The next morning, at break of day, the band of Caffre warriors were all in readiness, each with his shield and three assaguays in his hand.  They were all fine, tall young men, from twenty to thirty years of age.  Alexander desired Mr. S. to tell them that, if they behaved well and were faithful, they should every one receive a present when they were dismissed; a notification which appeared to give general satisfaction.  The oxen had already been yoked, and taking leave of the worthy missionary, our travelers mounted their horses and resumed their journey.  For the whole day they proceeded along the banks of the Kae River, which ran its course through alternate glens and hills clothed with fine timber; and as they were on an eminence, looking down upon the river, the head Caffre warrior, who had, with the others, hung up his shield at the side of the wagon, and now walked by our travelers with his assaguay in his hand, pointed out to them, as the sun was setting behind a hill, two or three large black masses on the further bank of the river.

“What are they, and what does he say?”

“Sea-cows,” replied the interpreter.

“Hippopotami!  We must have a shot at them, Wilmot,” cried the Major.

“To be sure; tell them we will stop and kill one if we can,” said Wilmot to the interpreter.

“We shall want one to feed our army,” said Swinton laughing, “or our sheep will soon be devoured.”

The Caffres were all immediately in motion, running down to the bank of the river, about a quarter of a mile distant; they swam across, and there remained waiting till our travelers should give the word.

The animals lay on a muddy bank, at a turn of the river, like so many swine asleep, some of them out, and some partly in and partly out of the water.  As they were huddled together, they looked more like masses of black rock than any thing else.  Two lay considerably apart from the others, and it was toward these two that the Caffres, who had crossed the river, crept until they were in the high reeds, but a few yards from them.  Henderson and Wilmot, with some of the Hottentots, descended the ravine on their side of the river, opposite to where the animals lay, and as soon as they were on the bank, being then within one hundred yards of them, they leveled and fired.  At the report, all the animals started up from their beds as if astonished at the noise, which they had not been accustomed to.  Three or four instantly plunged into the deep water, but the others, apparently half asleep, stood for a few seconds, as if not knowing what course to take:  two of them were evidently wounded, as they rushed into the water; for they did not remain below, but rose to the surface immediately, as if in great agony.  They appeared anxious to get out of the water altogether, and tried so to do, but fearing the people on the river’s bank, they darted in again.  In the mean time, at the first report of the guns, the two which lay