1812. 
BACHAPIN MODE OF EXPRESSING THANKS. 
399 
as forming a very handsome present. I should, otherwise, not have 
thought so, and without such advice, should certainly have given 
much more ; which would have been not only useless generosity, but 
would have established a precedent which in time might become a 
heavy tax upon every individual who in future might make a journey 
into these countries ; and those who, because the value is trifling, 
make in similar cases larger presents than would be looked for, are 
guilty of imprudence in themselves, and of injustice towards all of 
their own countrymen who may come after them, and from whom a 
tribute, gradually increasing in amount, will be expected, till at 
length in the course of years, it may form not so inconsiderable a 
part of the expence of a visit to the nations of the Interior, as it 
does at present. 
With these things, Mattivi was much pleased, as they were all 
such, the use and value of which he understood : and it is this con- 
sideration which should guide those who wish their presents to be 
acceptable. It is certain that he would have preferred the brass 
tinderbox to a gold watch ; and the sheath-knife, to a case of 
mathematical instruments. As the best mode of expressing his 
satisfaction and gratitude, if this latter word does not imply too much, 
he assured me that all the elephants' teeth which he could procure, 
should be reserved for me when I came again ; that he should let 
nobody else have them, and that I might therefore depend on having 
an opportunity of purchasing as much ivory as my waggons could 
carry away. 
His ideas respecting my object in coming to Litakun, were 
formed upon the visits of missionaries who had made journeys to 
this country, two of whom in particular, as I was informed at Klaar- 
water, had carried on this species of traffic for ivory with so much 
success that one was enabled to purchase a farm in the Colony; 
though the other, who had also made considerable profits, was 
unfortunately murdered near the source of the Kruman river. 
It is remarkable that in the Sichuana language there is no word 
to express thanks ; and whenever I desired my interpreter to say to 
any of the natives that I thanked them, I often heard him make use 
