244 Travels through the 



with a flout cudgel, a bundle of dry grafs, and a little dry 

 wood. As foon as it grew dark, they proceeded in great 

 filence towards the mountain, where, as foon as they arrived, 

 our traveller divided the whole troop into two bodies, one 

 under his own command, and the other under that of the 

 chief. They then rufhed towards the firft fence, which being 

 inftantly fet on fire, the flames were foon fpread by the 

 wind, and in a little while the whole mountain feemed to 

 form one general conflagration. They now proceeded to a 

 place at the bottom of the mountain, by which it was fup- 

 poied the enemy would be obliged to make their efcape. 

 Here they had not long waited, when they heard a dreadful 

 howling, and faw feveral of the Bofhmen half fcorched ru fil- 

 ing through the flames. To terrify them the more, and at 

 the lame time to give a more general fiirnal to the Hotten- 

 tots to attack them, our traveller difcharged his piece among 

 the flying enemy, who were attacked with fuch fury by his 

 Hottentot allies, that this whole horde of plunderers were ex-» 

 tirpated. Next morning they nut only recovered fome of the 

 ftolen fheep, but found feveral more which had belonged to 

 the enemy. When the conquerors returned to the kraal, 

 they were received with great joy. As our traveller found 

 himfelf much fatigued by the expedition, he retired to enjoy 

 fome reft in the chief's hut, but the Hottentots fpent the 

 whole night in rejoicing on account of their victory. 



Damberger continued two weeks among thefe people, who 

 treated him with great refpect ; but as it was then the nioft 

 favourable period for travelling, he refolved to proceed and to- 

 take advantage of the winter feafon, as it is called, which 

 takes place in April, and which however is diftinguifhed 

 only by the weather being rainy and the air cooler. 



In confequence of this refolution he left the kraal on the 

 25th of March, and directed his courfe eaftwards towards 

 Fifh River, but with fome caution to avoid falling in with 

 any of the Dutch plantations, of which there were feveral in 

 the neighbouring diftricts. After palling another kraal he 

 'took up his lodging for the night in a third, which was the 

 laft within the jurisdiction of the Dutch Eaft India Company. 

 It was fituated on the Fifh River, at a place where it divides 



itfelf 



