142 
ACCOUNT OF BUYS. 
[1S20. 
coming against him, Avhich excited considerable 
alarm for some days, till they had information 
that we came in peace. Makkabba had invited 
Buys to visit him, with the promise of a present 
of two or three whole outposts of cattle ; but 
after his arrival he was presented only with thirty 
oxen, which being so few compared to the num- 
ber promised, he would not accept of them. On 
which Makkabba sent him two oxen to kill, in- 
timating, that these oxen said he must not leave 
Melita, which is their form of detention. He 
has attempted several times to get out of this 
snare, but there are always oxen who say nay. 
He had sent a messenger to a chief captain at 
Lattakoo, requesting him to come to Makkabba, 
and use his influence to obtain his release. I in- 
quired if Makkabba had received the present 
which I sent him from Kurreechane. They re- 
plied that they did not know, because he kept 
every thing so secret, and they had seldom access 
to him. If he sent a messenger to any chief, 
he did not deliver the message himself to the 
person, but sent another to tell him what it 
was. 
Buys, the Africaner, is reported to sleep little, 
being always afraid of an attack upon his life. 
He has three guns, which he keeps beside 
him, and has taught his wife how to load them, 
that, when attacked, he may have only to fire. 
