150 TRAVELS IN 
the time thai the crew, consisting of about sixty persons, had 
got on shore, they found themselves surrounded by Kaffers, 
and expected immediately to be put to death by these 
savages. Instead of which, to their no small degree of joy and 
surprise, the chief gave orders for an ox to be instantly killed, 
and the flesh distributed among the unfortunate sufferers. 
There is, however, one temptation which a Kaffer cannot re- 
sist — the sight of metal buttons ; and those who suffered ship- 
wreck, and who happened to have any of these articles about 
their persons, had them cut off without much ceremony. 
They were deprived of no other part of their property ; and 
they were conducted in safety to the residence of some of 
the colonists, from whom a demand was made of five rixdol- 
lars for the captain, and an equal sum for the whole of the 
crew, as a full compensation for their trouble — a very mode- 
rate and just demand ; and it were to be wished that the ex- 
ample of the Kaffers was observed on other coasts, that pre- 
tend to a greater degree of civilization than prevails on those 
,of Southern Africa, 
Having arranged with the king the business that brought us 
into Kaffer-land, we made him a present, consisting of sheets 
of copper, brass-wire, glass-beads, knives for skinning animals, 
looking-glasses, flints, steels, and tinder-boxes, and a quantity 
of tobacco. His mother also received a present of the same 
nature. Except this lady, all the other women kept in the 
back-ground during the conversation, as did also Zambie, the 
uncle and usurper, who was then a prisoner at large in the 
village. The young king's treatment of this man did him 
great honor. All his former attendants, his cattle, and his 
six wives, were restored to him, with as much liberty as the 
