A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 11: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History; of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and; Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the; Present TimeKerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 11: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History; of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and; Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the; Present Time
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
The seventh nation is named the _Caffres_, who are certainly the
_Anthropophagi_ who have made so much noise in the world[3]. The
Hottentots are much afraid of them, and take care to keep out of their
way as much as possible, for fear of being roasted or boiled if taken
prisoners. This abominable nation has never entered into any kind
of commerce with the Christians; but, on the contrary, takes all the
pains they can to entrap and murder them, in order, as is generally
believed, to eat them. It is reported that they have grown somewhat
more tractable of late years, and will enter into some sort of trade
with such as venture among them. They are a potent and warlike nation,
strong and well-made; and though black, and having curled hair
like other negroes, they have better faces, and a much more manly
appearance.
[Footnote 3: A very different account is now given of the Caffres,
or Koussis rather, who are described as a half-civilized race, who
cultivate the ground, and live under regular government.--E.]
At the distance of about eighteen leagues from the Cape, there is
another port called Saldanha Bay, which is, in all respects, an
infinitely better harbour than Table Bay, except in wanting fresh
water, which prevents it from being frequented. The animals of this
country are many. The lion is common here, and in hard winters often
comes very near the habitations of the colonists. He is reputed the
king of beasts, because he never eats a man till he has beaten out his
breath with his paws. Before attacking a man he roars terribly, and
shakes his mane; and if he does not give these signals of rage, there
is no danger in passing him. Tigers and leopards are also very common,
and do a vast deal of mischief; and it is probable these animals would
be much more numerous, were it not for a race of wild dogs, which hunt
in packs, and are so bold that they often weary out and worry a lion.
They often destroy tigers, leopards, and wolves, and it is said that
they will allow a man to take their prey from them when they have
killed it. Travellers are never afraid when they fall in with these
wild dogs, but rather rejoice, because they are sure that no ferocious
animal is in the neighbourhood. There are many elephants in this
country, and of as great size, as any in the world, being often from
twelve to fifteen feet high or better, their teeth weighing from sixty
to an hundred and twenty pounds. The rhinoceros is also often met
with. This animal is rather less than the elephant, but stronger. His
skin is prodigiously thick, and so hard that scarcely any weapon can
pierce it. His snout is like that of a hog, on which grows a solid
horn, ten or twelve inches long, which is much valued, because
esteemed an excellent medicine in convulsions.
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