Why did you not gather an impi, my father, and put these strangers to the spear and take your kraal again ?" "In our land this may not be, Otter, for there wealth is more than race.
So we should have been brought to still greater shame.

Riches alone could give us back our home, and we had none left.

Therefore we swore an oath together, the dead Baas and I, that we would journey to this far country and seek to win wealth that we might buy back our lands and kraal and rule over them as in past years, and our children after us." "A good oath," said Otter, "but here we should have sworn it otherwise, and there would have been a ringing of steel about that kraal, not the chink of yellow iron." "We came, Otter, and for seven years we have laboured harder than the lowest of our servants; we have travelled to and fro, mixing with many peoples, learning many tongues, and what have we found?
The Baas yonder a grave in the wilderness--I the food that the wilderness gives, no more." "A poor wage so far," said Otter.

"Ah! the ways of my people are more simple and better.

A red spear is brighter than the red gold, yes, and it is more honest." "The wealth is unwon, Otter, and I have sworn to win the wealth or die.
But last night I swore it again to him who lies dead." "It is well, Baas; an oath is an oath and true men must keep it.