"No, we can not eat these; we want something to fill our stomachs." "Neither can I; but I hear you white men are all very fond of these bones, so I offer them; I want to put the goats into my own stomach." A trader, who accompanied us, was then purchasing ivory at the rate of ten good large tusks for a musket worth thirteen shillings.

They were called "bones"; and I myself saw eight instances in which the tusks had been left to rot with the other bones where the elephant fell.

The Batauana never had a chance of a market before; but, in less than two years after our discovery, not a man of them could be found who was not keenly alive to the great value of the article.
On the day after our arrival at the lake, I applied to Lechulatebe for guides to Sebituane.

As he was much afraid of that chief, he objected, fearing lest other white men should go thither also, and give Sebituane guns; whereas, if the traders came to him alone, the possession of fire-arms would give him such a superiority that Sebituane would be afraid of him.

It was in vain to explain that I would inculcate peace between them--that Sebituane had been a father to him and Sechele, and was as anxious to see me as he, Lechulatebe, had been.