2SS TRAVELS IN 
no great diftahce. I immediately called tnj 
people, who told me that they alfo heard a 
confufed noife ; but we did not know whether 
it was occafioned by Hottentots or Caffres. I 
had great reafon to be afraid of the latter ; not 
that they ihirfc more after human blood, as 
ignorant writers have fald ; but becaufe the 
cruel manner in which they are treated by the 
planters, incites them more to war, and becaufe 
the right of avenging injuries is natural to 
man. I fliall foon relate feveral fafts, which 
wall prove, better than vain reafonings, whe- 
ther a favage or an European is the moft bar- 
barous. 
As it was probable that I might be con- 
founded among the vidimus of their vengeance, 
I ordered all my people to be under arms, 
and we removed to fome diftance from our 
camp. The farther we marched the noife 
became more diftind: ; and we obferved fome 
files, I could not however perfuade myfelf 
that they were Cafires ; for they w^ould have 
• betrayed themfelves: artifice in vain borrows 
the darknefs of night, it muft alfo borrow its 
fi le nee. 
Having placed myfelf in ambufh, that I 
might be able to furprife them, in cafe they 
Ihould 
