1867.] THE CHIEF BARGAINS FOR A BLANKET. 189 



sent a man to hear what I had to advance — this I declined, 

 and when the rain ceased I went myself. 



On coming into his hut I stated that I had given him 

 four times the value of his cow, but if he thought other- 

 wise, let us take the four cloths to his brother Moamba, and 

 if he said that I had not given enough, I would buy a cow 

 and send it back. This he did not relish at all. "Oh, 

 great Englishman ! why should we refer a dispute to an 

 inferior. I am the great chief of all this country. In- 

 gleze mokolu, you are sorry that you have to give so much 

 for the ox you have eaten. You would not take a smaller, 

 and therefore I gratified your heart by giving the larger; 

 and why should not you gratify my heart by giving cloth 

 sufficient to cover me, and please me ? " 



I said that my cloths would cover him, and his biggest wife 

 too all over, he laughed at this, but still held out; and 

 as we have meat, and he sent maize and calabashes, I went 

 away. He turns round now, and puts the blame of greedi- 

 ness on me. I cannot enter into, his ideas, or see his point 

 of view ; cannot, in fact, enter into his ignorance, his preju- 

 dices, or delusions, so it is impossible to pronounce a true 

 judgment. One who has no humour cannot understand one 

 who has : this is an equivalent case. 



Rain and clouds so constantly, I could not get our latitude 

 till last night, 10° 14' 6" S. On 8th got lunars. Long. 

 31° 46' 45" E. Altitude above sea, 4700 feet, by boiling- 

 point and barometer. 



8th February. — The chief demands one of my boxes and a 

 blanket; I explain that one day's rain would spoil the 

 contents, and the boys who have blankets, not being slaves, 

 I cannot take from them what I have given. I am 

 told that he declares that he will take us back to the 

 Loangwa; make war and involve us in it, deprive us of 

 food, &c. : this succeeds in terrifying the boys. He thinks 

 that we have some self-interest to secure in passing 



