o the plains. On these plains some of the tribe of
our people had kraals and cattle. Within the past two moons some
Bushmen had come down to the ravines and rocky precipices near these
kraals, and had stolen the cattle. It was impossible to catch these
Bushmen, as they could scamper up the rocks like baboons, and when they
reached a position safe from the range of an assagy, they would sit and
chatter at the Caffres who had followed them, hurl great stones down at
them, and if near enough would discharge poisoned arrows, which were so
deadly that if one hit a man he was sure to die. These Bushmen were so
feared, and their attacks had become so daring, that the Caffres had
come down the country to try and procure aid to drive these people away.
The difficulty of punishing them was great, and Inyati pointed out
that, if the Bushmen were so quick and active as to scamper up the rocks
like baboons, he did not see what was to be done. These conversations
used to take place in the evenings, and I listened to all that was said,
and began to think of some plan by which to outwit the Bushmen.
Suddenly I thought of something which I was surprised had, never
occurred to me before. So on the following morning I told Inyati that,
if he could help me, I thought we could drive off these Bushmen. He
called me into his hut, and I then carried on with him the following
conversation. I said:--

"When the white men were assagied some of them had long iron instruments
that we call `guns:' where are they?"

"Hidden."

"I know how to use them, and if you could get me two of these I would go
with you and our people, and kill some of these Bushmen."

Inyati said, "Do you know how to use these things? Because once we did
have a gun, and it went all to pieces, and killed the man who held it."

"He put in too much powder."

"Perhaps, but we have feared to do anything with such things since."

When in India I had often seen my father clean and load his guns, and I
knew all about them. I knew too that the captain had a double-barrelled
rifle, which had reached the shore on the raft. If I could procure this
and some ammunition, I knew I should astonish the Bushmen if they gave
me a chance. I explained to Inyati that if I could get one particular
gun, I would be able to kill the Bushmen.

Inyati said very little, but on the next evening he brought me the rifle
and a large bag of ammunition. The rifle was rusty and dirty, so I set