be about fifty years of age, who had grey hair and a bristly beard, whose face was covered with black grease, except a semicircle below the eyes, where the tears occasioned by smoking had washed the skin; this man had the true physiognomy of the small Cafferland ape. What added to the resemblance was, the vivacity of his eyes, and the flexibility of his eyebrows, which moved up and down with every change of countenance. Even his nostrils, the corners of his mouth, and his ears, moved involuntarily on his sudden transitions from eager desire to watchful distrust. When a piece of meat was offered him, he snatched it hastily, and stuck it into the fire, peeping round with his little keen eyes, as if he were afraid it should be taken from him. He soon took it from the embers, and tore out large morsels with his teeth. When he came to the sinews, he had recourse to a knife that was hanging round his neck, and holding a piece of meat between his teeth, he cut it off close to the mouth; a feat of dexterity that a person with an European countenance could hardly have performed. Of the bone, when divested of its marrow, he made a tobacco pipe, the smoke of which he inhaled with great satisfaction, and then gave it to his companion. They both seemed much amused at my viewing them with such attention.

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CHAPTER XII.

ORANGE RIVER TO LATTAKOO. ACCOUNT OF THE BOTCHUANAS.

THE next day we quitted the Orange river, and arrived at Griqua town, which is a long day's journey to the northward.

The Griquas are chiefly of the mixed race called Bastards; but since they have assembled as a Christian community, finding that the majority of them were descended from a person of the name of Griqua, they have assumed that name, and given it to the district they inhabit. The number of people in the town, and the out-posts connected with it, amounted to 1266; and the number of the original inhabitants of the country, the Korana Hottentots. under their protection, and occasionally attending for instruction, was 1341.

I paid a visit to Anderson the founder of this Christian establishment. His habitation was a hut, but larger than the usual size, and perfectly neat and clean. In the centre was a table, and round about were some chests and coffers that served for seats; some English prints were hanging from the roof. The bed was shut up by a curtain drawn across the room. The features of the missionary were fine, and his eye beamed with a spirit of piety and resignation, that gave him the aspect of a saint.

Anderson said that his great object was to keep te institution fixed, and for this purpose he was

endeavouring to excite a taste for agriculture. Shares of from five to six acres of fertile land were allotted to those who had industry enough to cultivate them. One Griqua had a neat house built with wood and bricks; many had gardens; but tobacco held a distinguished place in them all. But many of the Hottentots found it more convenient to acknowledge their sins, and express their hopes of mercy, than to labour for their subsistAnderson, himself, said that the most lazy and worthless among them were those who talked the most about religion.

ence.

The behaviour of the Griquas was modest and respectful, their linen was white and clean, and several of them were dressed like the common people in England.

It was my intention to proceed to the people till lately known to the colonists by the name of Briquas, but who, since they have been visited by my countrymen, are comprehended under the general name of Botchuanas. The missionaries had already penetrated into their country, and, with great difficulty, I prevailed upon one of them, John Matthias Kok, who had lived four years in it, to become my guide.

On the 15th of June I quitted Griqua town. A little before sun-set we saw four lions to the right of our path. On approaching them they turned and looked towards us; but as they seemed willing to let us pass unmolested, we did not molest them. In the evening we halted at Ongeluk's fountain, one of the out-posts of the Griquas.

On the second day we travelled along a valley bounded by two ranges of hills about ten or twelve miles distant from each other. The soil was red

earth, now covered with tall withered grass, the prickly seeds of which worked their way through our clothes to our skin, and occasioned much pain. We passed the night by the side of some tall thorny trees; but the place afforded no water. On the third day at sun-rise the thermometer was at 34°, and at noon 70°. After travelling three hours, we reached John Bloom's fountain, so called from a colonist who had lived there, and whose memory was execrated both by Christian and Heathen. Here my missionary expected to meet, on their return from the Botchuanas, two Hottentots, who had long followed him; but, to our great sorrow, we found only their wives and children, who were lamenting the death of their husbands and fathers. On enquiry, it appeared, that on the third day of their journey, they had been joined by a party of Bosjesmans, who begged the offals of the game they had killed. For some time these intruders behaved peaceably; but a herd of sixty oxen was a temptation they could not withstand; they watched an opportunity, stabbed one of the owners with a hassagay, shot the other with poisoned arrows, and with shouts drove away the herd. I gave the mourners some provisions, and sent them, under a guard, to the out-post we had quitted.

We passed the night with some uneasiness on account of the Bosjesmans; for, soon after sunset, a dog, which we knew to be a Bosjesman's dog, was discovered in our camp. When any person approached him, he ran away, but, attracted by the scent of our cookery, he soon returned, and if a piece were thrown to him, he swallowed it with incredible voracity. These dogs have a

striking resemblance to the black-backed fox of the country, or, as he is commonly called, the jackal, and are probably descended from him. They never bark; but whether this be natural, or they be trained to silence is not known. At the return of day it was discovered that five or six Bosjesmans had been lurking in the vicinity of our camp, and that, in some places, they had been lying flat on the grass within a few paces of the waggons.

John Bloom's fountain is in latitude 26° 27′ south.

In the morning we arrived at the foot of a conical hill called Blinklip, or glittering rock. The base consists of an iron clay, sometimes of a rose colour, at others of a brownish yellow, mingled abundantly with crystals of mica. This substance makes a shining powder for the hair of the Botchuanas, and for this purpose great quantities of it are taken by them from this spot. On the eastern side of Blinklip is a cavern, which we entered with lighted torches. We proceeded to a spacious, lofty, arched room, sparkling with chrystals, and from this issued six or eight other caverns. In exploring one of these we found the fresh dung of a lion, and we did not think proper to intrude further into his apartment.

Travelling from hence along a plain, one of my Hottentots directed my attention to two tall swannecked camelopardalises that stood almost directly before us. My transport was indescribable; the gigantic creatures did not perceive us, and I had time to examine them. One was smaller, and of a paler colour than the other, and was pronounced to be its offspring. We separated, and prepared