Chap. II. ESPIONAGE— TALE OF THE CANNON. 27 



rebellions imder-chief. This happened when we had just 

 come to live with the Bakwains. Sechele consulted me, and I 

 advised mild measures. The messengers he despatched to the 

 rebel were answered by a taunt : " He only pretends to wish 

 to follow the advice of the teacher: Sechele is a coward; let 

 him come and fight if he dare." On the next offence Sechele 

 told me he was going to hunt elephants ; and asked the loan 

 of a black-metal pot to cook with. I knew nothing further 

 until we saw the Bakwains carrying home their wounded, 

 and heard some of the women uttering the loud wail of sorrow 

 for the dead, while others pealed forth the clear scream of 

 victory. It was then clear that Sechele had attacked and 

 driven away the rebel. 



Having made this statement to the commandant, I had soon 

 an example how quickly a story can grow among idle people. 

 The five guns were, within one month, multiplied into five 

 hundred, and the cooking-pot, now in a museum at Cape 

 Town, was magnified into a cannon ; " I had myself confessed 

 to the loan." Where the five hundred guns came from it was 

 easy to divine ; for, as I used a sextant, my connection with 

 Government was a thing of course ; and, as I must know all 

 Her Majesty's counsels, I was questioned on the indistinct 

 rumours w r hich had reached them of Lord Eosse's telescope. 

 " What right," said the}^, " has your government to set up 

 that large glass at the Cape to look after us behind the Cashan 

 Mountains?" Many of the Boers visited us afterwards at 

 Kolobeng, some for medical advice, and others to trade in 

 those very muskets and powder which their own laws and 

 policy forbad them to sell to the natives. Many attempts 

 were made during these visits to elicit the truth respecting 

 the guns and cannon. Espionage, which is a proof of bar- 

 barism, is as well developed among the savages as in Austria 

 or Eussia, and every man in a tribe feels himself bound to tell 

 the chief all that comes to his knowledge. Sechele was there- 

 fore acquainted with every question put to his people, and 

 asked me how they ought to answer. My reply was, " Tell 

 the truth." Every one then declared that no cannon existed ; 

 and our friends, judging of the denial by what they them- 

 selves would have said in similar circumstances, were onlv 

 confirmed in the opinion that the Bakwains possessed artillery . 



