376 
AN IMPORTANT REQUEST, 
13 July, 
Mahura, may be expressed in English by ' fat ;' a word which most 
correctly accorded with his figure. 
When they had drunk all the coffee, they seemed inclined to 
enter into conversation. Mattlvi commenced by saying, that Muli- 
lidhan his father, a short time before he died, had desired him to be 
kind to all his brothers, and to take every care of them ; that they 
were numerous, and all depended on him for protection. He then 
remarked that Mulihaban was always a great friend to white- 
men. To which I replied ; Yes, I had already heard that he was, 
and that the white-men would therefore lament, on receiving the 
news of his death ; but that when I should inform them that Mattiyi 
was equally their friend, they would rejoice again, and white-men 
would acrain come to see him. 
These remarks, and a few others of the same kind, were made 
in a desultory manner, and appeared to have no mutual connection, 
nor any particular object : they were merely meant as an introduction 
to another more important subject which it seems, had occupied their 
thoughts long before my arrival, and had been a matter of national 
consultation. It had previously pressed so much on their minds, 
that it had evidently been resolved to make it the very first point of 
discussion, as soon as I had reached their town. The Chief, there- 
fore, informed me that since Afrikaander * had now supplied the 
Bamuchars with guns, he could no longer consider himself safe in 
this part of the country, unless he could procure similar arms ; and 
that as soon as this most desirable object was obtained, he intended 
to remove his town and all his people nearer towards the Gariep, 
to the spot where it stood at the time of his birth. He expressed 
himself highly displeased with the Klaarwater people, because they 
had hitherto refused to sell him any of their muskets ; but that now 
I was come among them, they expected I should be their friend and 
should let them have one of mine, as they saw I had many, and 
could therefore easily spare one out of so great a number. 
* I here write this name as it is commonly pronounced, and as it was spoken by his 
own family, although it would be more correctly written, Afrikaana\ 
