e an Englishman had
lived had begun to shed THEIR blood as well, it was considered the
strongest presumptive evidence against me. Loud vows of vengeance were
uttered against my head, and threats of instant pursuit by a large party
on horseback, should I dare to go into or beyond their country; and as
these were coupled with the declaration that the English government
had given over the whole of the native tribes to their rule, and would
assist in their entire subjection by preventing fire-arms and ammunition
from entering the country, except for the use of the Boers, it was not
to be wondered at that I was detained for months at Kuruman from sheer
inability to get wagon-drivers. The English name, from being honored and
respected all over the country, had become somewhat more than suspected;
and as the policy of depriving those friendly tribes of the means of
defense was represented by the Boers as proof positive of the wish of
the English that they should be subjugated, the conduct of a government
which these tribes always thought the paragon of justice and friendship
was rendered totally incomprehensible to them; they could neither defend
themselves against their enemies, nor shoot the animals in the produce
of which we wished them to trade.

At last I found three servants willing to risk a journey to the north;
and a man of color named George Fleming, who had generously been
assisted by Mr. H. E. Rutherford, a mercantile gentleman of Cape Town,
to endeavor to establish a trade with the Makololo, had also managed
to get a similar number; we accordingly left Kuruman on the 20th of
November, and proceeded on our journey. Our servants were the worst
possible specimens of those who imbibe the vices without the virtues of
Europeans, but we had no choice, and were glad to get away on any terms.

When we reached Motito, forty miles off, we met Sechele on his way, as
he said, "to the Queen of England." Two of his own children, and their
mother, a former wife, were among the captives seized by the Boers; and
being strongly imbued with the then very prevalent notion of England's
justice and generosity, he thought that in consequence of the violated
treaty he had a fair case to lay before her majesty. He employed all his
eloquence and powers of persuasion to induce me to accompany him, but I
excused myself on the ground that my arrangements were already made
for exploring the north. On explaining the difficulties of the way,
and