arriving at the
kraal Inyati called out "Inyoni," "Tembile," and two Caffre boys about
my own size came running towards him. Inyati spoke to them for some
time, evidently about me, as he pointed to me often; the boys listened
with great attention, and when he had finished, one of the boys
repeated, apparently word for word, what he had been told. The chief
nodded, and then walked away to one of the huts, whilst the boys put out
each a hand and shook hands with me and beckoned me to follow them.
They took me out about a mile from the kraal and towards a herd of
cattle that were grazing on a hillside; we then sat down under the shade
of a tree, and the boys commenced talking to me. I shook my head to
show them I could not understand, and said, "Caffre humko malum ney,"
which is the Hindostani for "I don't know Caffre." Somehow I thought
that, as the boys were black, they would understand Hindostani better
than they would English. They talked together for some time, and
appeared very earnest in some argument. They then sat down beside me,
and, pointing to the assagy that I still carried, said, "Umkonto." I at
once understood that they were going to teach me to speak Caffre, and
being anxious to learn, I was much pleased at their intention. I
repeated the word "umkonto," which I now knew meant an assagy, until I
said it just as they did. They then pointed to the cattle and said,
"Incomo," spreading out their hands so as to indicate all the herd.
They then pointed at a chestnut-looking cow and said, "Imazi-e-bomvu,"
then at a white cow and said, "Imazi-e-molope." I learnt these words
very quickly, and then, seeing a bird, I pointed at it, and looked
inquiringly at my companions. They at once said, "Inyoni," which I knew
meant a bird, and one of the boys, pointing to himself, said, "Igama's
am Inyoni," which I knew meant, "My name is Inyoni." The boy then said,
"Igama's arko," and pointed to me. I knew he was asking what my name
was, so I said "Julius." They both tried to repeat the word after me,
but it seemed more difficult for them to say "Julius" than it was for me
to repeat Caffre words after them. Being anxious to learn useful words,
I made signs of eating, and then of drinking. The boys were wonderfully
quick at understanding; and, pretending to eat, they said "ejla," and
then, pretending to drink, said "posa." The sun was shining, so I
pointed to it, and was at once told that it was "Ilanga." The boys