warriors were all
in readiness, each with his shield and three assaguays in his hand. They
were all fine, tall young men, from twenty to thirty years of age.
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
dismissed; a notification which appeared to give general satisfaction.
The oxen had already been yoked, and taking leave of the worthy
missionary, our travelers mounted their horses and resumed their
journey. For the whole day they proceeded along the banks of the Kae
River, which ran its course through alternate glens and hills clothed
with fine timber; and as they were on an eminence, looking down upon the
river, the head Caffre warrior, who had, with the others, hung up his
shield at the side of the wagon, and now walked by our travelers with
his assaguay in his hand, pointed out to them, as the sun was setting
behind a hill, two or three large 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 we will stop and kill one if we can," said Wilmot
to the interpreter.

"We shall want one to feed our army," said Swinton laughing, "or our
sheep will soon be devoured."

The Caffres were all immediately in motion, running down to the bank of
the river, about a quarter of a mile distant; they swam across, and
there remained waiting till 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 looked more like masses of
black rock than any thing else. 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 animals lay,
and as soon as they were on the bank, being 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 accustomed to. Three or four instantly plunged into the deep
water, but the others, apparently half asleep, stood for a