SOUTHERN AFRICA. 427 
coast of the continent, where, on the confines of the colony, 
he was recognized by a Dutch boor and taken prisoner; to 
whom, indeed, he pretended to surrender himself, as being 
desirous to give himself up at the Cape. The boor allowed 
him to sleep in his own waggon, whose kindness he one night 
I repaid by cutting the throat of his host with a razor, and 
stole away to the lower part of the Orange river, where he 
joined the noted marauder Africaaner. 
. Thus in all probability, had not the zeal and the exertions 
of the missionaries defeated his purpose, would this impious 
wretch have succeeded in establishing a new and motley re- 
ligion, partly Hebrew and partly Greek, at the head of 
which, as the pater Deorum, the name of Stephanos might 
in after' ages have been rendered eminent among the ignorant 
Hottentots : and to what learned speculations on the origin 
of this society might not the future discovery of so hetero- 
geneous a mixture of religions have given rise ? Such is the 
danger of being led astray, to which the unthinking multitude 
of all nations is exposed, if once they forsake the customs 
and opinions of their forefathers, and commit tliemselves to 
the impostures of artful and designing men. 
At Kok's kraal the complaints and the execrations were so' 
general against the tAvo robbers, that the commissioners were* 
induced to afford this society whatever assistance they were 
able to give in conducting an expedition against such no- 
torious offenders, with a view, if possible, to get hold of them 
either dead or alive. Mr. Somerville and Mr, Daniell ac- 
3 I 2 
