54 EXPEDITION INTO [Chap. VII. 



which he did not however carry into execution. 

 From that period^ until within a few days of our 

 arrival at Motito, this boaster, dreading the ven- 

 geance of Moselekatse, had ignominiously concealed 

 himself — now, for the first time, venturing from his 

 hiding-place. Before we had proceeded many miles 

 a savage, breathless with haste, met us as if by 

 accident, and implored the waggon-drivers to turn 

 back — representing Moselekatse as highly incensed 

 — and stating that that prince had attacked a party 

 of farmers with great slaughter, and that the same 

 fate awaited us if we advanced farther into his 

 territory. He then decamped, leaving every face 

 blank with dismay. We instantly suspected that 

 the whole was a plot of Mahura's, and it had the 

 etfect he desired of creating such a panic among the 

 people, that they positively refused to advance 

 another step. Andries was the first to declare this 

 determination, repeating the savage's story with 

 fifty exaggerations of his own, and confidently pre- 

 dicting an attack during the night. The spirits of 

 the bolder were damped by the gloomy forebodings 

 of the more cowardly, nor would they have proceeded 

 if John April had not fortunately, though unwar- 

 rantably, presumed to broach the grog-cask during 

 the night : getting so drunk himself, that we were 

 obliged to leave him to come on behind, whilst the 

 rest became sufficiently courageous to resume the 

 journey in the dark — not, however, until they had 

 broken the pole of the waggon, which we soon 

 replaced. 



