A F R I C A. 207 
account, or tlie dread of feeing me a mangled 
corfe, daflied perhaps to pieces, I was not 
heard, and their cries drowned mine. This 
noife was increafed hj the rattling of the other 
two carriages, which had alfo been hurried 
towards the river"; but the drivers, more atten- 
tive to their cattle, had been able to moderate 
the violence of the impulfe. 
At length, however, we met; and nothing 
could equal the joy of my companions when 
I afTured them that I had fuftained no hurt. 
This was not the cafe w^ith my carriages. Mj 
own, in particular, had fcattered as it flew the 
greater part of the utenfils it contained ; and 
what was ftiil more remarkable, of the lemons 
which had been given me, not a fmgle one re- 
mained* I was obliged to wait till day-light 
before I could colled: again the different articles, 
and repair ad the damage occafioned by this 
precipitate defcent. On the other fide of the 
river, which it was neceffary we fhould crofs 
in order to continue our journey, there was a 
kind of plantation belonging to a proprietor 
named Dirck Coche. I had need of accurate 
inftruilions and information refpedting the 
route, which Gcche was able to gite me. It 
■ ■ was 
