NATIVE WAR-DANCE. O 



appeared that several parties of English traders had 

 arrived for the purposes of traffic at the fair which 

 was to be held on the morrow, and had formed 

 for the night a kind of encampment, regaling them- 

 selves on the ground before the blazing fires which 

 they had kindled, and enjoying, after the fatigues 

 of their journey, the necessary refreshments of food 

 and rest, while much keen conversation passed on 

 the probable profits of the ensuing day. Their 

 oxen were reposing in security around the waggons, 

 which they had brought more ostensibly with the 

 view of carrying back their intended purchases, than 

 of conveying to the fair their own commodities ; these 

 merely consisting of beads and other trifles of in- 

 utility, whilst they obtained in exchange from the 

 CafFers ox-hides, ivory, horns, and other articles of 

 merchandise. 



The Caffers had assembled on the opposite bank 

 of the Keiskamma, from different quarters of the 

 interior, but were not to be allowed to cross the 

 river until the following morning, when the firing of 

 a signal gun should announce the commencement of 

 the fair. These CafFers were passing the evening 

 much like the English traders, whilst Gaika, their 

 chief, accompanied by his wives, and a large re- 

 tinue of attendant warriors, had been permitted, 

 as usual, to enter the fort, and was exhibiting to its 

 inmates the peculiar and terrific war-dance of his 

 tribe. This was a performance, indeed, far more 



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