SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
271 
«' . above the reft, 
*« In fliape and gefture proudly eminent, 
" Stood like a tower." 
About two o'clock in the morning we joined the fcouting 
party at the bafe of this mountain. They and their horfes 
had been expofed the whole of the preceding day to the fcorch- 
ing rays of the fun, not having dared to move from the fpot 
left they fhould be difcovered and cut off by the Bosjefmans; 
and they had but juft returned from giving their horfes a little 
water, near fifteen miles oft", in the Sea-Cow river. They gave 
information, that during the day vaft numbers of the favages 
had appeared upon the plain digging up roots : that they came 
from different quarters, and in fo many groupes that they con- 
cluded there muft be feveral hordes in the neighbourhood of 
this fpot : that the neareft, which it was the intention to fur- 
prife, was within two or three miles. 
Having halted here a couple of hours, in order to arrive at 
the mouth of the defile, in which the kraal was fituated, juft 
at the firft dawn of day, the march was continued in folemn 
filence. As we entered the defile it was perceived that at the 
oppofite extremity a hill ftretched acrofs, admitting a pafs on 
either fide ; the party therefore divided into three companies 
in order to polTefs all the pafles j and they again clofed toge- 
ther flowly towards the hill, at the foot of which the horde 
was fuppofed to lie. A Hottentot, having afcended one of the 
heights, waved his hat as a fignal of difcovery, and then 
pointed to the fpot where the horde was fituated. We 
inftantly 
