70 PACOUR. 
slaves every year. This village of Pacour is one of the most 
beautiful that I have met with. Surrounded by quick hedges 
pruned with care, shaded by a small wood of mimosas 
arranged in the form of diamonds, it resembled a park enlivened 
with cottages. When I appeared, the slaves thronged round 
me, eager to be the first to render me any service in their 
power. Although their master was absent these kind Negroes 
after a little consideration resolved to lodge and feed me, 
expressing the regret their master would feel at having missed 
the opportunity of seeing a white man, and receiving him in 
a manner worthy of his rank. These certainly were not the 
sentiments of barbarous slaves. But if the conduct of these 
Negroes tow^ards me proved the goodness of their own hearts, 
it reflected not less honour on their master. He must doubt- 
less treat them with kindness, since the condition to which 
they were reduced had not stifled the excellent disposition 
with which nature had endowed them. 
February 14th. A few glass beads satisfied my generous 
hosts, and I pursued my route to the north-east one quarter 
north, across a well-wooded country. The forests were in 
general full of gum trees. Every instant we saw herds of 
antelopes, which fled with incredible swiftness, and the paths 
were strewed with ostrich feathers, which indicated the pas- 
sage of those birds. These woods appeared so agreeable that 
I halted to take our frugal repast in their shade ; and I availed 
myself of this repose to put my journal in order. Whilst I 
