396 
THE GUN. — HOTTENTOT AIRS. 
14 July, 
Bachapin so strong a desire to possess them, that for such men to 
yield to it, would be at worst but a veniable fault. 
When our meal was quite finished, Serrakutu expressed a wish 
that I would leave the waggon and sit on the ground, that Mattivi 
might have some further conversation. I therefore seated myself in 
the open area : when immediately the chieftains and all who were 
admitted within the mootsi, gathered round us. The Chief might 
now be considered as sitting in council : the favorite subject of the 
gun was then renewed, as being an affair of public importance, and 
one in which all the assembly w^re interested. He said that he had 
sent for the oxen, which he intended to give me ; and wished me 
then to let him have possession of it, instead of obliging him to wait 
till the time agreed on. But to this I replied, in a more positive tone 
than I had hitherto used, that most certainly it should not go from my 
hands till I should be on my return ; and that they ought to content 
themselves on the subject, with what I had already consented to do. 
The topic was then changed ; and soon afterwards the party broke up, 
apparently well satisfied with having obtained on any terms the long- 
desired object. 
By this time the evening had commenced : I retired to my 
waggon to relieve, by a few quiet moments, some symptoms of head- 
ache created by the wearying noise and debatings of the day ; while 
many of the Bachapins, among whom were Mollemmi and Molaali, 
took their place in the hut, where my Hottentots were dancing to the 
sound of Gert's fiddle. 
Gert had now sufficiently regained the use of his hand; and 
could play with ease a variety of European country dances which 
he had learnt in the Colony. Of the same class, was the music 
of my other men ; and I am inclined to believe that among the 
Colonial Hottentots, their aboriginal airs have given way to those 
of the Dutch and English. The music most congenial to a 
Hottentot ear, would seem to be, those lively tunes which are best 
adapted to dancing ; at least, among all the musicians of this descrip- 
tion who were at different times in my service, none ever played any 
other kind : nor did I ever hear a Hottentot performing a slow air, 
