es, we found
our forefathers making rain, and we follow in their footsteps. You, who
send to Kuruman for corn, and irrigate your garden, may do without rain;
WE can not manage in that way. If we had no rain, the cattle would have
no pasture, the cows give no milk, our children become lean and die, our
wives run away to other tribes who do make rain and have corn, and the
whole tribe become dispersed and lost; our fire would go out.

M. D. I quite agree with you as to the value of the rain; but you can
not charm the clouds by medicines. You wait till you see the clouds
come, then you use your medicines, and take the credit which belongs to
God only.

R. D. I use my medicines, and you employ yours; we are both doctors, and
doctors are not deceivers. You give a patient medicine. Sometimes God is
pleased to heal him by means of your medicine; sometimes not--he dies.
When he is cured, you take the credit of what God does. I do the same.
Sometimes God grants us rain, sometimes not. When he does, we take the
credit of the charm. When a patient dies, you don't give up trust in
your medicine, neither do I when rain fails. If you wish me to leave off
my medicines, why continue your own?

M. D. I give medicine to living creatures within my reach, and can see
the effects, though no cure follows; you pretend to charm the clouds,
which are so far above us that your medicines never reach them. The
clouds usually lie in one direction, and your smoke goes in another. God
alone can command the clouds. Only try and wait patiently; God will give
us rain without your medicines.

R. D. Mahala-ma-kapa-a-a!! Well, I always thought white men were wise
till this morning. Who ever thought of making trial of starvation? Is
death pleasant, then?

M. D. Could you make it rain on one spot and not on another?

R. D. I wouldn't think of trying. I like to see the whole country green,
and all the people glad; the women clapping their hands, and giving me
their ornaments for thankfulness, and lullilooing for joy.

M. D. I think you deceive both them and yourself.

R. D. Well, then, there is a pair of us (meaning both are rogues).

The above is only a specimen of their way of reasoning, in which, when
the language is well understood, they are perceived to be remarkably
acute. These arguments are generally known, and I never succeeded in
convincing a single individual of their fallacy, though I tried to do
so in every way I could think of. Their f