Until lately, no leader ventured to follow the gipsies to their strongholds, for they were reputed invincible behind their stockades.

By infesting the woods and lying in ambush they rendered communication between city and city difficult and dangerous, except to bodies of armed men, and every waggon had to be defended by troops.
The gipsies, as they roam, make little secret of their presence (unless, of course, intent upon mischief), but light their fires by day and night fearlessly.

The Bushmen never light a fire by day, lest the ascending smoke, which cannot be concealed, should betray their whereabouts.

Their fires are lit at night in hollows or places well surrounded with thickets, and, that the flame may not be seen, they will build screens of fir boughs or fern.

When they have obtained a good supply of hot wood coals, no more sticks are thrown on, but these are covered with turf, and thus kept in long enough for their purposes.