AFRICA. 
the end of the tube, as if to touch what he 
faw. Failing in this attempt, he quitted the 
inftrument, and was equally furprifed not to 
fee them where he fuppofed them to be. He 
then afked his companions whether they were 
returned to their former place. In vain did 
they anfwer, that they had feen nothing of 
them : he would not believe them ; he pointed 
with his finger to the place where he had fup- 
pofed the objeds to be fitiiated : There, there 
" they v/ere," faid he. The more they per- 
fifted in endeavouring to convince him of his 
miftake, the more he was offended at them, and 
the fcene had nearly terminated in a quarrel. 
Among the human beings on whom n:ature 
has Goaferred a larger or fmaller portion of 
imderftanding, the Hottentot nation, taking 
together its different tribes, is, of all others, 
the leaft endowed with it. With this flight 
portion of intelligence did the Iviimiqua rea- 
fon, and perfifl in afcribing to my glafs the 
power of attracting to it every objeil, not- 
withflanding all my endeavours to render my 
experience fenfible to bis mind, of which he 
€ould comprehend nothing. 
Jiis explanation, his enthufiafm, his very 
anger. 
