326' JOURNEY BEYOND THE GREAT RIVER. [i813. 
and held it before them ; on observing its motion, they 
evidently concluded it must be a living animal, and my 
offering to hold it near their ears, to hear its sound, 
seemed to convince them it was some dangerous crea- 
ture, by which I intended to injure them, for they 
almost overturned the hut in order to escape from the 
watch. On observing that their terror was no affecta- 
tion but real, I left them, and carried the watch open 
to Makoon, which he and his men viewed from a httle 
distance with fear and surprise. On offering to hold 
it near his ear, he shrunk back, but to display his cou- 
rage before his people, he summoned up all his resolu- 
tion, and ventured to listen to the beating of the watch. 
On observing that the chief was uninjured, the others 
ventured to allow the watch to be held near their ears 
also. For some time every eye was directed to this 
wonderful phenomenon. We then made them a pre- 
sent of tobacco, which, being an irresistible temptation 
to the ladies in the huts, induced them to abandon 
their concealment, and to venture near us to solicit a 
little also: they then allowed the watch to be held 
near their ears, on which they all sat down to smoke. 
Makoon's two wives were only about four feet in 
height, and not the least deformed, and each had a 
very small infant tied to her back. 
Having never seen white people before, it was not 
surprizing to find them alarmed at the sight. They 
had never heard of Klaar Water or of missionaries. 
We explained to Makoon our reason for visiting his 
country — convinced him we could inform him of many 
