n. It is thus that one white scoundrel
can sometimes not only turn a whole tribe of savages into bitter foes of
the white men in general, but can bring discredit on his fellows in the
eyes of Christian people at a distance, who have not the means of
knowing the true state of the case. Be this as it may, however,
Dragoener with his banditti soon took ample revenge on the colonists for
the sjamboking he had received.

Not long previous to the period of which we write he had been reinforced
by Ruyter, Jemalee, Booby, and several other runaway slaves, besides
some "wild Bushmen,"--men who had never been in service, and were so
called to distinguish them from men who had been caught, like our friend
Booby, and "tamed." A few deserters from the Cape Corps, who possessed
fire-arms, had also joined him.

Thus reinforced, Dragoener and his lieutenant had become bolder than
ever in their depredations. One of his bands had recently carried off a
large number of cattle and horses from the Tarka boers, who had called
out a commando and gone in pursuit. Driven into a forest ravine, and
finding it impossible to retain possession of their booty, the robbers
had cut the throats of all the animals, and, scattering into the jungle,
made their escape. Another band had frequently annoyed the Scotsmen at
Baviaans River.

When therefore the band under Ruyter heard of the approach of their
comrades with booty, and of the pursuit by colonists, they went to the
rescue, somewhat emboldened by recent successes. On meeting their
comrades, who were driving the cattle and horses before them in frantic
haste, they were told that the pursuers were in strong force, and
numbered among them several of the boldest men and best shots on the
frontier.

There was no time for holding a council of war. Ruyter at once divided
his men into two bands. With the larger, well armed, and having two or
three deserters with muskets, he crept into the woods to lay an ambush
for the enemy. The other band was ordered to continue driving the
cattle with utmost speed, and, in the event of being overtaken, to cut
the animals' throats and each man look out for himself.

If Ruyter's men had been as bold and cool as himself they might have
checked the pursuit, but when the hunter Van Dyk, who knew their ways,
advanced in front of his comrades by a path known to himself, discovered
their ambush and sent a bullet through the head of one of their number,
they awaite