408 
DRAWING A BUSHMAN'S PORTRAIT. 
30 Oct. 
twice in the same word. I could not but fancy that talking was with 
them a troublesome exertion ; for such an enunciation would sound 
to any European more like an impediment in their speech, than a 
natural part of the language. 
Our visitors were all men, and but lightly armed ; their women, 
being less practised in swimming, were left on the other side of the 
water. Their object was as much to express their friendly inclina- 
tion towards us, as to solicit tobacco and some few presents. Their 
chief, or patriarch, was of the number, and through him we engaged 
them to collect mat-rushes, which they say grow in great plenty 
along the Maap. We treated them with kindness, and thus dis- 
pelled all mistrust. Well supplied with food, they seated themselves 
at ease amongst our people ; began to broil the meat we had given, 
and soon made themselves quite at home. 
By the temptation of a good piece of tobacco, I induced one 
of them to sit quietly for a quarter of an hour, vv^hile I drew his 
portrait. The whole affair was quite unintelligible to him and his 
countrymen, none certainly ever having seen a portrait taken before. 
Observing them look very serious all the while I was drawing, I 
began to fear that some superstitious notion might lead them to 
imagine I was practising sorcery, to injure the kraal, or to cause the 
death of the man ; for tales of this kind had often been related to 
me. After it was finished, and the tobacco paid, I explained that 
in my own country it was esteemed a mark of great friendship and 
good will, to desire to possess the likeness of another person ; and 
that this was the reason of my wishing to have his ; that my having 
given him so much tobacco, was a proof of it, and that I should 
give him a little more, together with the drawing, which he was to 
keep in his hut, to remind him of his friend, the white man. On 
saying which I left them, and retired to my waggon, as if to fetch 
the tobacco, when I tore the drawing out of my book, and quickly 
made a copy on the next leaf, and bringing it before the party, tore 
it out, and gave it to him. With all this they seemed perfectly 
satisfied, and went avi^ay persuaded that the matter was exactly as it 
had been explained to them. In this little affair, it was certainly I 
