278 



STOPPING A THIEF. 



disappointed at the result ; he kept quiet for some time, 

 and then remarked, " If they had been buck, you would 

 have hit them" it was half an inquiry and half a reproof. 

 He would neither have understood or appreciated any 

 moral reasoning I could have given him against taking 

 the life of a fellow creature, however low in scale of 

 humanity. 



The reflection of the moon on some windows directed 

 me to the residence of my friend, where a blazing fire, a 

 change of clothes, a plentiful dinner, and a glass of good 

 brandy and water caused a total revolution in my feelings, 

 arid I began to think that happiness was not excluded from 

 the simple wattle-and-daub hut of the solitary resident of 

 South Africa. 



This settler had been a frequent sufferer from the depre- 

 dations of Bushmen, and they had only lately robbed him of 

 horses and cattle. He now kept a dozen dogs always about 

 his premises; these creatures saluted any arrival with 

 noise enough to wake the dead. He hinted that, having 

 found the arm of the law not quite quick or powerful 

 enough to prevent these robberies, he had taken the 

 liberty of protecting himself, and following up the thieves 

 rather quickly. On one occasion he stopped four of them 

 from ever repeating their wickedness ; how he did this so 

 effectually, I could but guess. He showed me their bows 

 and arrows, and I was supposed to infer that he had, by the 

 power of argument, persuaded them to give up vice, and 

 lead a peaceable life. My friend told me that elands were 

 sometimes in sight of his house, as well as hartebeest, and 

 occasionally quaggas ; that all the kloofs contained bucks, 



