SOUTHERN AFRICA. 151 



late affair; however, they received a severe lesson in the 

 superiority of fire-arms, of which, since the signal defeat 

 of Barends' Griquas, in 1831, Moselekatse, had entertained 

 a g-reat contempt. Kahpi had found the emigrant farmers 

 several days' march to the southward of the position they 

 occupied when Erasmus's effects were captured. Being- 

 apprized of the approach of the barbarian horde, they had 

 drawn up their wag'g'ons in a close cu'cle, fortifying- the 

 enclosure with thorn branches, and defending- themselves 

 so stoutly that they beat off the assailants with terrible 

 slaug-hter, wounding- Kalipi, and oblig-ing- him to retire from 

 the conflict. Plunder is the principal object of all savag-e 

 warfare, and althoug'h, fortunately for the cause of humanity, 

 he failed in carrying- into effect the orders of his incensed 

 and blood-thirsty master, to massacre the males without 

 quarter, sparing- only the women and young- g-irls that ^sere 

 calculated to g-race the imperial serag'lio, Kalipi had yet 

 succeeded in the more lucrative object of his expedition • 

 he retired fi-om the field of carnag-e, sweeping- before him 

 the whole of the flocks and herds of the emig-rants, that 

 w^re g-razing- in thousands upon the verdant plains of the 

 Likwa, leaving" the late flourishing- camp an immoveable 

 and shattered wreck in the wilderness. 



We soon descended into a fine valley, in which were 

 situated nine of Moselekatse's principal kraals, around ^^ hich 

 countless cattle were g-razing-. From one of these villag-es, 

 the last Matabili station in this du-ection, we were rejoined 

 by Mohanycom, who broug-ht with him 'Ling-ap, the captain 

 of our escort, and a whole host of ladies, who were desirous 

 of ascertaining- the quality of our " Irish blackg-uard." They 

 all saluted us with " DakJia bono, Qui .'" — " I see j^ou ! g-ive 

 me some snuff!" Winding- up a little acclivity, we present- 

 ly entered a grand and extensive forest, with occasional 

 open spots, which abounded, to an incredible deg-ree, with 



