AFRICA- 303 
part of Africa, on the milk with which they 
are fupplied by their cattle ; and clothe them-* 
felves with the ikins of animals. Like the 
reft, they are indolent by nature, and warlike 
by neceffity ; but they are not an odious na- 
tion, whofe name is calculated to infpire terror. 
As I was very defirous of being thoroughly in- 
formed refpetling the motives and rife of thefe 
atrocious wars, which thus difturbed the tran- 
quillity of the moft beautiful parts of Africa, 
thefe honeft people, w^ho had trufted to mc 
•with fo much confidence, unbofomed them- 
felves in the like manner without any referve. 
They informed me, indeed, that the oppreffion 
and cruelty of the planters were the only 
caufe of the war, and that juftice was on the 
fide of the Caffres : they told me alfo that the 
Bofhomens, a kind of vagabond deferters who 
belong to no nation, and who live only by 
rapine, took advantage of that moment of dif- 
order to- pillage without diftiodion the Ca& 
, fres, the Hottentots, and the planters ; that 
nothing but the tyrannical behaviour of thefe 
wretches could have made the CaiTres include 
in the general profcription all the Hottentots, 
whom they confidered as fpies attached to the 
whites, and whom the latter employed to lay 
fnares 
