120 A PANIC. Chap. VI. 



however, that a tribe where an Englishman had lived had begun 

 to shed their blood as well, it was considered the strongest 

 presumptive evidence against me. Loud vows of vengeance 

 were uttered against my head, and threats of instant pursuit 

 by a large party on horseback, should I dare to go into or 

 beyond their country; and as these were coupled with the 

 declaration that the English Government had given over the 

 whole of the native tribes to their rule, and would assist in their 

 entire subjection by preventing fire-arms and ammunition from 

 entering the country, except for the use of the Boers, it was not 

 to be wondered at that I was detained for months at Kuruman 

 from sheer inability to get waggon-drivers. The English name, 

 from being honoured and respected all over the country, had 

 become somewhat more than suspected ; and as the policy of 

 depriving these friendly tribes of the means of defence was 

 represented by the Boers as proof positive of the wish of the 

 English that they should be subjugated, the conduct of a govern- 

 ment which these tribes always thought the paragon of justice 

 and friendship was rendered totally incomprehensible to them ; 

 they could neither defend themselves against then enemies, nor 

 shoot the animals in the produce of winch we wished them to 

 trade. 



At last I found three servants willing to risk a journey to the 

 north ; and a man of colour, named George Fleming, who had 

 generously been assisted by Mr. H. E. Butherford, a mercantile 

 gentleman of Cape Town, to endeavour to establish a trade with 

 the Makololo, had also managed to get a similar number ; we 

 accordingly left Kuruman on the 20th November, and proceeded 

 on our journey. Our servants were the worst possible specimens 

 of those who imbibe the vices without the virtues of Europeans, 

 but we had no choice, and were glad to get away on any terms. 



When we reached Motito, forty miles off, we met Sechele, on 

 his way, as he said, " to the Queen of England." Two of his own 

 children, and their mother, a former wife, were among the captives 

 seized by the Boers ; and being strongly embued with the then 

 very prevalent notion of England's justice and generosity, he 

 thought that in consequence of the violated treaty he had a fair 

 case to lay before Her Majesty. He employed all his eloquence 

 and powers of persuasion to induce me to accompany him, but I 



