AFRICA. 3ti 
of blood. I was defirous of alarming the rob- 
bers only, and putting them to flight, hy the 
terror of a fudden and unexpefled attack. Jii 
confequence, I enjoined my people to fire in- 
to the air, and pontively forbad them to aim 
at a finglc man, uniefs we were obliged to do 
fo, and I fhould give exprefs orders to that 
purpofe. ' 
I began the attack by firing my large car- 
bine, the report of which, re-echoed by the 
neighbouring mountains, produced a thunder- 
ing noife. We expeded that the whole horde 
would run away affrighted at the found ; and 
. my people prepared to heighten the general 
terror by a difcharge of their mufketry. To 
oqr great aftoniflament^ however, not a fingle 
perfon appeared. I ordered feveral other 
difcharges of our guns, but in vain; every 
thing ftill continued quiet, and I was at a lofs 
what to augur from the circumftance. 
This fecurity was but apparent. While 
every thing without indicated fleep and tran- 
<juillity, within all was confufion and affright. 
But by an infernal ftratagem, in which my 
robbers no doubt had long been pradifed, no 
mc would flvew himfelf till all were in a ftate 
X4 pf 
