not been heard of; but to proceed: The
first day of their march from the site of the wreck ought to have been a
warning to them to turn back. The savages robbed them of every thing and
threw stones at them. A Dutchman of the name of Trout, who had fled to
the Caffre country for some murder he had committed in the colony, fell
in with them and told them the attempt was impracticable, from the
number of savage nations, the width of the rivers, the desert countries
without water, and the number of wild beasts which they would encounter;
but still they were not persuaded, and went on to their destruction.
They were not five miles from the wreck at the time, and might have
returned to it before night."

"May it not fairly be supposed that after such a dreadful shipwreck any
thing was considered preferable by the major portion of them, especially
the passengers, to re-embarking?"

"It may be so; but still it was a feeling that was to be surmounted,
and would have been, had they been counseled by a judicious leader; for
he might fairly have pointed out to them,--without re embarkation, how
are you to arrive in England?"

"Very true, uncle. Pray continue."

"From the accounts given by the seamen who returned, before they had
traveled a week they were attacked by a large party of natives, to whose
blows and ill-treatment as they passed along they had hitherto
submitted; but as in this instance the natives appeared determined to
massacre them, they resisted as well as they could, and, being nearly
one hundred men in force, succeeded in driving them off, not without
receiving many severe wounds. After a few days' more traveling, their
provisions were all expended, and the seamen began to murmur, and
resolved to take care of themselves, and not to be encumbered with women
and children. The consequence was, that forty-three of the number
separated from the rest, leaving the captain and all the male and female
passengers and children (my dear Elizabeth among them), to get on as
they could."

"How cruel!"

"Yes! but self-preservation is the first law of nature, and I fear it is
in vain to expect that persons not under the influence of religious
principles will risk their lives, or submit to much self-denial, for the
sake of alleviating the miseries of others. The reason given for this
separation was, that it was impossible to procure food for so large a
number, and that they would be more likely to obtain sustenance when
divid