arrate
all his adventures would occupy too much time. It is certain that he not
only became dreaded, but in consequence of his forbearance on several
occasions he was respected.

"It was in 1810 that the missionaries came into the Namaqua-land, and it
unfortunately happened that a dispute arose about some of Africaner's
property which was seized, and at the same time Africaner lost some
cattle. The parties who were at variance with Africaner lived near to
the Mission station, and very unwisely the people at the Mission station
were permitted to go to their assistance.

"This roused the anger of Africaner, who vowed vengeance on the Mission
and the people collected around it or connected with it. As Africaner
had commenced his attacks upon the Namaquas, and was advancing toward
the mission, the missionaries were compelled to abandon the station and
return to the colony. The Mission station was soon afterward taken
possession of by Africaner, and the houses burned to the ground.

"A curious circumstance occurred during this affair: his followers were
seeking everywhere for plunder, when some of them entered the burial
ground, and one of them, treading on an apparently new made grave, was
astonished by soft notes of music proceeding from the ground beneath.

"Superstitious as the natives are, and having most of them, in former
days, heard something of the Christian doctrines, they started and stood
transfixed with astonishment, expecting the dead to arise, as they had
been once told. One of them mustered courage to put his foot again upon
the spot, and the reply was soft and musical as before. Away they all
started to Africaner, to inform him that there was life and music in the
grave.

"The chief, who feared neither the living nor the dead, went to the
burial-ground with his men, and jumped upon the spot, which immediately
gave out the soft note as before. Africaner ordered an immediate
exhumation, when the source of the mystery proved to be the piano-forte
of the missionary's wife, which being too cumbrous an article to take
away, had been buried there, with the hope of being one day able to
recover it. Never having seen such an instrument before, Africaner had
it dissected for the sake of the brass wires; and thus the piano was
destroyed."

"I doubt if it would ever have been dug up in Caffreland," observed
Alexander.

"I am convinced it never would have been, but have remained as a wonder
and object of fear as