IVORY WITHOUT VAI.UE. 59 



contrary to everything that his uncle advised. When we 

 came, the uncle recommended him to treat us hand- 

 somely, therefore the hopeful youth presented us with a 

 goat only. It ought to have been an ox. So I proposed 

 to my companions to loose the animal and let him go, as a 

 hint to his master. They, however, did not wish to insult 

 him. I, being more of a native, and familiar with their 

 customs, knew that this shabby present was an insult to us. 

 We wished to purchase some goats or oxen ; L,echulatebe 

 offered us elephants' tusks. " No, we cannot eat these ; 

 we want something to fill our stomachs." " Neither can 

 I ; but I hear you white men are all very fond of these 

 bones, so I offer them ; I want to put the goats into my 

 own stomach." A trader, who accompanied us, was then 

 purchasing ivory at the rate of ten good large tusks for a 

 musket worth thirteen shillings. They were called 

 " bones," and I myself saw eight instances in which the 

 tusks had been left to rot with the other bones where the 

 elephant fell. The Batauana never had a chance of a 

 market before ; but in less than two years after our dis- 

 covery, not a man of them could be found who was not 

 keenly alive to the great value of the article. 



On the day after our arrival at the lake, I applied to 

 Lechulatebe for guides to Sebituane. As he was much 

 afraid of that chief, he objected, fearing lest other white 

 men should go thither also, and give Sebituane guns ; 

 whereas, if the traders came to him alone, the possession of 

 firearms would give him such a superiority, that Sebituane 

 would be afraid of him. It was in vain to explain that I 

 would inculcate peace between them — that Sebituane had 

 been a father to him and Secheie, and was as anxious to see 

 me as he, Lechulatebe. had been. He offered to give me 

 as much ivory as I needed without going to that chief. But 

 when I refused to take any, he unwillingly consented to 

 give me guides. Next day, however, when Oswell and I 

 were prepared to start, with the horses only, we received a 

 senseless refusal ; and like Sekomi, who had thrown 

 obstacles in our way, he sent men to the Bayeiye with 

 orders to refuse us a passage across the river. Trying hard 

 to form a raft at a narrow part, I worked many hours in 

 the water, but the dry wood was so worm-eaten it would 

 not bear the weight of a single person. I was not then 

 aware of the number of alligators which exist in the Zouga, 

 and never think of my labour in the water without feeling 



