TRAVELS IN 
It now became neceflary to make fome arrangement for our 
projeded journey into the country of the KafFers. Several 
teams of oxen for the waggons and relays had indeed already 
met us according to appointment with the farmers, who had 
alfo affembled to the number of thirty or forty perfons, all 
expedting to accompany us on the intended expedition. When 
it had been made known to the two members of the council 
that it would in all probability be neceflary for us to proceed 
into the country of the Kaffers, as far as the refidence of the 
king, they immediately propofed, as a neceifary precaution for 
fecurity, to take along with us a party of twenty armed men. 
It was in vain to convince them that tv^renty armed men in the 
heart of a country that could bring as many thoufands into the 
field, were no better defence than four ; that by multiplying 
our numbers we fhould multiply the danger of giving offence ; 
that the KafFers were not to be confidered in the fame light as 
the Bosjefmans beyond the Sneuwberg, in expeditions againft 
whom they had been accuftomed to join ; but, on the contrary, 
as a mild, rational, and in fome degree civilized people, who 
had always afforded protection to fuch travellers in their coun- 
try as had made proper applications to their fovereign for it. 
The flory of fome Dutch farmer being murdered in Kaffer- 
land, where he had gone for the fake of exchanging trinkets 
for cattle, had got hold of their minds, and it was no eafy mat- 
ter to make them conceive the difference between going offi- 
cially, in the fervice of government, to the Kaffer king, and 
that of clandeftinely entering a country with the view of carry- 
ing on an illicit traffic with the fubjeds of that country. From 
the time they had known our intentions they had daily teazed 
the 
