Marie took advantage of this pause, I remember, to fetch food and distribute it among us.

I, for one, was glad enough to get it.
Now the sun was up, a sight for which I thanked Heaven, for, at any rate, we could no longer be surprised.

Also, with the daylight, some of my fear passed away, since darkness always makes danger twice as terrible to man and beast.

Whilst we were still eating and fortifying the window-places as best we could, so as to make them difficult to enter, a single Kaffir appeared, waving above his head a stick to which was tied a white ox-tail as a sign of truce.

I ordered that no one should fire, and when the man, who was a bold fellow, had reached the spot where the dead captain lay, called to him, asking his business, for I could speak his language well.
He answered that he had come with a message from Quabie.