Part 18 (1/2)

said Alexander; ”for we h the Tambookie tribe if we cross the mountains, and if there is war between them we may meet with difficulty”

”We shall hear as soon as we have crossed the Bashee river,” replied Swinton; ”and then we ly All that can be settled now is, that to-morroe start on our return, and that ill cross the mountains, if we possibly can”

”Yes, that is decided,” replied Alexander

”Well, then, as soon as you have finished your elephant-steak, Wilet out a bottle of wine, drink the first half of it to congratulate you upon the success of your mission, and the other half shall be poured out in bumpers to a happy return”

CHAPTER XVII

THE RETURN

The delight of the Hottentots at the announcement of the return of the expedition was not to be concealed; and now that they knew that they were retreating froer, as they were further removed they became proportionately brave We must not include all the Hottentots in this observation, as Bremen, Swanevelt, and one or two more, were really brave men; but we do refer to the principal portion of the Adam at their head, who now flourished and vapored about, as if he could by himself kill and eat the whole army of the dreaded Quetoo

As it was the intention of our travelers to pass over the Mambookei chain of mountains, into the Bushman and Koranna territory, they did not return the sah the territory of the Ta upon the territory of the Aoverned by Hinza, who had lent them his warriors

Voosani, the chief of the Tambookies, was very friendly, and had offered no opposition to their passage through a portion of his domains on their advance They now lost no tih during the day they saw a great quantity of ga of the lions

In a week they found themselves on the banks of the White Kae River, and not far from the foot of the mountains which they intended to pass Here they halted, with the intention of ree the packing of their wagons, repair as necessary, and provide themselves with more oxen and sheep for their journey in the sterile territory of the Bush their route, the rumors relative to the army of Quetoo were incessant He had attacked andexpedition in the interior, and taken possession of and plundered their wagons Flushed with success over white people armed with muskets, Quetoo had now resolved to turn his army to the southward, and attack the tribes of the Aoverned by Fakoo, and the missionary station of Morley, lately established near the coast, between the St John and the Ues upon all the lesser tribes tributary to Fakoo, and having put thehter, driven away their cattle, and burned their kraals, his army advanced to the missionary station, which the missionaries were compelled to desert, and fall back upon the St John River

One of theto the tribe near Morley came to the caravan where our travelers had halted, and, on being questioned as to the loss they had experienced, cried out, ”Ask not how many are killed, but how many are saved: our wives, where are they? and our children, do you see any of them?”

But Fakoo, the chief of the Amapondas, had roused hi battle to the enemy He found the Amaquibi encamped in a forest, and he surrounded the and retreating, to lead them into a position from which there was no escape but by the pass by which they had entered, and which he completely blocked up with his own forces

The Amaquibi could not retreat, and a furious conflict took place, which ended in the destruction of the whole of Quetoo's army Quetoo himself was not present, as he still remained confined with the wound he had received in the prior engagement, in which he had been victorious A portion of Fakoo's arainst him, and he fled with the loss of all the cattle and treasures he had collected; and thus was the invading force at last totally dispersed and not heard of any more

This neas very satisfactory to our travelers, as they did not knohether they would have had tiements, if Quetoo's ar to the Hottentots, ere now even braver than before, all la that they had not remained on the banks of the Uht have assisted at the destruction of the invaders

It was toward the end of August before our travelers had made their preparations and were ready for a start They had decided to try the pass through the Mambookei chain of en, and as they expected to meet with some difficulties, it was decided that the Caffre warriors should not be dismissed till they had arrived at the Bushman territory; they proposed then to turn to the NW, so as to fall in with that portion of the Orange River which was known by the na the Black or Cradock River, which is also another branch of the Orange River

This arrangeet into the country ame, and better furnished ater than any other portion of the sterile deserts which they had to pass through

Having, as usual, kept holy the Lord's day, on the Monday h spirits, and with their cattle in excellent order The passage through the ravine was very difficult; they had to fill up holes, roll away stones, and very often put double teaons

They ht cold, after the heat to which they had been subjected The second day was also one of toil and danger, but on the third they found that they had commenced the descent, and the whole Bushman country was spread before them But the descent was even reat exertion that they saved their wagons fro they had crossed the mountains, and were now at the foot of them on the western side It ith difficulty that they collected wood enough totold them that they were now in the domain of the lion and his satellites

At break of day they all rose, that they ht view the country which they were about to traverse It was one wild desert of sand and stones, interspersed with small shrubs, and here and there a patch of bushes; apparently one vast, dry, arid plain, with a haze over it, arising from the heat Our travelers, however, did not at first notice this change; their eyes were fixed upon the groups of quaggas and various antelopes which were strewed over the whole face of the country; and, as soon as they had taken their breakfast, they mounted their horses in pursuit It had been their intention to have dis, but the chief of the band pointed out that it would be as well that they should kill soame, to provide them with food for their journey back; and our travelers approved of the suggestion, as it would save their sheep

Alexander and the Major set off with Bremen, Swanevelt, and Omrah on horseback, while the Caffres on foot kept well up with them The other Hottentots were ordered to remain with Swinton at the encaons in crossing the mountains