SOUTHERN AFRICA. 417 
an irresistible impulse to mischief, broke open the house, 
carried away clothing and every thing that was portable, 
drank all the wine and spirits they could find, and made 
themselves completely intoxicated. Yet the very men who 
committed those enormities were, at that moment, under the 
impression that their dearest connections (if it w^ere possible 
any thing could be dear to such men), their wives, and chil- 
dren, were massacred by the enemy, into whose hands they 
knew them to have fallen. They had been met, it seems, 
a few days before, in a narrow pass by a party of Kaffers 
and Hottentots, and, as usual, on perceiving the enemy, 
mounted their horses and galloped away as fast as they could, 
leaving their wives and children and waggons in the posses- 
sion of the robbers. 
No outrage nor injury were offered to the prisoners, but, 
on the contrary, as on all similar occasions, they were treated 
with respect. They even dispatched a Hottentot after the 
fugitive boors to say, that if they chose to ransom their wives 
and children for a small quantity of powder and lead, and a 
dozen head of cattle, they should instantly be delivered up. 
It is natural to suppose that, under such circumstances, the 
ties of kindred affection would have superseded all considera- 
tions of prudence, and have stifled resentment ; and that a 
proposal, which held out such easy terms for the recovery 
of their wives and children, would have been seized with 
avidity. This, however, was not the case. An African boor 
has no such feelings ; his passiojis, uncontrolled by the 
powers of reason or reflection, are always predominant. One 
pf the party, recognising the Hottentot, thus sent to them, 
VOL. T. 3 n 
