356 TRAVELS IN 
painted to me as fo ferocious, feemed to be as 
harmless as lambs. 
I had, however, no fooner rendered thetn 
tradable, than I was obliged to leave them. 
My march had taken up a great deal of my 
time, the d?.y was far advanced, and I was 
apprehenfive that, if I remained any longer, 
my abfence might alarm my people ; or that 
I fliould expofe myfelf to the hazard of lofmg 
my way during the night, in a country with, 
which I was totally unacquainted. 
I told the Houzouanas, therefore, that I 
would return next morning, and encamp on 
the banks of their rivulet. I again affured 
them, that they would find in me a friend al- 
ways ready to oblige and to defend them. I 
engaged that they iliould experience from my 
people neither infult nor injury ; but I de- 
clared, at the fame time, that, if they gave 
me the leaft caufe of complaint, I would em- 
ploy againft them all my refources, and in 
that cafe they would find my ftrength far 
fuperior to theirs. 
I employed the Hottentot as an Interpreter 
to communicate to them thefe fentiments ; 
and through the fame medium I received a 
4 verjr 
