^34 
TRAVELS IN 
CHAP. IV. 
Sketches on a journey into the Country of the Bosjefmans, 
X HREE weeks had fcarcely elapfed, after our return from 
the Kaffer country, till we were ready for another expedition 
to the northward, acrofs the Sneuwberg or Snowy Mountains. 
In thefe mountains, and in the country immediately behind 
them, dwells a race of men, that, by their habits and manner 
of life, are juftly entitled to the name of favage ; — a name, 
however, of which, it is greatly to be feared, they have been 
rendered more worthy by the conducfl of the European fettlers. 
They are known in the colony by the name of Bosjefmans, or 
men of the bufhes, from the concealed manner in which they 
make their approaches to kill and to plunder. They neither 
cultivate the ground nor breed cattle, but fubfift, in part, on 
the natural produce of their country, and make up the reft by 
depredations on the colonifts on one fide, and the neighbouring 
tribes of people that are more civilized than themfelves, on the 
other. Twenty years ago, it feems, they were lefs numerous 
and lefs ferocious than at the prefent day ; and their boldnefs 
and numbers are faid of late to have very much increafed. At 
one time they v/ere pretty well kept under by regular expedi- 
tions of the peafantry againft them. Each divifion had its 
commandant, who was authorifed to raife a certain number of 
men, 
