186 Observations on the Origin of the Bushmen. 



tinue their retreat when their pursuers are forced to turn back", 

 and by such practices they often set at defiance the endeavours 

 of commandoes, either to destroy them or retake cattle. When 

 they succeed in the object of their enterprise, they either be- 

 take themselves to a convenient water place, or else to the 

 spot where their families reside, and there kill and eat till all 

 be consumed. If it happen that the means of pasturage occur 

 in the vicinity of the place resorted to, they sometimes permit 

 what is not immediately required, to exist, till what they may 

 have slaughtered be eaten; but when such is not the case, or 

 there is a chance of the persons plundered descrying their 

 retreat, they prefer destroying all at once, and either allowing 

 a portion to go to waste, or be consumed when even far ad- 

 vanced in putridity. 



When in the act of driving away either cattle, sheep, or 

 horses, they are pursued and approached, they immediately 

 commence destroying them, and as soon as that is completed, 

 they betake themselves to flight** Should, however, they dis- 



* Field Cornet Louw, of the Aghter Hantam, writes "I received a report on 

 the 20th November, 1829, from the Burgher Hendrik Johannis Rygert, 

 stating that five Bushmen bad taken away, between the place of Middle- 

 kraal and Slang Fonteyn, three black cattle and two horses, belonging to 

 Hendrik Wo) fgraaf, when, having driven them a short distance, they shot 

 them dead. I immediately ordered out a Commando, and proceeded on the 

 23d following, as far as the place Hinger Fonteyn, to discover their tracts 

 and the road they bad taken. I there ascertained that they had taken some 

 more horses ; I then proceeded nearly as far as the Fish river, where was a 

 Bushman kraal, and finding that the aforesaid Bushmen had reached it 

 before me, and had broken it up and gone to a greater distance, I resolved 

 tn return, the more on account of want of water. On arriving at Hendrik 

 Visage's he informed me that five Bushmen had again been in the colony, 

 On the Hantam mountains, and that he had sent three bastards on their 

 tracts. I then directed my Commando to remain for the day, in order to 

 call in the assistance of more people, as thinking it not strong enough, 

 (hie of the bastards ordered by me having gone to the place Brandwacht, 

 to fetch his horses, discovered that the said Bushmen had taken two 

 the day before. Following their tracts he found they had driven them into 

 a deep kloof near the place, but being afraid to pursue them farther, he 

 returned to us, to report the same. In consequence of the information, 1 

 repaired to the place the same evening, with my Commando, and at a late 

 hour sent out spies to see whether they were still in the kloof, but they made 

 no discoveries. I subsequently took the same thither, and came to the spot 

 where it appeared, by the remains of the horses, that they had been feast- 

 ing upon their flesh, having previously pierced them with arrows. Still 

 following their tract, I at length arrived at my own place, where, about 

 1000 yards from the house, I found they had driven off my horses, and at 

 the distance of about half as much farther, they had stabbed four of them 

 ami shot others with poisoned arrows, so as to cause their death. Still in 

 pursuit, we found five more of my horses laying dead, one upon another, 

 and on a rocky rising ground, between the places Brandwacht and Malpes 

 Fonteyn, the robber- themselves. Here they defended themselves to the 

 last extremity, in consequence of which, two of them were killed by the 

 Commando."— MSS. 



utleman, who lately happened to be on the northern frontier of the 

 c olony, at a time when the Bushmen had stolen 1200 sheep, says— A Com- 

 mando, which I accompanied, pushed forwards as fast as possible upon the 

 traces of the thieves, and it was most lamentable to see the tract so strewed 



