THEIR JUDGMENT RESPECTING GOODS. 425 



at cock-crowing in the mornings, and by daylight reached the 

 uncultivated parts of the adjacent country, collected a bundle of 

 fire-wood, and returned to the city. It was then divided into 

 smaller fagots, and sold to the inhabitants ; and as they gave 

 larger quantities than the regular wood-carriers, they found no 

 difficulty in selling. A ship freighted with coal for the cruisers 

 having arrived from England, Mr. Gabriel procured them employ- 

 ment in unloading her at sixpence a day. They continued at this 

 work for upward of a month, and nothing could exceed their aston- 

 ishment at the vast amount of cargo one ship contained. As they 

 themselves always afterward expressed it, they had labored every 

 day from sunrise to sunset for a moon and a half, unloading, as 

 quickly as they could, " stones that burn," and were tired out, 

 still leaving plenty in her. With the money so obtained they 

 purchased clothing, beads, and other articles to take back to their 

 own country. Their ideas of the value of different kinds of goods 

 rather astonished those who had dealt only with natives on the 

 coast. Hearing it stated with confidence that the Africans pre- 

 ferred the thinnest fabrics, provided they had gaudy colors and a 

 large extent of surface, the idea was so new to my experience in 

 the interior that I dissented, and, in order to show the superior 

 good sense of the Makololo, took them to the shop of Mr. Schut. 

 When he showed them the amount of general goods which they 

 might procure at Loanda for a single tusk, I requested them, 

 without assigning any reason, to point out the fabrics they prized 

 most. They all at once selected the strongest pieces of English 

 calico and other cloths, showing that they had regard to strength 

 without reference to color. I believe that most of the Bechuana 

 nation would have done the same. But I was assured that the 

 people near the coast, with whom the Portuguese have to deal, 

 have not so much regard to durability. This probably arises 

 from calico being the chief circulating medium ; quantity being- 

 then of more importance than quality. 



During the period of my indisposition, the bishop sent fre- 

 quently to make inquiries, and, as soon as I was able to walk, I 

 went to thank him for his civilities. His whole conversation and 

 conduct showed him to be a man of great benevolence and kind- 

 ness of heart. Alluding to my being a Protestant, he stated that 

 he was a Catholic from conviction ; and though sorry to see others, 



