PROSPECTS OP A TIGHT. 
211 
bci to be a slave ; that my men might as well give me as 1 
give one of them, for we were all free men. “ Then yon 
can give the gun with which the ox was shot.” As wo 
heard somo of his people remarking even now that we had 
only “five guns,” we declined, on the ground that, as they 
were intent on plundering us, giving a gun would be help- 
ing them to do so. 
This they denied, saying they wanted the customary 
tribute only. I asked what right they had to demand pay- 
ment for leave to tread on the ground of God, our common 
Father. If we trod on their gardens, we would pay, but 
not for marching on land which was still God’s, and not 
theirs. They did not attempt to controvert this, because 
it is in accordance with their own ideas, but reverted again 
to the pretended crime of the saliva. 
My men now entreated me to give something; and, after 
asking the chief if ho really thought the aflair of the 
spitting a matter of guilt, and receiving an answer in the 
affirmative, I gave him one of my shirts. ’The young 
Chiboquo wore dissatisfied, and began shouting and bran- 
dishing their swords for a greater fine. 
As Pitsano felt that ho had been the cause of this dis- 
agreeable affair, ho asked me to add something else. 1 
gave a bunch of beads, but the counsellors objected this 
Gme ; so I added a large handkerchief. The more I yielded, 
Iho more unreasonable their demands became, and at 
every fresh demand a shout was raised by the armed party, 
and a rush made around us with brandishing of arms. One 
young man made a charge at my head from behind; but I 
quickly brought round the muzzle of my gun to his mouth, 
and he retreated. I pointed him out to the chief, and he 
ordered him to rctiro a little. I felt anxious to avoid the 
effusion of blood ; and though sure of being able, with my 
■Makololo, who had been drilled by Scbituane, to drive off 
twico tho number of our assailants, though now a large 
body and well armed with spears, swords, arrows, and 
^ uri8 ; I strove to avoid actual collision. My men were 
