INTEMESE'S FICTION.— THEFT. 33 } 



The rains were occasionally, but not always, accompanied with. 

 very loud thunder. 



February 1st. This day we had a fine view of two hills call- 

 ed Piri (Peeri), meaning "two," on the side of the river we had 

 left. The country there is named Mokwankwa. And there In- 

 temese informed us one of Shinte's children was born, when he was 

 in his progress southward from the country of Matiamvo. This 

 part of the country would thus seem not to have been inhabited 

 by the people of Shinte at any very remote period. He told me 

 himself that he had come into his present country by command of 

 Matiamvo. 



Here we were surprised to hear English cotton cloth much more 

 eagerly inquired after than beads and ornaments. They are more 

 in need of clothing than the Bechuana tribes living adjacent to the 

 Kalahari Desert, who have plenty of skins for the purpose. An- 

 imals of all kinds are rare here, and a very small piece of calico 

 is of great value. 



In the midst of the heavy rain, which continued all the morn- 

 ing, Intemese sent to say he was laid up with pains in the stom- 

 ach, and must not be disturbed ; but when it cleared up, about 

 eleven, I saw our friend walking off to the village, and talking with 

 a very loud voice. On reproaching him for telling an untruth, he 

 turned it off with a laugh by saying he really had a complaint in 

 his stomach, which I might cure by slaughtering one of the oxen 

 and allowing him to eat beef. He was evidently reveling in the 

 abundance of good food the chiefs orders brought us ; and he did 

 not feel the shame I did when I gave a few beads only in return 

 for large baskets of meal. 



A very old man visited us here with a present of maize : like 

 the others, he had never before seen a white man, and, when con- 

 versing with him, some of the young men remarked that they were 

 the true ancients, for they had now seen more wonderful things 

 than their forefathers. 



• One of Intemese's men stole a fowl given me by a lady of 

 the village. When charged with the theft, every one of Inte- 

 mese's party vociferated his innocence and indignation at being 

 suspected, continuing their loud asseverations and gesticulations 

 for some minutes. One of my men, Loyanke, went off to the 

 village, brought the lady who had presented the fowl to identify 



