Discovery in the African Continent. 99 



there is much reason (o believe have been grossly over-rated by- 

 late writers upon our early history. 



The settlers soon burst the narrow confines of the Table 

 Valley, to which they wero at first limited. A war, a con- 

 quest, and a peace with the brave but weak inhabitants, in 1G60, 

 gave their conquerors the right of three miles from their 

 landing place, and within a comparatively short period, all the 

 country to the westward of the great mountain range of Hot- 

 tentots' Holland and its connecting ridge, to some distance ou 

 the north, owned a foreign sway, and was furrowed by the 

 Dutch plougiishare. 



In 1661 and 1662, while Van Ricbeek still held the reins of 

 the infant Government, the country of the Namacqua tribes was 

 explored by an expedition upon a considerable scale. In 1669, 

 Saldanah Bay was visited and taken possession of ; and in 

 1670, St. Helena Bay on the west, and Blossel Bay on the south 

 coast, were added to the colony, the colonists having already 

 crossed the barrier range of the Hottentots' Holland Mountains 

 and planted their vines and fig-trees upon and beyond its 

 easter.i slopes. 



lu the year 1684, thirty-nine boera, with the most extraordi- 

 nary temerity and success, penetrated through the whole of the 

 Hottentot tribes and territory, and accidentally made the dis- 

 covery of the Caii'er nation, somewheie about the present 

 borders of the Albany district, more than 500 miles from the 

 head quarters of the Settlement; — their first impulse upon this 

 occasion was to make a native prisoner, " who conducted them 

 through a difiicult road until they came upon a large body of 

 his countrymen, who had never seen white men before : the. 

 party of boers weie attacked by the Caffers with bows, arrows, 

 and assagais; the free burghers then fired, and the Caifers 

 made three attacks. Not knov/irg tlie jiower of fire-arms, they 

 were astounded to see that some were killed, and finding blood 

 was shed they then interposed their leathern shields, expecting 

 these would protect them against the assailants ; they found, 

 however, after another volley, that thry were struck even 

 through these, and fled with tremendous yells, imagining," says 

 the narrator, " nothinp: else than that a legion of devils armed 

 with lightning and thunder, had invaded their country. They 

 were astonished at the horses wliicli they had also never before 

 seen. In their retreat they were followed by the boers, and 

 many were instantly destroyed." 



The above extract is from a manuscript of considerable in- 

 terest in the Dessinian Library, and it goes on to state the 

 safe return of this adventurous party, after taking &e\cn months 

 in their journey to the Cape, where they had long bee i given 

 lip for lost. 



