i8o 
TRAVELS IN 
*' As in Jove's war, by rebel giants pil'd, 
Enormous Pelion tower'd on Ofla wild, 
" Behadur thus, the Pelion of our wood, 
" On fleek Peauree, broad as Offa, flood," t^c. 
The gigantic elephant is a harmlefs animal in comparifon to 
the lion, the leopard, wolves, and hyaenas, and other beafts of 
prey with which this wild part of the country abounds ; and 
thefe even are much lefs to be feared than a neft of the moft 
atrocious villains that ever difgraced and difturbed fociety, 
v/hich thefe thickets conceal. The gang confifts of feven or 
eight Dutch peafants, and a body of armed Hottentots which 
they retain in their fervice. They have no fixed habitation, 
but rove about from place to place in the woods. They live 
by the plunder taken from the neighbouring peafantry, and 
from unfortunate fufferers by fhipwreck, which frequently hap- 
pens on this wild coaft. They are all outlaws ; and rewards 
have been offered by government for them dead or alive ; but 
the peafantry are fo much afraid of them that none dare ap- 
proach the place. This gang is known to be intimately con- 
nected with the emigrant Kaffers, who have been inftigated by 
them to continue in the colony. 
On the morning of the third of September, as we were pre- 
paring to proceed, we had a vifit from the four chiefs, Tatchoo, 
Comma^ Taloofa^ and Hamboona^ having each with him a detach- 
ment of his vaiTals. They at once confeffed their fears of re- 
turning into their own country, left the king fliould make war 
upon them j and preffed us to intercede with him for them. 
The 
