great astonishment and rage, fancying it had been brought about by some unfair means on our part. This excitement arose to such a height, as to approach—what it would be mercy to describe—insanity. After a time, they forced the poor blind boy away from me, and killed him on the spot, because he had happened to be in the same hut in which the young man died, believing he had been in some way the means of his death. After this, they roasted the body in the usual manner; but whilst this was going on I left, with the little girl, moving on, and on, until meeting the tribe to which the man belonged to whom in her infancy she had been promised; I explained all the particulars of the sacrifice of her poor blind brother. They immediately vowed vengeance, and two or three of them set out for the purpose of murder, returning in a few days with the intelligence that they had killed two of the children of their enemies.
By one accession and the other our numbers had now increased to more than two hundred men, women, and children; and it may be easily supposed, that such a mob of savages could not move on long without fights and bloodshed. Seeing these things certain, I left, with the proposed husband of the little girl, and one or two families, to go back again to the Karaaf River. Having remained there some time, I resolved on surrendering my charge to her intended husband, and the wife he had had with him for many months; and positively insisted on doing so, although they were anxious that she should remain with me for some time longer.
