46 EXPEDITION INTO [Chap. VII. 



CHAPTER VII. 



FROM KURUMAN TO LITTLE CHOOI. 



Twenty days had now elapsed without any tidings 

 of Andries, when at last that worthy follower of our 

 fortunes was seen approaching in equestrian order. 

 Whilst, however, he had undoubtedly brought back- 

 the horses, he had contrived to render them un- 

 serviceable for some weeks by galling their backs : 

 and had besides sacrificed the mare upon which he 

 had set forth on his quest. Had the accounts that 

 he gave of the privations he suffered on the road, 

 and of his personal combats with surly Boors, who 

 had opposed themselves to the fulfilment of his 

 mission, been correct, his claims to our everlasting 

 gratitude might have been acknowledged; but, 

 unfortunately for him, we subsequently discovered 

 that they had no foundation in truth ; and on the 

 contrary, that having speedily recovered the fugi- 

 tives, he had embraced the opportunity of surrep- 

 titiously paying a visit to his mother, and some of 

 his cronies who resided at a distance. 



Mr. Moffat confirmed the reports that we had 

 heard from Captain Sutton respecting the attacks 

 made upon the emigrant farmers by Moselekatse, 

 of whose history it will be expected that I should 

 here offer a brief outline. He is the despotic ruler 



