SEPT.] CONTINENT OF AFRICA. 409 
Mr. Read and Cupido led the worship. We did every 
thing in our power for the poor wounded man, who 
bad a wife and three small children at Bethelsdorp, 
ignorant of his situation. 
Some of our people were of opinion, that the Bush- 
men had been watching our motions the whole way 
down the river, and had chosen to make their attack 
at that place, as farthest from assistance. Others, that 
the Bushmen who had attacked us were in connexion 
with Africaner, a plundering chief, who is the terror of 
that part of Africa, and that this only preceded the 
grand attack. Others were certain, that all our cattle 
would be killed, as it was the custom of Bushmen 
when they took many cattle at a time, knowing the 
difficulty of driving away many, to select a few of the 
best, and to shoot the rest with their poisoned arrows. 
All remained awake but myself; but being without 
means of either offence or defence, and every thing 
being in as good order as we could put them, I went 
aside to take a little rest. I had hardly lain down 
when one came and advised me not to sleep. An hour 
after, I was informed that our men were in combat 
with the Bushmen, which I did not believe, having 
been awake half an hour and heard nothing. At three 
o'clock in the morning, however, I heard two shots 
fired, and then a third. On this I left the waggon, 
when one of the Hottentots (Boosak) pointed out a 
great cloud of dust, which the moonlight rendered vi- 
sible, and was occasioned by the moving of our cattle. 
3 G 
