24 8 Travels through the 



to the lot of our traveller, who confidered it as an acquifition 

 of no fmall importance. 



On the 20th of May, Damberger took leave of thefe 

 friendly Caffres, and, after encountering confiderable dangers 

 and difficulties between that period and the nth of July, 

 directed his courfe eastwards, with a view of proceeding to 

 Egypt. Towards evening he difcovered fome huts at a 

 diftance, but was not able to reach them ; he therefore lay 

 down on the grafs with his head on his bundle to enjoy 

 a little reft, but was foon roufed by four Caffres, who con- 

 ducted him to their huts. Here he was robbed of his fowl- 

 ing-piece and bundle, but they were both afterwards reftored. 

 He was attacked alfo with a violent pain in his bowels; but 

 on making known his complaint to one of the Caffres, he 

 gave him fome dried leaves to chew, which acted as a ftrong' 

 emetic, and foon afforded him relief. 



Among the next horde whom he vifited he was more un- 

 fortunate, being robbed both of his bill and his fowling- 

 piece; the former he recovered, but the latter was broken to 

 pieces by the Caffres in order that they might convert the 

 iron part of it into points for their affagays. 



Soon after leaving this horde he was obliged to pafs the 

 night in the open air on the banks of a rivulet, where he 

 made a large fire to frighten away the wild animals, but was 

 unable to deep a moment on account of the multitude of 

 fnakes which fwarmed around him ; and towards morning he 

 faw hundreds of large baboons. The latter had taken up 

 their ftation on all the neighbouring trees, and did not feem 

 in the leaft fhy or afraid. 



Of thefe people the author fays, <( This nation, as wel! as 

 feveral more of the African tribes, are accufed of indolence, 

 but I am convinced that the induftrious Europeans, if tranf- 

 ported hither, would be equally inactive. The heat opprefles 

 the labourer too much, and exhaufts the powers of the body ; 

 to this it may be added, that mod of thefe tribes are deftitute 

 ®f the neceffary implements, fuch as fpades, hoes, &c. and 

 the ground is fo hard that, before any other tool can be ufed, 

 it muft be cut up with a fort of pickaxe. The cultivation 

 of the few fields, which are fown here with Turkifh wheat, 



confumes 



