62 
CONVERSATION BY SIGNS. 
6 March, 
The great skill of the Bushmen in using the bow, had been so 
often extolled to me, that I now could not avoid the conclusion, 
either, that those accounts had been exaggerated for the purpose of 
relating something wonderful ; or, that these men had cunningly dis- 
sembled their power with a view of misleading me, should circum- 
stances ever place me under the necessity of guarding against it. I 
incline to the latter opinion, although the former is not altogether 
unfounded. 
The heads of all their arrows were covered with a deadly poison ; 
but they explained, that some were more especially intended to be used 
against their enemies, and that others were made only for killing game. 
Many of the men were observed to have lost an e^/e, but the 
cause which they assigned for this, has not been recorded in my jour- 
nal, and I will therefore not incur the risk of misleading by any 
surmise of my own. The fact is remarkable. 
I continued for some time longer strolling about the village from 
hut to hut, and from group to group, and was everywhere received with 
a friendly and happy countenance. It was to them, as I have already 
observed, gratifying to behold a white-man in the midst of their 
dwellings, unarmed and unprotected, trusting with unbounded con- 
fidence to their good faith, showing respect to their prejudices and 
customs, and, pleased with his new friends, entering, as one of their 
own tribe, familiarly into their society. 
This was the situation in which I had so long been desirous of 
placing myself; and an opportunity of viewing these tribes as they 
really are, had been one of the principal objects of my wishes. Till 
now, imagination only had amused my mind ; but here the interesting 
reality itself was before my eyes. 
After passing four hours in the kraal, and having collected 
a head-full of information, I returned home to deposit the observ- 
ations in my journal. There I continued the rest of the day, 
employed in this manner ; except when visitors came down from the 
hill to fetch water : on which occasions, many of them good-naturedly 
took their seat by my side j and, in the absence of an interpreter, we 
