the Dutch in the fequel, and left them to find their way to the wreck in the best manner they were able.

As they were proceeding to the spot, one of the party, named Houltshausen, unfortunately fell into a pit of burnt ftakes*, by which he was terribly wounded in the palm of one of his hands, which, in the event, brought on a locked jaw, and terminated in his death.

However, feveral of them proceeded on horseback to the wreck, and found nothing more than what Trout had defcribed remaining. It was plainly perceived that fires had been made in the vicinity, and on a rifing ground, between two woods, was a pit, where things had been buried and dug out again. This likewife tallied with the information of Trout, who told them that every article, collected from the wreck, had been difperfed over the country, and that the greatest part of the goods had been conveyed to Rio de la Goa, to be fold. This place was reprefented to be about four days journey from the scene of the catastrophe.

The natives, in the neighbourhood, expreffed great aftonishment that the Dutch had been at fuch infinite pains to come in fearch of the unfortunate crew; and they all promifed that, in cafe of any fimilar difafter, they would protect fuch people as might be thrown on the coaft, if they could be affured of obtaining beads, copper, and iron for their trouble; which was liberally promised by the Dutch.

*Thefe pits are dug by the natives, and being covered over with branches of trees and grafs, ferve as fnares for the elephants, into which they fometimes inadvertently fall, and

are taken.

Thefe

1

These intrepid adventurers now concluded that they were four hundred and forty-feven hours or leagues diftant from the Cape; and two hundred and twenty-fix beyond the limits of any Chriftian habitation.

Finding that nothing farther was to be difcovered relative to the wreck, or the fate of persons who had reached the fhore, the Dutch determined to return, particularly as Houltfhaufen's illness increased.

In their way back, they called at the baftard Chriftian village, and would have taken the three old women under their protection, who seemed defirous of living among Chriftians; but they wifhed first to gather in their crops; adding, when that business was accomplished, their whole race, to the number of four hundred, would be happy to depart from their prefent fettlement. They were promifed every indulgence, in cafe they fhould be difpofed to emigrate to the Cape. On feeing people of their own complexion and defcription, they appeared to be exceedingly agitated. i In their homeward journey, they fhot many elephants and fea-cows; but on the 1ft of December, they met with a terrible accident, while they were cutting up and falting the fea-cows which they had fhot the preceding day. "As we were thus engaged," to use the words of the journal, "a large elephant made up to the waggons: we inftantly purfued and attacked him, when after having received feveral fhot, by which he twice fell, he crept into a very thick underwood. Thinking we had fully done for him. Tjaart van der Valdt, Lodewyk Prins, and Ignatius Mulder advanced to the spot, when he rushed out furioufly from the thicket, and catching hold of

Prins with his trunk, trode him to death, driving one of his tulks through the body, then threw it up in the air to the diftance of thirty feet.

"The others perceiving that there was no pofibility of efcaping on horfeback, difmounted, and crept into the thicket to hide themselves. The elephant, feeing nothing in view but one of the horfes, followed it for fome time, and then turning about, came to the spot where the dead body was left. At this inftant our whole party renewed the attack; and after he had received feveral more wounds, he again escaped into the thickeft part of the wood.

"We now fuppofed we were fafe, but while we were digging a grave for our unfortunate companion, the elephant rufhed out again, and drove us all from the place. Tjaart van der Valdt got another thot at him, and a joint attack commencing, he began to ftagger, and falling, the Hottentots difpatched him as he lay on the ground.

"The fury of this animal is indefcribable. Those of our party, who knew any thing of elephant hunting, declared that it was the fleeteft and moft defperate they had ever seen:

"The Hottentots told us, that the elephant never leaves a dead body when attacked, until he has swallowed the whole carcafe piece-meal; and that they themselves had seen a Hottentot killed nearly in a fimilar manner with our friend, of whofe body they could never find the leaft remains."

The rest of their journey afforded little worth notice. In January 1791, they reached their refpective homes, after furmounting incredible difficulties, in an expedition to which they were prompted folely by a principle of humanity, and