216 SOUTHERN AFRICA. 



tney found a regular city. Lattakoo was composed of two 

 or three thousand houses, neatly and commodiously built, 

 well enclosed and shaded from the sun by spreading 

 branches of the mimosa. The country around was not 

 only covered with numerous herds, but showed considerable 

 signs of cultivation. The king, a venerable old man, in- 

 vited them to his house, and introduced them to his two 

 wives. The travellers met every where a kind and hos- 

 pitable reception, and were the objects of an eager but 

 friendly curiosity. Their report, in fact, encouraged the 

 idea that the golden age had once more revived in the 

 centre of Africa. 



The Cape government afterward undertook to follow up 

 this discovery. Lord Caledon sent Dr. Cowan and Lieu- 

 tenant Denovan, at the head of a party of twenty men, with 

 instructions to strike across the continent in a south-eastern 

 direction, and by endp-^vouring to reach Mozambique, to 

 connect the two great f-oints of African geography. The 

 travellers passed La'^cakoo, and accounts were received 

 from them nearly eleven days' journey beyond it, when they 

 were in the midst of a richer and more beautiful country 

 than they had yet seen in Southern Africa. A long and 

 anxious interval had elapsed, when the governor sent a fast- 

 sailing vessel to Sofala and Mozambique, the captain of 

 which was informed that the expedition had come to a most 

 disastrous issue. It was stated that the party, having ar- 

 rived in the dominions of the king of Zaire, between Inham- 

 bane and Sofala, had been attacked in the night, and all cut 

 to pieces, with the exception of two individuals. Mr- 

 Campbell was afterward assured, that the catastrophe had 

 taken place among the Wanketzens, a nation immediately 

 beyond Lattakoo, where the travellers, trusting to the 

 friendly behaviour and professions of the people, had ne- 

 glected the most common precautions. The officers went 

 to bathe, leaving one party in charge of the wagons, and 

 another to guard the cattle. Thus spUt into three divisions, 

 they were successively attacked and destroyed by the trea 

 cherous barbarians. 



Dr. Henry Lichtenstein, after surveying several of the 

 Cape districts, extended his journey to the territory of this 

 newly-discovered people, accompanied by one of the natives, 

 named Kok, who had been for some time absent from his 



