286 
TRAVELS IN 
the farmers, indicates a very altered difpofition from that of 
their nation at large. Should they feize a Hottentot guarding 
his mafter's caftle, not contented with putting him to imme- 
diate death, they torture him by every means of cruelty that 
their invention can frame, as drawing out his bowels, tearing 
off his nails, fcalping, and other ads equally favage. Even 
the poor animals they fteal are treated in a moft barbarous and 
unfeeling manner : driven up the fleep fides of mountains, 
they remain there without any kind of food or water till they 
are either killed for ufe, or drop for want of the means of fup- 
porting nature. 
The condition to which this people has been reduced has 
entirely fubdued that timid and pufillanimous mind which cha- 
racterizes the Hottentot. When a horde is furrounded by the 
farmers, and little chance is perceived by them of eflfedting an 
efcape, they will fight it out moft furioufly fo long as a man 
fhall be left alive. It frequently happens on fuch occafions 
that a party will volunteer the forlorn hope^ by throwing them- 
felves in the midfl of the colonifts In order to create confufion, 
and to give to their countrymen, concealed among the rocks or 
in the long grafs, at the expence of their own lives, an oppor- 
tunity of exercifmg more effedually their mortal weapons upon 
their enemies, and at the fame time to facilitate the efcape of 
their wives and children. 
Their plundering expeditions are conducted not without 
fyftem. If, in carrying off their booty, they fhould chance to 
be purfued, they always divide ; one party to drive away the 
cattle. 
