( 97 ) 
ed quietly in iny retreat until the animal 
•^difappeared, and then returned to myhoufc,'* 
This anecdote I thought worthy of being 
publifhed ; but i now return to my narrative. 
We flept this night on facks, which our 
■hoft had arranged for our accommodation. 
During the time we were at breakfafl on 
•the fucceeding morning, our benefactor en- 
tertained us with fome very interefting ob- 
ibrvations reipcclinsc the countrv where he 
Telided. He particularly ftatcd the hard- 
fiiips, w^liich the colonifts endured from the 
rcftrictive orders and perfecuting conduct of 
the govern^Tient at the Cape* " 1 have lead 
orcy faid he^ on miy own farm., fo near the 
furface that we can fcrape it up with our 
iiands, and yet we dare not touch it — If we 
were known to melt and ufe a fingie pound 
X)i it, w^e fhould be all iranfpGrtedj for life^ to 
-Baiavia.^' It Vv'as from this honeil man I 
obtained the above information, and which 
I have before mentioned in my introduftion 
to this narrative. He made no fcruple iu 
declaring t^ it if any liberal and trading na- 
tion would form a fcttlement on the eajlcrn 
or %vejiern coaft, he would in conjunction 
with his neighbours, provide theto with 
provifion to the extent of his ability, and 
trade wdth tliern^ regardlels of any order to 
the contrary he might receive from the 
Cape — Indeed fuch are the fentiments of all 
the central and advanced colonifts through- 
out the fouthern parts of Africa. 
