230 PROSPECTS OF A FIGHT. Chap. XVIII. 



their master, and that they now expected the same, or an 

 equivalent, from me. 



About mid-day Njambi collected his people, and sur- 

 rounded our encampment, with the evident object of plunder- 

 ing us of everything. My men seized their javelins, and 

 stood on the defensive, while the young Chiboque brandished 

 their swords with great fury, and some even levelled their 

 guns at me. I sat on my camp-stool, with my double-barrelled 

 gun across my knees, and invited the chief to be seated also. 

 When he and his counsellors had sat down on the ground in 

 front of me, I asked what crime we had commited that he had 

 come armed in that way. He replied that one of my men, 

 Pitsane, while sitting at the fire that morning, had, in spitting, 

 allowed a small quantity of the saliva to fall on the leg of one 

 of his men. Pitsane admitted the fact, and, in proof of its 

 being a pure accident, mentioned that he had wiped it off 

 with his hand as soon as it fell. This explanation, however, 

 was not received, and compensation was demanded to the 

 extent of a man, an ox, or a gun. I refused, of course, such 

 an unreasonable demand, and after a considerable parley I 

 gave him one of my shirts. The young Chiboque were dis- 

 satisfied, and began shouting and brandishing their swords for 

 a greater fine. At the request of Pitsane I added a bunch of 

 beads, and again, when the counsellors objected, a large hand- 

 kerchief. The more I yielded, however, the more unreason- 

 able they became, and at every fresh demand a shout was 

 raised, and a rush made around us with brandished weapons. 

 One young man even made a charge at my head from behind, 

 but I quickly brought round the muzzle of my gun to his 

 mouth, and he retreated. I felt anxious to avoid the effusion 

 of blood, and therefore, though sure of being able with my 

 Makololo to drive off twice the number of our assailants, T 

 strove to avoid actual collision. My men were quite unpre- 

 pared for this exhibition, but behaved with admirable coolness. 

 The chief and his counsellors, by accepting my invitation to 

 be seated, had placed themselves in a trap ; for my men had 

 quietly surrounded them, and made them feel that there was 

 no chance of escaping their spears. I then said, that, as every- 

 thing had failed to satisfy them, it was evident that they 



