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AFRICA. 163 
intelligible manner, by offering hhil a piece of 
tobacco, and a little hardwarCj among which 
were two excellent knives. My prel'ent ap- 
peared to afford him much pleafure ; and, to 
fhew how fenfible he was of the fervice I had 
done him, he took out of a fmall leathern bag, 
which hung from his arm, a bad knife, quite 
worn out, which he iliewed me, fhrugging up 
his fhoulders at the fame time, in order to make 
me underfland how^ ufelefs it was become. 
This proves at how little expence a ilivage 
may be gratified. A fimple knife, a bit of 
tobacco, a glafs of brandy, have more effedt 
on a whole horde, than the entrance of an 
embaffador even from the grand Turk, and 
the profufion of thofe by w^hom he is fent^ 
So true it is, that the flate of nature is to that 
of fociety, as health to difeafe ; and while the 
invention muft be racked to find amufement 
in the latter, in the former very little is fuffi- 
cient to give fatisfadion. 
Our chief was accompanied by an elder bro- 
ther, who, like him, had been chief of a horde, 
but, tired probably of fuch high honour, had 
abdicated his dignity like a philofopher, and 
come hitherto live in retirement and contempt 
' M2 of 
