406 
BARTERING BEADS FOR OXEN. 
16 JULT, 
of theirs was of the opposite kind, and all were delighted at having 
at last obtained a gun, there was on their side no dissatisfaction or 
irritation against me. As it would have been useless, and, perhaps, 
not good policy, to have explained the true object of my visit to 
their country, they conceived that all business which now remained 
for me to do, was to proceed with the bartering ; and as it was known 
that the beads had been exhibited with this view, they now called 
upon me to bring them forward. 
In the mode of managing such business, I submitted to the in- 
structions of Muchunka, who was acquainted with the practice usually 
adopted by the Klaarwater Hottentots, and who directed that the 
canvass covering of one of the waggons should be extended on the 
ground in the middle of the public enclosure, and the beads laid out 
upon it in parcels. I had, during my residence in the Transgariepine, 
learnt the usual relative value of beads at Litakun, and had taken 
care to expose no more than would be sufficient for the purchase 
of oxen enough for one team, which I judged would be as many as 
my present exigences required. 
Neither the chief nor any of his brothers were inclined to barter, 
notwithstanding their eagerness to have the first sight of the beads. 
Serrakutu brought a large elephant's tusk for exchange, although I 
had expressly declared that it was oxen, and not ivory, which I wanted. 
He therefore took this home again ; but brought nothing further to 
market. Adam, who knew the value of all my goods, took a quan- 
tity, for which he agreed to bring me six oxen on the following day ; 
but when he showed the purchase to his father who had promised to 
give him the required oxen, he was ordered by him to demand more 
beads in addition to the quantity which had been bargained for. As 
such a mode of trading would, I foresaw, produce endless disputes, 
should this be taken as a precedent by the other inhabitants, I re- 
fused to make any alteration after an agreement had been made, and 
therefore took back the beads. The Chief and all his party, together 
with a crowd of lookers-on, were present the whole time. Mattivi 
begged for a knife, and Serrakutu did the same; but this was done 
privately. I afterwards complied with their wishes, but enjoined them 
