SOUTHERN AFRICA. 273 
to come down from the heights, this Bosjefman had flolen 
clofe to him behind a rock, and was taking deliberate aim with 
his drawn bow, which another of the colonifts perceiving, 
levelled his mufquet and fhot him dead. It had been hoped 
the affair would happily have been accomplifhed without the 
fhedding of human blood, and that the view^s of the expedition 
would have met with no interruption from an accident of fuch 
a nature. They foon perceived, however, that there was no 
attempt to purfue them up the heights, which could eafily have 
been done ; but that on the contrary the party had laid down 
their arms and turned their horfes out to graze. Upon this, 
in a fliort fpace of time, feveral little children came down upon 
the plain. Among thefe we diftributed fome bifcuits and other 
trifles, and then fuffered them to return : prefently afterwards 
the women and young girls, to the number of thirty or forty, 
came towards us, not without fymptoms of fear. Thefe being 
treated in the fame uiauuer, were fent back to defire their huf^ 
bands would alfo come down in order to receive a prefent of 
tobacco. The men, however, had lefs confidence in the 
Chriftians than the women. They hovered a long time round 
the fummit of the hill, doubting what ftep they fhould take ; 
and the women had gone and returned, at leafl: a dozen times, 
before they were able to prevail upon one man to defcend ; 
and when at laft he ventured to come down, he approached us 
half-laughing, half-crying, trembled and aded juft like a 
frightened child. A large piece of tobacco was immediately 
given to him, and he was fent back to his companions to let 
them know there was alfo a prefent for each of them. Three 
others muftered refolution to come down to us, but no more 
N N chofe 
