AFRICA. 3ir 
feffed that my beard had frightened them a little 
(it had then eleven months growth); that they 
did not know what to think of my arms, my 
waggon, and my numerous train ; that they 
had often heard mention made of me ; and that 
an hundred clrcumftances had been related to 
them, in which I had been in danger of lofing 
my life ; but that they had been at laft afiured 
thrit I had found a vefTel at anchor in the bay . 
of Blettemberg, which had conveyed me to the 
ifle of Bourbon ; and that on this account, 
when they faw me arrive, they had at firfl 
imagined that I was another perfon. After a 
hundred queftions, to which they gave mc 
fcarcely time to return an anfv/er, I mentioned 
the motives that had induced me tc pay them 
a vifit ; and the refoliiticn I had taken of 
penetrating to the extremity of Caffraria, I 
could not help telling them how much I was 
furprifed that they had not before attempted 
to fave the unhappy Europeans, of vs^hofe fate 
they w-ere not ignorant; that I hoped to find 
amongft them men willing and ready to ac- 
company me to the coaft w^here their veilel 
had been loft ; that the Dutch government 
would, without doubt, rew^ard in a noble man- 
ner the authors of fuch a glorious enterprife ; 
X 4 andj 
