Chap. XI.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 87 



a letter from Mr. Moffat, that he had had the mis- 

 fortune to lose his wife a few days before ; and 

 that the rest of the party were likewise dangerously 

 ill with fever, contracted from having slept in their 

 newly-built house before the floors were dry. This 

 gentleman likewise gave us accounts of the capture 

 of several waggons, the property of a farmer named 

 Erasmus, who was hunting on the Vaal River. 

 This was the event to which Captain Sutton had 

 referred, but Dr. Wilson further informed us, that 

 a very large Commando* under Kalipi, the minister 

 and governor of Mosega, had already been some 

 days gone to the river Vaal, to complete the des- 

 truction of the emigrant farmers — concluding by 

 strongly advising us not to visit the king at such a 

 conjuncture. Having come thus far, however, we 

 resolved to proceed, and with that view immediately 

 despatched messengers to his Majesty with a pre- 

 sent of beads, and a request that we might be 

 suffered to pay our respects. These men received 

 a bunch of beads weighing one pound, and the pro- 

 mise of another if they returned on the third day — 

 Moselekatse was reported to be at a kraal fifty 

 miles to the northward, at which he had resided 

 ever since the establishment of the Missionaries at 

 Mosega, his head-quarters. 



It rained during the whole of the night ; and 

 during the whole of the following day we were 

 surrounded, without a moment's respite, by a crowd 



* Commando is the colonial term for every expedition of a 

 military nature. 



