3^6 T R A V E L S I N 
I arrived at the kraal, I afked the chief If Ke 
could fell me fome, or recommend me to fuch 
perfons as could ; promifmg to pay for them 
immediately In glafs beads, and more efpecially 
in tobacco. He kept filence fome time, turned 
towards his people, faid two or three words to 
them, and then, after another paufe, calmly 
and concifely replied to me that they had but 
few oxen. 
This ambiguous anfwer, which would have 
very well fuited the mouth of a Norman,feemed 
little conformable to the franknefs of the favagc 
charadler. It was not a refufal in form ; yet it 
difconcerted me. My good friends the Cami- 
nouquas, however, who knew their neighbours, 
whifpered me not to be uneafy ; affuring me, 
that, if I concealed the wares 1 had mentioned, 
and particularly took care not to be lavifh 
before-hand of my tobacco^ I fhould fopn ob- 
tain whatever I defired. 
The advice appeared to be good, and I could 
I.ofe nothing by following it. Accordingly, to 
give the chief a tafte for the barter I propofed, 
1 made him a prefent of fome excellent Dutch 
tobacco : but inftead of a quantity, as was my 
Vfual, cuftom, I gave him enough only to fill a 
pipe, 
