9 TRAVELS IN 
habitant of the Cape, who, even In his moft or- 
dinary walks, might not obferve fubjeds of 
natural hiftory, extremely valuable to any but 
an African. How is it when nature, at every 
ftep produces a miracle under our feet, that 
jnen can be fo indifferent to her worlhip, and 
that the love of gold can compenfate the plea- 
fure which the difcovery of one only of her fe- 
crets is capable of affording ? 
Among thefe inquifitiye perfonages there 
were many, however, whofe deportment iri 
fome degree flattered my fenfibility. At light 
of the rareties which I had brought fo far, I 
remarked a much lefs intereft for the fruit of 
my travels than for the traveller hlmfelf . They 
cojuld hardly conpeive the pofTibility of my hav- 
ing efcaped the numerous perils which had be- 
fore been exaggerated to me ; and if, likq 
UlyfTes, my family had refided at the Cape, 
th^ report of my death would have given me 
more than one fuitor to contend with, and 
more th^n or^e Eumeus to feduce. 
A ftill greaternumber regarding piy labours as 
futile anid unprodudive, wefe continually teazr 
ing me with the queftion, Well, what gold 
:^inc have you found Gpld was the idol of 
jh(?fe pien, an4 sl finglp grain of Jhis pn>nipp- 
