SOUTHERN AFRICA. 413 
that they had a design upon those of the Hottentots that were 
driven before us, is not certain ; but on our arrival, towards 
the evening, at Zwart Kop's River, a number of tlie Kaffers 
were observed lurking among the thickets. About the middle 
of the night, the centinel, which we had placed by way of pre- 
caution, gave the alarm of an enemy. Upon this a serjeant 
of dragoons observing something move in the dark, rushed 
into the bushes, and, firmg his pistol, brought a man to the 
ground. It was a young well-looking Kaffer about six feet 
high. He made great efforts to remain on his feet, but weak- 
ened by loss of blood, he was soon unable to stand without 
support. On examining his wound, we found the ball had en- 
tered just below the shoulder blade, and passed through the 
right breast. With some difficulty we contrived to stop the 
hemorrhage, and to bind up the wound, after washing it well 
with milk and water. From the distortions of countenance, 
and the large drops of sweat that ran over his body, it was 
very evident that he suffered a violent degree of pain ; but he 
neither vented a sigh nor a groan, nor could he be prevailed 
upon to open his lips, although spoken to in his own language 
by a Hottentot interpreter. .We caused him to be carried 
into a clean straw hut, and milk in a curdled state to be 
brought to him, but he refused it. At an early hour in the 
morning I went to the hut to inquire after the patient's health, 
but he was gone. The coffray, or infidel, at the point of death, 
thought it safer to crawl into the woods, than to remain ia 
the hands of Christians. 
From Zwart Kop's River we proceeded to a plain that is con- 
tiguous to Algoa Bay, where, to our great astonishment, we 
found the whole of the boors and their families assembled, 
1 
