372 TRAVELS IN 
In confequence of thefe reflections, I coulJ 
not but be pleafcd with the requeft of my Hot- 
tentot. I acc* rdiifgly gave him the goods he 
defired; and it v/as not long before he returned 
with a very pretty Nimiqua girl, about fixteen 
or feventeen years old. 
The next day, the chief of the ho^'de com- 
ing to breakfafi: with me, I afked him whether 
the marriage was agreeable to him, and he 
had confented to it. This deference on my 
part was the aft of an European, reafoning ac- 
cording to the prejudices of his country. I 
forgot at the time, that a favage, though living 
under a chief, is a free individual, over whofe 
property the chief has no power. Accordingly 
he made no anfwer to my queftion ; and hi& 
filence convinced me, that he had not under- 
flood it. 
The procedure of my Hottentot, however^^ 
iafpired fome of his comrades with a wifti to 
do the fame. Two cf them followed his 
example and I ought here to make known, 
that I had every reafon to be fatisfied with 
having permitted thefe marriages. The three 
young women accompanied me during the 
whole of my journey; and they gave me no 
caufe 
