388 DEBATE ON MATTIVI'S REQUEST FOR A GUN : 14 July, 
In about half an hour after this, he came to ask me for snuff for 
himself; although he knew that he was to receive his presents at the 
first opportunity when it could be done privately. I gave him my 
box, which had been previously filled, and he took the half of it ; 
being perhaps ashamed to betray so much covetousness as to take the 
whole, after having emptied my hand but a few minutes before. 
During the whole of the day, the natives continued asking for to- 
bacco, and I found myself at last obliged now and then to give a little. 
When I assured them I had no more left, they were so incredulous 
that they felt the outside of my coat-pocket to ascertain the truth ; 
nor would they believe that its contents could be aught else, till I 
had taken every thing out to show them. All this was done with 
good humour ; and I was sometimes able to stop their importunities 
by some joking remark. 
Mattivi and Mollemmi now renewed their request for one of the 
guns ; and as I was at this time prepared with a plan on my part, 
which should ultimately frustrate theirs, I had no objection to the 
debate ; although I still wished to induce them to relinquish their 
object. I repeated the arguments I had before used, respecting the 
impossibility of disarming my own men, and of giving up my only 
means of procuring food or of obtaining those skins of animals, the 
hunting of which, I said, was one of the principal purposes of my 
journey into the Interior. I represented to them, that as my party 
was so small in number, I ought not to weaken it by giving up any 
part of our arms ; while, on the other hand, they were so numerous 
and powerful a nation, that nothing could harm them ; and that a 
musket in addition to their present means of defence, would add very 
little to their strength. But they immediately convinced me that 
' e'en tho' vanquished, they could argue still,' and obstinately persisted 
in their demand. I asked Mattivi why his father had not, if a gun 
was so necessary to them, obtained one from other white men who 
had formerly visited him ; to which he replied, that as he was at that 
time, only a young man, and under Mulihaban, he had no authority to 
act in such an affair, and could not presume to interfere in matters of 
business ; otherwise the Bachapins would have been long before now 
