The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1829-12-31
From Backwoods MagaIine.I
A SINGULAR LETTER FROM
SOUTHERN AFRICA.
Communicated by Mr.. Hogg, the Esirsek
Shepherd.

Communicated by Mr.. Hogg, The Etsries
Shepherd.
Ny Dear Friend-In my last related
10 you all the circumstances OF our settle
ment here and the prospect thatwe had OF
peaceful and pleasant habi,ation. In truth
il is fine county, and inhabited by tine
race of people, for the Kousies, as far as
have seen Of them, are a simple and ingen.
ous race, and Captain Johnstone having
ensured the friendship and protection OF
their chief, we have lived IN the most per-
| feet harmony with them, tratficklng with
| them for oxen, for which we gave them l.
ron and copper in exchange, the former be-
| ing held in high estimation by them. But
alas sir, such fate has befallcn T. me
since | wrote you last, as am sure never
fell to the lot of human being. Aud
am now going to relate to you one OF those
stories which, were il to occur in romance,
would be reckoned quite out ofna,ure, and
beyond all bounds of probability, so true is
it, that there are many things in heaven
and earth that arc not dreamed OF IN our
philosophy.
You knew my Agnes from her Childhood
you were at our wedding at Beuttock, d.
cannot but remember what an amiable and
lovely girl she then was. ! thought so, "
so did you, at least you said you never had
as bonny a bride on your knee. But you
will hardly believe that her beauty was
| then nothing in comparison with what It
| became afterwards; and when she was GO
ing about our new settlement with our lit
] Ito boy in her arms, have often fancied
| ho, \ o. hup h.atn
BE that as it may, tho chief Karoo came
to Inc one day with his interpreter, whom
he caused to make u long palaver about hls
| powers, and dominion, and virtues. and his
great desire TO do much good. The Ian,
| guage of this fellow being a mixturf OF
! Kail'ro High Dutch, and English, wadipe
culiarly ludlcrous. and most of all SO when
he concluded with expressing his lords
desire to have my wife to be his own, and
to give me in exchange for her four oxon,
the best that could choose from his herd
AS ho made the proposal in presence OF
my wife, she was so much tlckled with the
absurdity of tho proposed barter, and the
manner in which it was expressed, that
she laughed immo1arately. Karoo, think
ing she was delighted with it, eyed her
with look that surpasScs ali deHriplion,&
then caused his interpreter to make anoih.
er palaver to her concerning all the good
things she was to enjoy, one of which was.
that she was 20 ride upon an oy whose
! Rorns were tipped witii g.hsi- htbauacd
the great Karoo for his kind Intentions, bot
declared my ncapability to part with my
wife, for that we were one flesh and blood.
and nothing could separate us but doath.
lie could comprehend no such tie as this
All mon sold th ir wives and daughters as
they listed, as was told. for that the wo.
men wero the sole property o! the men,
lie had bought many women from the Tam
bookies. that were virgins, aud had never
given above two cows for any Of them; and
because no desired 10 have my wife, he
had offered ME as much for her ~ would
purchase four Of the best wives in all the
two countries. and that therefore ! was
, bound to give her up to him. And whom
| told him finally that nothing on earth could
induce mo TO part with her, he seemed of
Tended, Bit his thumb. knitted his brows,
and studied long in silence, always cns,lng
| glanres at Agnes of grent pathos und ian.
gui-hmcnt. which wero perfectly irressii.
bic, and ultimately he struck iiis spcer's
head into the ground, and offered me ten
cows and bull for my wife, and choice
virgin 10 boo'. When this profier was
likewise declined he smiled in derision.
telling mo wns the son Of iooshne.s,
md that he forctold ! should repent H.
Three times hc went over this, nnd then
he went awny in high dudgcon. WiIlyGu,
sir. or will any person alive, believe, tla,
I 4 % -,
My William was at this time about e'ev'
en- months old. but was still Of the breast.
as never could prevail on his lovely moth.
or to wenn him, and at tho very time OF
which am speaking, our little settlemen,
was invaded ono night by tribe Of those
large baboons called ourang outangs, pom.
COS. or wild men of the woods, who did
great mischief 10 our fruits, ynms and car
! ro,s. From that timo we kept q great
number Of guns loaded and set a watch
q and at length tho depredators were again
discovered. We sailed out upon them in
body. not without alarm. for they ore
powcrrul and vindictive animals, and our
guns werc only loaded with common shot
They fed at the FIRST sight Of W. and that
with such swiftness that we might as well
have tried to catch deers, but we got one
close fire at them. and doubtless wounded
a number OF them, "a their course was
traced with blood. We pursued them ai
far os The Keys river, which they swan
and we los, them.
. Among oil the dcpredators, there was
. none fell but one younglng. which lifted
in nv arms, when il looked so pi,lfully. and
cried so IKE child, that my heart bled fol
. il. A large monster, more than SIX fee
high, pcrceiving that he bad lost his cub
returned brandishing huge club and grin
ming at me. wanted torestorc the abom
Unable brat, for could not bear the thought
Of killing IL. il was so like human creature