makosa then moved from the centre of the circle and sat down
among our chiefs. There was a silence of several minutes, during which
each of the intending speakers was reflecting on what had been said.
That we should receive one in ten of the cattle that we took care of was
a tempting offer to many, whilst several of the young men were pleased
at the idea of encountering the white man, and showing their bravery. I
crept round the circle to where Ebomvu the Rain-maker was sitting, and
whispered to him, "What do you think of this?" He replied, "I have not
yet obtained the right thought!" I said, "The white men have all guns;
they are in thousands; and if we join the Amakosa, they may come and
attack us, and then, would the Amakosa help us?" Ebomvu nodded, and
took a large pinch of snuff; and then, seeing that no chief came
forward, he walked into the centre of the ring, and stretching out his
arm addressed the chiefs.

Since that time I have heard among civilised nations many so-called
orators, but I can fairly state that I never heard greater eloquence
than I did from Ebomvu.

He said: "Men of the Umzimvubu!--Our visitors from the Amakosa have
asked us to help them against the white man, who is encroaching on them.
They also ask us to take care of their cattle, so that the white man,
if he enters the Kloofs of the Amatola, may not carry off their cattle.
They tell us that it is to our advantage to join them against the white
man; for otherwise the white man will soon push against us. And if we
take care of their cattle they will give us one out of ten. Now when
anything is done between two tribes it is done because of friendship and
brotherhood, or because of trading one with the other. Although we are
friendly with the Amakosa, yet they have not treated us like brothers.
They have been hard with us in trade: the knives, spearheads, and other
things they obtained from the white man, they would not part with to us
except for high prices. So we must look at this matter as trade, and I
cannot see that we gain much advantage by sending our young men to be
shot down by the whites. We should be fighting for the Amakosa; and we
are asked to do this because, perhaps, by-and-by, the white man may want
to fight with us. So we are asked to do now what would be very bad for
us if we had to do it by-and-by. Then we are to protect the Amakosa
cattle, and to receive as reward just one in ten. This is not enough:
the Amakos