AFRICA. 2T3 
happened ; but as they were eftabliflied to 
the north- weft, and ftlU more dlftant from 
the fea, they could tell me nothing certahi 
refpeding that unhappy cataftrophe. They 
had indeed feen the greater part of the ef- 
fe£ls carried away from the wreck of the vef- 
fel ; for feveral hordes had bartered them for 
cattle, and even thofe who were in my camp 
had fome of thefe things in their poffcffion. 
One of them (hewed me a piece of filver 
coin, which was fufpended from his neck ; 
another wore a fmall fteel key; and they de- 
fcribed, in the beft manner they could, a 
trinket which they had divided into pieces, 
I readily guefled that it muft have been a 
watch, the wheels and other works of which 
they had converted into ornaments, I was 
fully convinced that my conjefture was right, 
when having produced mine they all cried 
out that it was the fame thing, except in co- 
lour, which they faid refembled the piece of 
money fufpended from the neck of their 
companion. They added, that the moft 
beautiful articles procured from the fhip had 
fallen into the hands of a numerous body of 
Caffres who lived near the fea; that, above 
all, they had in their poffeffion a great deal 
P3 of 
