136 
THE CURRENT REPORT. 
24, 25 March, 
unknown to them both ; but report having informed them of the 
circumstance of an Enghshman having entered the colony in an 
unusual manner, they judged it not impossible that it might be either 
Dr. Cowan or Captain Donovan ; and under this persuasion they had 
brought with them an army list, that I might be gratified with a 
sight, as they supposed, of my own promotion. They sat down 
by my bed, and expressed themselves exceedingly shocked at the 
fatigue which they concluded I must have suffered, and at the 
wretched lodging in which I lay. I felt so much pleasure in thus 
unexpectedly meeting with a person with whom I could speak my 
own language, that as long as they remained, I never once thought 
of my fever. I asked innumerable questions, and inquired for news 
of every description. 
They afforded me some amusement by relating that, on my 
account the whole village of Graaffreynet had been for several days 
in a state of alarm. The current report was, that three hundred of 
the Klaarwater Hottentots, under the command of a white-man, 
were marching to attack the colony, taking advantage of the favor- 
able moment when so many boors were absent from their homes and 
detained on the commando in the Zuureveld. So greatly had the 
inhabitants magnified my little party, and so strongly was the report 
believed, that not only constant guard had been kept ; but, on ac- 
count of my near approach and hourly-expected attack, a number 
of persons remained under arms, and the guard and night-watch had 
last night actually been doubled. When I explained the circum- 
stances of my journey and the object of my visit to Graaffreynet, 
Dr. Menzies in a most friendly manner, offered me accommodation 
in his quarters during my stay. 
They had not long been gone, and I had just wrapped myself 
up again, when Philip came to announce the arrival of two other 
visitors. They were the acting landdrost and his brother, who, 
having at last correctly ascertained who I was, had brought the clergy- 
man's carriage, the only one in the village, to convey me to town. 
They expressed themselves, as my preceding visitors had done, 
shocked at seeing me ill, and at the miserable abode in which I 
