1812. 
INTRODUCTION OF THE PEACH-TREE. 
487 
hasted home as quickly as possible, in order to be present at our 
weekly distribution of tobacco and brandy. I had given him, just 
before he started, a quantity of tobacco as a present for his mother ; 
yet this affectionate son now came to ask for more, and confessed 
that he had not given her any, as he and Stuurman had, on the road, 
smoked away, not only their own share, but the whole of his 
mother's : and I fear that of the second quantity which I now gave 
him for the same purpose, she enjoyed as little as of the first. 
Among the property which this caravan of Koras had with them, 
was a quantity of salt, which they informed me they had procured 
from a salt-pond at a considerable distance in an easterly or north- 
easterly direction. For a knife, I purchased of them about half a 
gallon. 
In order to secure a continuance of friendly behaviour on the 
part of Mattivi, it appeared necessary at this time to make him some 
additional presents, especially as he had suffered me to rest for four 
or five days without giving me much trouble by importuning for 
things which could not be spared. Among these presents, was a 
straw-hat, such as are worn by the Malays in Cape Town ; and this, 
being ornamented with twelve strings of beads of the favorite colors, 
pleased him the more as it was an act of liberality quite unexpected. 
But it is probable that his pleasure was occasioned more by the beads 
than by the hat itself 
I gave him also a bag of fresh peach-stones which had been 
brought from Graaffreynet ; in quantity about a quart : nor did I 
fail, at the same time, to impress on his mind a just idea of their 
value and nature, by telling him, that they would produce trees 
which would continue every year to yield, without further trouble, 
abundance of large fruit of a more agreeable flavour than any which 
grew in the country of the Bachapins. The quality which I most 
insisted on, as recommending them strongly to his notice, was that 
of supplying food without requiring the labor and care of man. I 
advised, that he should give a few to each of the chieftains : which 
he promised to do. From the manner in which he expressed him- 
self, he seemed to feel that in making him this present, I was 
