238 | APPENDIX. 
Klaas, a cowardly fellow, also one of my Hottentots, got on 
horseback and fled, so that we had left to protect the waggons, 
and fight against about two hundred of the most formidable 
savages in South Africa, Jan Saver, Hendrik Klaas, Barend 
Barends, and myself. Old Prins, a little dwarfish Hotten-. 
tot, was the only one of my people that did not run away, 
and being on foot, had a very narrow escape from being 
taken by the savages. 
We were now all mounted, and at that critical moment, 
when the Matebely (for that is the name of Masilikatsie’s 
tribe) were within two hundred yards of us, I perceived the 
villain Piet Barends making the best of his way towards the 
waggons, but coming in an opposite direction to the Caffers ; 
his horse completely knocked-up, and his face as pale as 
death. I had scarcely time to upbraid the monster with his 
base conduct, when the Matebely were close upon us; for it 
was all done quicker than you can read this description. 
They now spread out to surround the waggons, seeing which, 
I rode up closer to their line, making signs to them to 
come to parley, but without avail. A shower of assagais 
made me seek safety in retreat. Their right wing seized 
our cattle and sheep, and as they had nearly surrounded us, 
our little band burst through the weakest part of the circle, 
when we turned round and fired upon them. They suc- 
ceeded, however, in driving us away from the waggons, and 
forced us into a wood of camel-thorns, which was far from 
being advantageous ground for our small party, so that I 
considered it good generalship to retreat to a more open 
and rising ground, on this side of Seechagholie. In the run- 
ning fire which we kept up on them during our retreat, we 
killed three, and wounded one. They seemed to be aware 
of the advantage we had gained by our retreat, anda few 
crossed the river to follow us, although a great number got 
