SOUTHERN AFRICA. 297 



the affair of the 29th October^ durst never ag-ain present him- 

 self before his royal master. Keeping- considerably to the 

 westward of north^ they crossed the head of the Hart river, 

 and struck into the Kuruman road — by this masterly ma- 

 noeuvre approaching" the Matabili from the very quarter 

 whence they were least prepared to expect an attack. A 

 lovely and fertile valley, bounded on the north and north-east 

 by the Kurrichane mountains, and in form resembling- a basin 

 often or twelve miles in circumference, contained the military 

 toAvn of Moseg-a, and fifteen other of Moselekatse's principal 

 kraals, in which resided Kalipi, and a larg-e portion of the 

 fig-hting- men. To this spot were the steps of the emigrant 

 farmers directed. As the first streaks of lig'ht ushered in the 

 eventful morning- of the 17th of January, Maritz's little band 

 suddenly and silently emerg-ed from a pass in the hills behind 

 the houses of the American missionaries • and ere the sun 

 had reached the zenith, the bodies of four hundred chosen 

 Matabili warriors, the flower of barbarian chivahy, g-arnished 

 the blood-stained valley of Moseg-a. Not a creature was 

 aware of the approach of dang-er, and the entrance of a rifle- 

 ball by one of the bed-room windows, was the first intima- 

 tion received by the missionaries of the impending- onslaug-ht. 

 One of their domestics, Baba, the converted Bechuana, who, 

 it will be remembered, accompanied the author to the king-'s 

 residence in capacity of interpreter, being- mistaken for a 

 Zooloo, was hotly pursued to the river, into which he 

 plung-ed hippopotamus-like, and narrowly escaped annihi- 

 lation by counterfeiting- death, after three bullets had whistled 

 past his protruded head. So perfect were the military dis- 

 positions which the information aflbrded by the captive had 

 sug-g-ested, that the valley was completely invested, and no 

 avenue of escape remained. The Matabili flew to arms at 

 the first alarm, and bravely defended themselves, but were 

 shot Hke sparrows as fast as they appeared outside of the 



