Part 11 (1/2)

”Indeed she does,” replied Mr Swinton; ”but ill tax you no longer, ht”

CHAPTER XII

On the following day, a little before noon, loud shouts andof the Caffres announced his approach These men were a sort of heralds, who invariably preceded him on a visit of cereuays and shi+elds, next made their appearance, and then Hinza, accompanied by fifty of his chief councilors: with the exception of their long krosses of beast-skins thrown over their shoulders, they were all naked, and each daubed with grease and red ocher As soon as they arrived in front of the Mission-house, they sat down in a circle on each side of the Caffre king, as treated with marked respect by all, and by the common people in particular, who asseave as ter, who did not appear to consider that it required any acknowledgment on his part

Our travelers, accompanied by the missionary, advanced into the circle, and saluted his majesty Mr S then explained the object of their journey, and their wish that a s's warriors should accompany them on their expedition As soon as the speech was ended, a few pounds of colored beads, a roll of tobacco, two pounds of snuff, and some yards of scarlet cloth, were laid before his majesty as a present

Hinza nodded his head with approval when the articles were spread before him, and then turned to his councilors, hoe white h his country without fear, that his warriors should accoo; but,” he added, ”do the strangers know that there is disorder in the country beyond?”

Mr S replied that they did, and were anxious to go, and return as soon as possible, on that account

Hinza replied, ”It is well; if there is danger, my warriors will let theht for the, the white men must return”

Hinza then ordered soe of the presents, and inquired of Mr S how o

The reply was, that fifty warriors would be sufficient, and that they wished to depart on the following”It is well,” replied Hinza; ”fifty warriors are enough, for reat deal--they shall be ready”

The council then broke up, and the king, having shaken hands with our travelers, departed with his train: toward the evening an old coas sent to them as a present from his majesty The Hottentots soon cut it up and devoured it Every thing was now arranged for their i, at break of day, the band of Caffre warriors were all in readiness, each with his shi+eld and three assaguays in his hand They were all fine, tall young e

Alexander desired Mr S to tell them that, if they behaved well and were faithful, they should every one receive a present when they were diseneral satisfaction

The oxen had already been yoked, and taking leave of the worthy missionary, our travelers mounted their horses and resu the banks of the Kae River, which ran its course through alternate glens and hills clothed with fine ti down upon the river, the head Caffre warrior, who had, with the others, hung up his shi+eld at the side of the wagon, and noalked by our travelers with his assaguay in his hand, pointed out to thee black masses on the further bank of the river

”What are they, and what does he say?”

”Sea-cows,” replied the interpreter

”_Hippopotami_! We must have a shot at them, Wilmot,” cried the Major

”To be sure; tell them ill stop and kill one if we can,” said Wilmot to the interpreter

”We shall want one to feed our ar, ”or our sheep will soon be devoured”

The Caffres were all i down to the bank of the river, about a quarter of atill our travelers should give the word

The animals lay on a muddy bank, at a turn of the river, like so many swine asleep, some of them out, and some partly in and partly out of the water As they were huddled together, they lookedelse Two lay considerably apart from the others, and it was toward these two that the Caffres, who had crossed the river, crept until they were in the high reeds, but a few yards from them Henderson and Wilmot, with some of the Hottentots, descended the ravine on their side of the river, opposite to where the ani then within one hundred yards of them, they leveled and fired At the report, all the animals started up from their beds as if astonished at the noise, which they had not been accustoed into the deep water, but the others, apparently half asleep, stood for a few seconds, as if not knohat course to take: two of them were evidently wounded, as they rushed into the water; for they did not rereat agony They appeared anxious to get out of the water altogether, and tried so to do, but fearing the people on the river's bank, they darted in again In the uns, the thich lay apart from the others with their heads toward the river, as soon as they rose on their legs, were pierced with several assaguays by the concealed Caffres, and plunged into the water with the spears re in their bodies These also rose, and floundered like the others; and as their heads appeared above, they wererifle of the Major and whole volleys from Wilmot and the Hottentots, till, exhausted from loss of blood, they floated dead upon the surface

The Caffres waited till the bodies had been borne soht not be attacked when in the water by the remainder of the herd, and then swam off, and pushed the bodies on shore This was a very seasonable supply of provisions for so large a band of people; but those who belonged to the caravan were not the only parties who benefited: all the Caffres of the surrounding hae quantities of the flesh of the anih for all, and for the wolves and hyenas after they had taken what they chose It was so late before the ani where they were that night; for now that they had the Caffre warriors with the stated that his hted, and the Caffres and Hottentots, allthe flesh of the hippopota it as fast as it was cooked, so that they were coed before they lay down to sleep; Wiliven them a ration of tobacco each, which had added considerably to the delight of the feast

”It is not bad eating by any means,” said the Major, as they were at supper

”No; it is so like old veal,” replied Swinton ”Nohat is Omrah about? He is after so”