followed by a number of the tribe. Whilst Sichely 

 was loading his gun, I repaired to the fore-chest of 

 the waggon, where, observing that I saw watched by 

 several of the natives, I proceeded to rub my 

 hands with sulphur, which was instantly reported 

 to the chief, who directly joined me, and, clapping 

 me on the back, entreated me to give him a little 

 of my medicine for his gun, which I, of course, told 

 him he must purchase. Our target being set up, we 

 commenced firing ; it was a small piece of wood, six 

 inches long by four in breadth, and was placed on 

 the stump of a tree at the distance of one hundred 



