498 
A HOTTENTOT FROM THE COLONY. 
28 Dec. 
some evil design against him ; but six Caffres happening most pro- 
videntially to come up just at that instant, frustrated their intentions, 
and occasioned them to make off with all haste. On representing 
his situation to the CafFres, they kindly took him under their pro- 
tection, turned back, and honorably conducted him safe to the 
Gariep, where, having pointed out a fordable place, and given him 
proper directions for passing it, they left him to find his way to the 
Kloof settlement, where he arrived without accident, and remained a 
day or two to rest. 
In this hazardous attempt, there were so many chances against 
his traversing that part of the country in safety, that we should have 
doubted the truth of his story, had we not known that it was still 
more improbable that he could have come from any other place than 
the Roggeveld. The rate at which he travelled would seem incre- 
dible ; nor could it have been supposed possible in that hot weather, 
to have walked two hundred and sixty five miles in seven following 
days, or at the average of thirty eight miles each day, had I not already 
known several proofs of the extraordinary travelling powers which the 
Hottentots and Bushmen possess. It was the opinion of every one, 
that he had met with unusual good fortune, in having escaped being 
murdered by the way : but his not having about him either a gun, 
or any thing worth taking, nor even a kaross, was a circumstance to 
which, doubtlessly, his safety was principally to be attributed. 
Not equally fortunate was a desei^ter from the Cape garrison. 
This man having made his escape from the colony, had taken refuge 
at Klaarwater ; where an offer of pardon was made to him about a 
year before my visit to this place, by the missionary on the part of 
the governor, on the condition that he undertook to go in search of 
Dr. Cowan and his party, and brought back some intelligence re- 
specting their fate. He, however, went no farther than the country 
of the Briquas, or Bachapins, being afraid to venture amongst the na- 
tions who live beyond them. At that town he obtained an account of 
their having all been murdered by the second nation beyond Litaa- 
koon : a story fabricated by the natives, without any foundation ; and 
