The Mission; or Scenes in AfricaMarryat, Frederick
General
The Mission; or Scenes in Africa
Marryat, Frederick
Adventure stories; Africa -- Fiction
"Forming an immense body, now that they were collected together,
accompanied by their wives and children, and unable to procure the
necessary subsistence, it is certain that their habits were so far
changed that they at last became cannibals, and were driven to prey upon
the dead bodies of their enemies, or the flesh of their comrades who
fell in the combats.
"The Bechuana tribes, who are the Caffres of the interior, were the
first assailed, their towns sacked and burnt, and their cattle seized
and devoured. They proceeded on to the Wankeets, one of the Damara
tribes, who inhabit the western coast to the northward of the
Namaqua-land; but the Wankeets were a brave people, and prepared for
them, and the Mantatees were driven back with great slaughter.
Astounded at their defeat, they turned to the southward, and invaded the
Bechuana country.
"At that time our missionaries had established themselves at Koranna,
and when the report of the Mantatees advancing was brought to them, the
Bechuanas were in a great consternation; for although finer-looking men
than the eastern Caffres, they are not by any means so brave and
warlike.
"As the advance of these people would have been the ruin of the mission,
as well as the destruction of the tribe, who were afraid to encounter
them, Mr M, the missionary, determined upon sending for the assistance
of the Griquas, the people whom I have before mentioned, and who had not
only horses, but were well-armed. The Griquas came under their chief,
Waterboer, and marched against the enemy, accompanied by a large army of
Bechuanas, who, encouraged by the presence of the Griquas, now went
forth to the combat.
"The Mantatees had at that time advanced as far [as], and had taken
possession of, Litakoo, a Bechuana town, containing 16,000 inhabitants;
and I will now give, as nearly as I can recollect it, the account of Mr
M, the missionary at Kuruman, who accompanied the Griquas to propose and
effect, if it were possible, an amicable arrangement with the invaders.
"He told me that as they proceeded with a small party, ahead of the
Griqua force, to effect their purpose, they passed by numbers of the
enemy, who had advanced to the pools to drink, and had there sunk down
and expired from famine. As they neared the mass of the enemy, they
found that all the cattle which they had captured were enclosed in the
centre of a vast multitude. They attempted a parley, but the enemy
started forward, and hurled their spears with the most savage fury, and
they were compelled to retreat, finding no hopes of obtaining a parley.
"The next day it was decided that the Griquas should advance. They
numbered about one hundred well-mounted and well-armed men. The enemy
flew at them with terrible howls, hurling their javelins and clubs;
their black dismal appearance, their savage fury, and their hoarse loud
voices producing a strange effect. The Griquas, to prevent their being
surrounded, very wisely retreated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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