352 EXPEDITION INTO [Chap. XXXIX. 



temptation afforded by the fat flocks and herds of 

 his new, opulent, and very unceremonious neigh- 

 hours, should have induced the despot to impart a 

 lesson which might inculcate the necessity of at least 

 propitiating him with presents, which are known 

 to be the only sure road to the friendship or good 

 offices of a savage ? Towards the close of August, 

 a commando, consisting of about five hundred Ma- 

 tabili warriors, was despatched from Mosegaybr this 

 very puvpose. On their way to plunder the emi- 

 grants, who were encamped in scattered detachments 

 along the Vaal River, they accidentally fell in with 

 Stephanus Erasmus, who had been on a hunting 

 expedition still farther to the northward, and was 

 then on his return to the colony by the forbidden 

 route. Arriving at his waggons in the evening with 

 one of his sons, and finding them surrounded by a 

 host of armed savages, he precipitately fled to the 

 nearest emigrant camp, about five hours' ride on 

 horseback from his own, where, having succeeded 

 in persuading a party of eleven farmers to accompany 

 him, he returned towards the spot. On the way 

 thither they were met by the barbarians, whose im- 

 petuous onsets obliged them to seek refuge within 

 the encampment. A severe struggle ensued, but the 

 enemy were finally repulsed with great slaughter, 

 and the loss, on the part of the farmers, of only one 

 man named Bronkhorst. 



This was, however, but the prelude to a more 

 bloody tragedy. A party of the Matabili soldiers 

 had in the mean time detached itself from the main 



