AFRICA. 
mdiifly agreed to return, and repair directly to 
the camp the way we had come. As, how- 
ever, it would have been very imprudent to 
place any confidence in thefe three men, who 
appeared to us in fo very equivocal a light, I 
compelled them to follow us till we were nearly 
arrived. In confequerice w^e felzed all their 
arms, promifing to do them no injury, and 
that they flioulJ infallibly be returned to them. 
They delivered up their weapons with a good 
grace, but not without difplaying fymptoms of 
fear, and afluring us we had nothing to ap- 
prehend, and that they had no ill defign. 
Though we profeffed to believe them, I deem- 
ed it prudent to aft in this manner, left they 
fhould be fpies fent to get information of our 
numbers and ftrength. 
I much regretted this termination of my ex- 
curfion, by which I was prevented from feeing 
the mouth of Orange-River, the geographical 
fituation of which Paterfon has laid down in 
his travels on the authority of Colonel Gordon. 
He places it in the latitude of 28° 33^; and its 
longitude differs but little," he fays, " from 
that of the Cape." 
As I had lived In the fame houfe with 
Ccz ' Gordoa 
