It is a misery to speak through an interpreter, as I was now forced to do.

With a body of men like mine, composed as they were of six different tribes, and all speaking the language of the Bechuanas, there was no difficulty in communicating on common subjects with any tribe we came to; but doling out a story in which they felt no interest, and which I understood only sufficiently well to perceive that a mere abridgment was given, was uncommonly slow work.

Neither could Katema's attention be arrested, except by compliments, of which they have always plenty to bestow as well as receive.

We were strangers, and knew that, as Makololo, we had not the best of characters, yet his treatment of us was wonderfully good and liberal.
I complimented him on the possession of cattle, and pleased him by telling him how he might milk the cows.

He has a herd of about thirty, really splendid animals, all reared from two which he bought from the Balobale when he was young.