“Soon after our arrival Manyami came, attended by another old fellow, each in a shabby old hat, and vying with each other in squalor and dirt. He refused firmly to send to the king till to-morrow, saying the king had not sent for _me_, but I had come of my own accord, and must not be in a hurry; the oxen could feed and rest. I gave him a bar of lead. Two messengers were to be sent, and I wrote a note to Fairbairn for oxen, and the boy was directed to bring them back.[18] Manyami insisted on their being paid beforehand, and intimated that they might not carry out their message properly unless I paid them. I was angry at their exorbitance, one demanding two coils of wire; to the other I gave half a bar of lead. The old fellow hung about begging. Women brought mealies and Kafir corn. Milk and beer were also brought, and I told them to bring Kafir corn meal next day, which they did, but were very fanciful in their demands, one wanting beads, another must have brass wire, another a handkerchief, and so on. I find they don’t care for mirrors; look at themselves, and are highly amused, but refuse them as payment. Common knives are likewise refused, but gun caps taken eagerly. They like printed calico better than white, which they affect to despise. The outcry was for long strips of coloured stuff, and they preferred the quarter of two handkerchiefs (i.e. half a handkerchief in quantity), cut lengthwise, to one whole one. Stayed about waggon all day. Pitched tent, and got things out. “_September 9th._--The night had been very mild. Old Manyami came bothering early. In the course of the day he kept on coming, and I gave him twenty gun caps. Wonder of wonders, he afterwards presented me with a pumpkin, and I felt less hostile to the old creature. He is really a miserable-looking, ugly, and filthy creature. Stayed about waggon again to-day.