rJ EXrEDITIO.N IKTO 



the sources of the Mariqua Eiver. Pnor to the occupancy 

 of this valley by the Matabili, it formed the principal re- 

 sidence of the Baharootzi tribe. It is now extensively culti- 

 vated^ and contains the military town of Moseg'a^ and fifteen 

 other of Moselekatse's principal kraals. On our way to the 

 houses of the American Missionaries^ we passed several of 

 these^ to the no small delig-ht of their inhabitants^ who^ prin-? 

 cipally women and children^ flocked round the wag'g'ons in 

 g'reat numbers^ offering* their g-reas}^ hands without com- 

 punction j at every step the crowd increased — both sexes 

 were to be seen working- in the fields^ but they all qvutted 

 their occupation as the}" saw us^ and adding" themselves to 

 the g'roup^ escorted us to the halting- g-round. We received 

 a hearty welcome from Dr. Wilson^ one of the American 

 fraternity, from Avhom we learned, on delivering- a letter from 

 Mr. Moffat, that he had had the misfortune to lose his wife 

 a few days before * and that the rest of the party Avere 

 likcAvise dang-erously ill with fever, contracted from having- 

 slept in their newly-built house before the floors were dry. 

 This g-entleman likewise g-ave us accounts of the capture of 

 several wag-gons, the propert}^ 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 larg-e Commando*' under Ivalipi, the 

 minister and governor of Mosega,had already been some days 

 gone to the Iliver Vaal, to complete the destruction 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 

 present 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 promise of another if they 



* Commando is the colonial term for every expedition of a military nature. 



