One of the men belonging to the tribe near Morley came to the caravan where our travelers had halted, and, on being questioned as to the loss they had experienced, cried out, “Ask not how many are killed, but how many are saved:  our wives, where are they? and our children, do you see any of them?”

But Fakoo, the chief of the Amapondas, had roused himself and collected his army.  He resolved upon giving battle to the enemy.  He found the Amaquibi encamped in a forest, and he surrounded them with a superior army; he then contrived, by attacking and retreating, to lead them into a position from which there was no escape but by the pass by which they had entered, and which he completely blocked up with his own forces.

The Amaquibi could not retreat, and a furious conflict took place, which ended in the destruction of the whole of Quetoo’s army.  Quetoo himself was not present, as he still remained confined with the wound he had received in the prior engagement, in which he had been victorious.  A portion of Fakoo’s army was sent against him, and he fled with the loss of all the cattle and treasures he had collected; and thus was the invading force at last totally dispersed and not heard of any more.

This news was very satisfactory to our travelers, as they did not know whether they would have had time to make their arrangements, if Quetoo’s army had been victorious; and it was still more pleasing to the Hottentots, who were now even braver than before, all lamenting that they had not remained on the banks of the Umtata River, where the combat took place, that they might have assisted at the destruction of the invaders.

It was toward the end of August before our travelers had made their preparations and were ready for a start.  They had decided to try the pass through the Mambookei chain of mountains, to the eastward of the one named Stormbergen, and as they expected to meet with some difficulties, it was decided that the Caffre warriors should not be dismissed till they had arrived at the Bushman territory; they proposed then to turn to the N.W., so as to fall in with that portion of the Orange River which was known by the name of the Vaal or Yellow River, crossing the Black or Cradock River, which is also another branch of the Orange River.

This arrangement was made, that they might get into the country more abounding with game, and better furnished with water than any other portion of the sterile deserts which they had to pass through.

Having, as usual, kept holy the Lord’s day, on the Monday morning they started in high spirits, and with their cattle in excellent order.  The passage through the ravine was very difficult; they had to fill up holes, roll away stones, and very often put double teams to drag the wagons.

They made but ten miles on the first day, and found the night cold, after the heat to which they had been subjected.  The second day was also one of toil and danger, but on the third they found that they had commenced the descent, and the whole Bushman country was spread before them.  But the descent was even more perilous than the ascent, and it was not without great exertion that they saved their wagons from falling over the precipices.