We knew that there were
farmers down in the valley, or rather on the sides of the hills, and we
hoped to obtain, by some means or other, two more muskets. It was near
twelve o'clock at night, with a bright moon, when we had a sight of the
water in False Bay, and soon afterwards we heard the baying of a large
dog, and not far from us we distinguished two or three farmhouses, with
their cattle-folds and orchards. We then looked for a hiding-place,
where we might remain till the morning; we found one between some large
pieces of rock. We agreed that one should watch while the other two
slept; this Hastings undertook to do, as he was not inclined to sleep.
At daylight he woke Romer and me, and we made our breakfast. From the
place we were concealed in, we had a bird's-eye view of the farmhouse,
and of what was going on.
"The farmhouse and buildings just below us were much smaller than the
other two, which were more distant. We watched the people as they went
about. In about an hour the Hottentots came out, and we perceived that
they were yoking the oxen to the waggon; they yoked twelve pair, and
then the Hottentot driver got in and drove off towards Cape Town.
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