SOUTHERN AFRICA. 267 



narrow stream, completely choked with bulrushes and tang-led 

 sedg-e ', shortly after forcing* our way throug'h which, with 

 incredible difficulty and many casualities, we descried the 

 LiUiputian fortress rising- before us in dim perspective. 

 There being- yet no g-limmering- of dawn, we halted for a few 

 minutes behind a g-roup of rocks to reconnoitre; and a 

 council of war being" held, it was decided that we should 

 ascend the hill on the opposite side, and having- carried the 

 enemy's position in reverse, b}^ a coiq) de main, should shoot 

 all who made any show of resistance. Dismounting-, there- 

 fore, and leading- our steeds, we noiselessly g-roped our way 

 among- crag's and brushwood to the summit of the hill, 

 which, althoug'h rather abrupt in front, was spread out into 

 undulations behind. Here the horses, having- been fastened 

 tog-ether by the bridles, were left in charg-e of one of the 

 Hottentots — the rest, with us, creeping- on all-fours towards 

 the table-land occupied by the enemy, of whose increasing- 

 proximity our noses beg-an now to apprize us. Cautiously 

 peeping- with uncovered heads over a natural parapet, we 

 could presently perceive their fires burning- about two hun- 

 dred 3'ards in advance; and thus securely ambushed, scarcely 

 daring- even to breathe, we awaited the approach of dawn 

 with a deg-ree of nervous impatience which may be estimated 

 by those who recollect that upon its successful issue, the 

 salvation of our wag-g-ons and property almost entirely de- 

 pended. 



Whilst thus watching- the cold darkness of nig-ht, which 

 seemed as thoug-h it would have lasted for ever, the brig-ht 

 morning- star — that joyous herald whose appearance I had 

 never hailed with g-reater delig-ht, suddenly shot like a rocket 

 above the horizon. A faint lig'ht immediately pervaded the 

 eastern sky, before which, as it g-radually increased, the 

 stars appeared to fade away, while the earth still continued 

 in nig-ht. Imperceptibly, almost, this lig'ht had presently 



