432 
BACHAPINS INSTRUCTING STUURMAN 
19 July, 
quently, and who, I believe^ was employed generally in the same 
manner, though in business of less consequence. 
Neither the Chief, nor any of his family, considered it beneath 
their rank to pass their evenings at my Hottentots' fire, and smoke 
and talk with them as if they themselves had been Hottentots, or 
these had been chiefs. But their Colonial dress was in the eyes of 
the Bachapins a badge of the highest rank ; and which caused them 
to be every where regarded as inferior to no one but myself. 
When all besides were asleep, I went into the hut to warm 
myself by the embers, and found two of the natives, who usually slept 
there and whom I have suspected of being spies upon us, instructing 
Stuurman in their language. This Hottentot knew nothing of it ; nor 
was it likely that he ever could learn much, by such a mode of in- 
struction as that which his two tutors had adopted. They were 
pronouncing various words or sentences, without giving any kind of 
explanation, and which they made him carefully repeat word for 
word after them. This, I found him doing very patiently, but without 
understanding a single word : and when he had with great pains and 
gravity pronounced what they told him, they burst into laughter at 
the end of every expression. This merriment I discovered to be 
occasioned, not, as he thought, by his ridiculous pronunciation, but 
by the improper meaning of that which they made him so innocently 
repeat. 
This sp'ecies of wit is much admired by most tribes of savages ; 
and an inquisitive traveller is always liable to be thus imposed on. 
If his knowledge of the language should not be sufficient for afford- 
ing him a clue by which he may trace and detect the imposition, he 
may attentively watch the countenance of his instructor, and should 
he observe the slightest symptoms of mirth, he may know that their 
instruction is not worth listening to. Jokes of this kind are more 
easily discovered in the presence of several natives, than when there 
is not a second to enjoy the imposition, and betray it by his laughing. 
Most of my men had, however, picked up a few words, which they 
used upon almost every occasion, and managed by the help of these, 
and of signs, to make themselves in general to be understood. But 
