LOSS OF THE HERCULES. 61 
and in a few moments cast me senseless on the sand. My 
people who were on shore observed my situation; they ran 
d6wn, and snatching me from the danger of the coming waves, 
bore me to a place of security. I was insensible at this time, 
but soon revived, as they placed me near a fire and used eve- 
ry means in their power for my recovery. The first subject 
of inquiry when my faculties returned was, of course, the fate 
of my unfortunate crew ; and I enjoyed the heartfelt pleasure 
of beholding them all around me, except them in the long- 
boat, and one man, who perished near the shore. I then ad- 
dressed myself to the natives ; but on this occasion I labored 
under the difficulty of not being understood. I knew nothing 
of their language, and for some time I endeavored to explain 
myself by signs. Fortunately there was a Hottentot present, 
who had lived with the Dutch farmers, and could speak their 
language. My third mate was a Dutchman, and these serv- 
ed as interpreters. 
" This difficulty being happily removed, I endeavored by 
every means in my power to secure the friendship of the na- 
tives. I thanked them in the name of my whole crew, and 
on the part of my nation, for the liberal and humane assist- 
ance they had afforded us in the hour of our misfortune, and 
solicited their future kindness and support. 
" This being, as I conceived, at no great distance from the 
spot where the Grosvenor was lost in 1782, I inquired of the 
natives whether any of them remembered such a catastrophe. 
Most of them answered in the affirmative, and ascending one 
of the sand-hills, pointed to the place where the Grosvenor 
suffered. 
" I then desired to know of them whether they had receiv- 
ed any certain accounts respecting the fate of Captain Cox- 
son, who commanded the Grosvenor, and who was proceed- 
ing on his way to the Cape, with several men and women 
passengers, who were saved from the Avreck. They answer- 
ed that Captain Coxson and his men were slain. One of the 
chiefs having insisted on taking two of the white ladies to his 
kraal, the captain and people re.'^isted, and not being armed, 
were immediately destroyed. The natives at the same time 
gave me to understand, that at the period v/hen the Grosvenor 
was wrecked, their nation was at war with the colonists ; and 
as the captain and his crew were whites, they could not telL 
provided they had reached the Christian farms, but they would 
assisrt the colonies in the war. This affected my situation so 
directly, that I desired to know on what terms the Caffres and 
6 
