September.] PRICE OF SLAVES. 
325 
wounded it. This animal had been first stuck, or 
gored by one of its own species, which led to its 
death ; therefore we considered it fair that the 
flesh should be equally divided among the three 
persons who had been present at its death. This 
decision was satisfactory to the parties con- 
cerned. 
On the 13th, observing the Hottentots carefully 
carrying two dead snakes to a distance from the 
road, I found, upon inquiry, that they had attri- 
buted the death of several of their countrymen to 
the circumstance of having trodden on the bones 
of snakes ; I also understood that many of the 
boors were of the same opinion. 
We met several persons in the evening return- 
ing from the sale of a neighbouring farmer's ef- 
fects, who reported that eight slaves had been 
sold for 16,000 rix dollars, about 1,600 pounds 
sterling. A woman with her sucking child was 
sold for 5,000 rix dollars, the prospect of her 
having more children increasing her value. A 
female sucking child fetched 1,300 rix dollars, 
and a boy sold for 3,000. 
On the morning of the 15th we descended 
from the elevated lands of Sneuwberg by a long, 
steep and rocky path, when we were pleased 
