25S TRAVELS IN 
111 the neft : but as In the whole neighbour* 
hood there was no place where I could con- 
ceal myfelf fo as not to be feen, flie did not 
approach ; I therefore abandoned my defign, 
and purfued my journey. 
It is probable that there was not a fingle 
CafFre in all that part of the country which 
we had hitherto traverfed ; for the reports of 
our fufees, which we fired continually for 
fome days, either m our marches or in our 
different encampments, muft have difcovered 
us, and conduced them towards us, as they 
are far from being timorous. During our 
journey we were not, however, all of the 
fame opinion on this fubjeft, v/hich formed 
the ufual grounds of our converfation ; fome 
pretending that there muft be Caffres in 
the canton, but that, not being numerous, 
they did not venture to appear; and others 
maintaining that there were none, fince we 
had not been attacked by them : but when 
we came to deliberate what condudt we 
ought to purfue when we (hould meet them, * 
all my people loft tb:mfelves in abfurdity, 
and formed the moft ridiculous and imprac- 
ticable plans for our defence. I alone was of 
opinion that it would be proper to fuftainjthe 
I firft 
