268 TRAVELS IN 
wifhed to make a little excurfion into their 
country to procure intelligence, and after- 
wards to traverfe it at my leifure. 
They were extremely defirous of knowing 
where the planters then were ; if they were 
ftill in purfuit of them, and what might be 
their intentions. On this fubjefl: I gave them 
fuch information as I thought confiftent with 
prudence. I had feen the planters who had 
retired to Bruyntjes-Hoogte keep themfelves 
there on the defenfive, agitated by terrors as 
much as the CafFres themfelves. The latter 
told me, that, to reach the neareft hordes of 
their nation, it would be ftlU neceffary to 
continue my journey for full five days more. 
Calculating therefore the diftance which fe- 
parated thefe people from the planters, and 
which I reckoned to be nearly fixty leagues, 
I could, without deceiving them, allay their 
fears, and convince them that the latter were 
neither difpofed nor in a condition to under- 
take fo long a journey. Thefe poor people 
were in fuch a wretched fituation that I could 
not help pitying them, for they had never 
been haraffed in fuch a manner as they were 
at that time; befides the loffes which they 
had fuftained in men and cattle by the at- 
tacks 
