AFRICA. 317 
their cattle being carried away, they had, with- 
out regard to age or fex, extermuiated whole 
hordes of Caffres, phandered them of their 
oxen, and ravaged their lands ; that this me- 
thod of procuring live ftock appearing to be 
much eafier than to rear them themfelves, they 
had employed it with fo much indlfcretion for 
more than a year, that they had fhared above 
twenty thoufand among them; and that they 
had mafTacred without mercy all thofe who 
had attempted to defend them. Hans told 
me that he had been witnefs to a tranfaftion, 
which I fliall give here exactly as he related 
it. 
A band of planters having deftroyed a CafFre 
village, a young child about twelve years of 
age efcaped, and concealed itfelf in a hole, 
where it was unfortunately difcovered by a man. 
belonging to a detachment of planters. This 
man wifhing to make a flave of it, carried it 
away with him ; but the commander taking a 
fancy to it, infifted upon its being put into his 
hands. The perfon who found it obftinately 
refufed to give it up : both fides grew w^arm ; 
and the commander, inflamed with anger^ and 
running up in a furious manner to the inno- 
cent vidim, cried out to his adverfaiy, If I 
I , canuot 
