July.] THEIR LIVES SPARED. 
227 
the latter. While the Bushmen content them- 
selves with what is necessary to supply present 
wants, the Bootchuanas in their commandoes 
take from each other by hundreds and thou- 
sands. 
The Bootchuanas could not see the force of 
my reasoning. It would perhaps be difficult to 
persuade some people, in more enlightened coun- 
tries, that it is as criminal for nations to make 
war upon each other for trade or territory, as it 
is for individuals to rob each other for their own 
private gain. How true is it that in the estima- 
tion of multitudes, " One murder makes a 
villain, a thousand a hero !" The guilt of the 
poor Bush man being established, the feelings of 
our party would not allow us to dismiss him 
without some punishment, and he was called 
for, to undergo the sentence of the law. The 
poor fellow, who expected nothing less than 
death, seemed glad on the first application of 
the sambok. Life is precious even to a Bush- 
man ; and this man received a beating with as 
much thankfulness, perhaps, as ever he received 
a gift. The boy sat by eating, without once 
looking round him, while his companion was 
undergoing this punishment. He was pardoned, 
and the business was scarcely over when both 
the Bushmen expressed a wish to be taken into 
Q 2 
