6 
LARGE ASSEMBLY OF HEATHENS. 
[1820. 
the dancing ceased, and almost the entire popu- 
lation assembled round the tent to hear the word 
of God. I explained to them how the gospel 
might prove to be the greatest blessing that could 
come to a country; and would tend to increase 
the happiness of mankind more than any thing 
else. The interpreter stood on the outside the 
tent that all might hear. It was the largest as- 
sembly of heathens to hear the gospel I had 
before seen ; nor did I ever witness greater still- 
ness during the time of meeting. About an hour 
afterwards, a number of women clapped their 
hands, which is their manner of inviting the men 
to dance; but, as there was no singing, it indicated 
that the men had not come, though they con- 
tinued to clap for more than an hour. 
23d. The Tammaha nation was formerly a 
poor and scattered people, like the Bootshuana 
Bushmen, as before mentioned; but they formed 
an union with each other, and joined their neigh- 
bours in commandoes to capture cattle. They 
acted with such courage and fierceness on those 
expeditions, that they were often invited to lend 
assistance to others, and by their success they 
have acquired more cattle than most of the sur- 
rounding nations.* There are two other Tam- 
* From the recentness of this change in the character and 
condition of the Taramahas, it appears that the circumstances 
