246 .IDVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



of his men for ammunition. When Mahura left T 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', wMoh, together 



