132 TRAVELS IN 
pafs by a party of KafFers and Holtentots, and, as ufiial, osi 
perceiving the enemy, mounted their horfes and galloped away 
as faft as they could, leaving their wives and children and wag- 
gons in the poflfeffion of the robbers. 
No outrage nor injury were offered to the prifoners, but, on 
the contrary, as on all fimilar occafions, they were treated with 
refpe£t. They even dirpatched a Hottentot after the fugitive 
boors to fay, that if they chofe to ranfom their wives and chiL- 
dren for a fmall quantity of powder and lead, and a dozen head 
of cattle, they fliould inftantly be delivered up. It is natural 
to fuppofe that, under fuch circumftances, the ties of kindred 
affection would have fuperfeded all confiderations of prudence,, 
and have ftifled refentment j and that a propofal, which held 
out fuch eafy terms for the recovery of their wives and chil- 
dren, would have been feized with avidity. This, however, 
was not the cafe. An African boor has no fuch feelings ; his 
paflions, uncontrolled by the powers of reafon or refledlion, 
are always predominant. One of the party, recognifing the 
Hottentot, thus fent to them, to have once been in his fervice, 
and recolleding he was now ftanding before him in the fhape 
of an enemy, and defencelefs, fired at once with rage and re- 
venge, fnatched up his mufquet in his hand, and (hot him dead 
upon the fpot. Intelligence of this atFocious aft was fpeedily 
conveyed, by the companion of the deceafed, to the Kaffers 
and Hottentots ; and it was reported; and believed, that they had 
in confequence put all the women and children to death. And 
under this impreffion, as I have before obferved, the hufbands 
and fathers of thefe women and children broke open Mr. Cal- 
3 lander's 
