Chap. XVIII.] SOUTHERN AFRICA. 149 



tanta, tanta, tantal that we must bring him 

 " every thing," and take care to visit him via Mr. 

 Moffat's station, and not by the Vaal River, lest 

 mischief should befal us by the way. 



We now paid and dismissed the interpreter, with 

 a supply of provision for the road, and a note to Dr. 

 Wilson, thanking him for Baba's services, and in- 

 forming him of the complete success of our nego- 

 ciations with the king. Upon this point we had 

 certainly good reason to congratulate ourselves. 

 Visiting this capricious savage as we had done, at 

 an inauspicious juncture, when he was embroiled 

 with white men, and might not unreasonably have 

 regarded us in the light of spies upon his land — a 

 suspicion which the pusillanimous conduct of our 

 Hottentots, and of Andries in particular, was calcu- 

 lated to inspire and confirm — we had had through- 

 out a difficult and somewhat hazardous part to 

 perform. The probabilities were in favour of our 

 being detained, and were certainly greatly against 

 our obtaining permission to make our exit by the 

 hitherto proscribed route of the Vaal River, con- 

 ducting, as it would, directly through the scene of 

 his operations against the migratory farmers; but 

 by closing our eyes upon passing events, and pre- 

 serving throughout our intercourse with the despot 

 a firm, conciliatory, and confiding demeanour — 

 not only had we succeeded in convincing him of 

 the honesty of our intentions — ^but now pursued our 

 journey with every reason to believe in the good 

 faith of his professions towards ourselves. 



