AFRICA. 297 
but thefe were fo numerous, and their rear- 
guard, which covered the march of the reft, 
let fly at them fo many arrows, that our 
*• people, after a few difcharges of their mut- 
kets, returned, bringing back only three of 
" the oxen that lagged behind, and had been 
*' very feverely handled. We have but one 
*' refource left, which is to purfue the robbers 
*' with a ftrong party : but then we muft fet 
" olF without delay, and not lofe a moment." 
Circumftanced as I was, this accident was 
extremely vexatious to me ; not merely from 
the great lofs it occafioned, but becaufe, by 
taking from me the cattle intended to recruit 
my teams, it deprived me of the means of re- 
turning to the Cape. 
The news had fcarcely reached my camp^ 
when the fufpicions of my people fell upon 
the Houzouanas, againft whom they were ftill 
prejudiced. According to them, thefe plun- 
derers alone were to be charged with it, who, 
after infidious inftances of fervice, had, in 
their opinion, followed our track, and availed 
themfelves of the moment of my abfence 
to carry off what I was not at hand to defend. 
I could not credit thef^ accuf^tions j and the 
event 
