348 
SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
Our traveller proceeded through the Karroo 
wilderness and across the Sneuwberg, by the same 
route that had been taken by Messrs Trutter and 
Sommerville. Here he found a missionary esta- 
blishment, which did not seem in a very prosperous 
state. Kicherer, who was at its head, instead of 
seeking to reclaim the natives from their savage 
habits, had married a Hottentot wife, and become 
every way conformed to the persons with whom he 
had thus allied himself. After proceeding through 
the Bosje sman, which he calls the Bushman's coun- 
try, and then through that of the Coranas, he arriv- 
ed at Leetakoo. The king happened to be absent, 
and the party were surprised, in passing through 
the place, by an uncommon stillness, and by no in- 
habitants appearing. On arriving, however, at the 
great square before the king's house, they found 
two or three hundred men armed, and arranged in 
regular order ; and the place was soon filled with 
men, women, and children, to the number of about 
a thousand. At first, however, evident marks of 
shyness and suspicion appeared, which were found 
to arise from the dread that they were coming to 
take vengeance for the death of Dr Cowan and his 
party. When they were found to have no such 
object in #ew, the natives immediately thronged 
around them with the most eager wish, both to 
gratify their curiosity and to obtain presents. The 
party were thus obliged, by drawing their waggons 
