488 THE CHIEF AND HIS HERDSMAN. — DRIED PEACHES. 29, 30 July, 
actuated by friendly sentiments, as I assured him that they were 
brought for no other purpose than to benefit the Bachapin nation by 
introducing into their country a useful fruit which it had never before 
possessed. 
He then gave them to the care of his principal herdsman who 
was standing by, and whom he always treated as an equal ; or, at 
least, behaved towards him with as much attention and familiarity as 
towards the richest or highest of his kosies or chieftains. This man 
had filled the same office under the late Chief Mulihaban. 
I had still in my waggon some dried peaches remaining, and 
with a view of giving him a foretaste of the fruit, to induce him to 
take more care of the young trees, I afterwards prepared a small 
quantity, by first softening them in water, and then adding some 
sugar and a little salt of lemons, to regain the flavour which they 
had lost. He greatly approved of the taste of these ; and, contrary 
to his general custom when in public, of giving a small portion of 
such things to those who sat by him, he ate the whole himself, ex- 
cepting a piece which he gave to his uncle. 
As if prompted by a rising sense of gratitude, Mattivi said he 
should never come and tease me for tobacco as other people did ; 
but would always wait till I gave him some, of my own accord. 
This was so handsome a speech, and so becoming the dignity of 
a monarch, that, with princely liberality, I immediately presented him 
with a pipe of tobacco. 
30^^. There being at this time but little game in the vicinity of 
the town, the difficulty of obtaining provisions reduced me to the 
necessity of giving up for the supply of my people, one of the oxen 
received from Mattivi, and which, otherwise, was intended for the 
team. We had now but one sheep remaining, and this it was pru- 
dent to reserve till want of candles, should compel us to kill it for 
the sake of the tallow and fat ; which, while they were on the animal, 
were safe, but which otherwise would soon have been stolen or con- 
sumed. Our meat had been so often secretly carried off by the 
natives who frequented our hut, that we were constrained to com- 
plain to the Chief : he t hen gave some general reprimand, and we 
