364 EXPEDITION, &c. [Chap. XL. 



repenting, when it is too late, of the folly that in- 

 duced him to resign himself to the hazards of so 

 wild an adventure. 



Much then, as these deluded exiles have already 

 suffered, and deluged as their path has already 

 been with blood, even they can form at present 

 but a very inadequate conception of the dangers 

 and difficulties with which their undertaking is 

 fraught. Hemmed in on one side by Moselekatse, 

 who will never lose sight of the past, but, tiger-like, 

 will watch his opportunity of revenge, with unceas- 

 ing and savage vigilance ; and on the other hand 

 by Dingaan, who cannot fail to regard their obtru- 

 sion with more than his wonted jealousy and sus- 

 picion ; surrounded, too, by a whole host of ma- 

 rauders, who, whatever they may pretend to the 

 contrary, are ever on the alert to enrich themselves 

 at the expense of their more opulent neighbours, 

 the position of the migratory farmers can hardly be 

 said to be improved by the step they have taken. 

 They have cast off the yoke of a government which 

 they felt burthensome, and whilst they flourish, are 

 the judges and the avengers of their own cause. 

 But to an unprejudiced observer, their path would 

 seem strewed with difficulties, and beset vvith perils. 

 Thus far their course has been marked with blood, 

 and with blood must it be traced to its termination, 

 either in their own destruction, or in that of thousands 

 of the native population of Southern Africa. 



