456 
BAD-FAITH IN BARTERING. 
22 July, 
ever they wished to take a meal, one or other of these men would 
leave the party for a few minutes, and return with a large piitsd or 
clay boiling-pot. 
It seems by the report of my Hottentots, who have several 
times had an opportunity of knowing the circumstance, that the 
natives have placed pots in various parts of the country, concealed 
under the bushes, to remain there for general use, or at least for the 
use of their hunting parties, all of whom, probably, know the spots 
where they are to be found. My knowledge of the fact here related, 
is derived only from the observation of my Hottentots ; and if it is a 
common custom, it is an instance, though a solitary one, of labor 
dedicated to public convenience. 
I had, two days before, made an agreement with a man for the 
purchase of two oxen which he said were then at his cattle-place ; 
and as he represented them to be very large and strong animals, I 
allowed a proportionably large quantity of beads. Having gained 
some experience of this people's bad-faith, I would not pay for 
them till the cattle were brought home ; and accordingly, the beads 
in question, were till then deposited in my waggon. But this evening 
when the oxen came, they were found to be but steers and not even 
full-grown ; and as they could be of no use for the purpose of draW" 
ing my waggons, I rejected them, by briefly reminding the owner 
that we had made the bargain for large cattle. 
Another man, of whom I had at the same time made a similar 
purchase, brought also his two oxen. Finding that they accorded 
with our agreement, I was going to pay him the beads which had 
been reserved as the stipulated price, though it was known to be 
much above that which had been paid by former visitors ; when the 
by-standers, seeing that I approved of this pair, advised him to 
demand more. On this he hesitated, and said, that he would not let 
me have the oxen unless I gave him that quantity of beads for each : 
I had then in my hand the quantity which he had befare asked as 
the price of the two. As I found it would be impossible to proceed 
by such a mode of dealing, I replied that unless he would accept that 
which he had agreed to receive, I would not take the oxen even at a 
