2C)th. Speelman came to-day for his rations; but his looks
instantly announced that something was the matter. When, with a
lengthened piteous visage, he began his narration, his pretensions to
beauty were certainly less than ever; and I should perhaps have
smiled, had I not feared he was going to tell me that all my oxen
were carried oif by the savages, or that his wife was dead. But the
case at last proved to be, that in the dead of the night, while he and
his faithful Hannah soundly slept, their hut caught fire; and being
roused from their slumbers only by the noise of the flames, they,
barely escaped the fate of his pair of smallclothes and her leathern
jacket. He had too good an opinion, he said, of the people of
the kraal, to think it possible that any of them could have done
i t ; although he seemed to wish it were permitted to make such
a statement, that he might himself escape some imputation of carelessness.
At last, with a half-stifled confession, he took the blame
to himself; or, rather, hinted that the whole conflagration was occasioned
by his dear spouse’s tobacco-pipe, if even, perchance, she
smoked not in her sleep.
He brought with him old Hans Lucas, to make me a proposal,
that if, on an excursion we were about to make, I would allow the
little waggon also to be taken, he would provide a team of oxen,
on condition of having half the use of it, to bring home the game
he expected to shoot; engaging also to furnish a herdsman to attend
them. I readily agreed to the plan, and we immediately
held a consultation respecting its various details. These, being
affairs of high importance in Hottentot economy, cannot be divulged,
as I am sure no one else will think them of such magnitude
as old Hans considered them to be.
My excursion had for its object to explore the upper part of the
course of the Gariep, and two or three large branches which were
said to join it higher up. This circumstance had been mentioned to
me by Mr. Jansz; and on his offering to accompany me, Adam Kok,
the Klaarwater captain, also proposed joining our party with his
waggon, for the sake of hunting the Hippopotami, which were said to
abound in that part of the river.
As soon as this plan was known, Willem Berends, brother to the
captain at the Kloof, added himself and his waggon to us with the
same view: -and a party o f women, wishing to cut mat>rushes, also
took advantage of the opportunity; as our numbers would secure
them from all molestation from the Bushmen.
23rd. We struck the tent, and removed the waggons to the
village. Here I put into the storehouse my large chests, and so
much of the load as we should not have at present any occasion
for ; by which means the waggons were greatly lightened, and might
more easily be dragged over the rugged, uneven, pathless country,
which it was expected we should have to travel over.
As it was a district, more especially along the river, known to
be inhabited by great numbers of Bushmen, a plentiful stock of
tobacco and dakka was taken, as presents to ensure their friendly
behaviour. We cast a large supply of bullets, as all joined in the
intention of hunting; it being expected by these natives, that, if
they on their side allowed us unmolested to kill their game, we
on ours, should give them a share of the produce of our chace.
It being necessary that Speelman, as huntsman, should be of
the party, another herdsman was engaged to look after my oxen
at Elands’ Valley, which were still too weak to be used on this
occasion; and I therefore hired a team from the captain. A few
live sheep were taken with us as a reserve, in case our hunting
failed; and, as a preparatory step, one was killed and salted down.
Philip and Gert were two days employed in grinding corn; but,
in all that time, they were unable to produce more than a bushel
of flour, as the handtmill was very much out of order, and as little
calculated for expeditious performance of its duties, as my two
millers were for their’s ; passing half their time in chatting with a
party of visitors, who came only for what they could get.
My waggons no sooner arrived at the village, than they were
surrounded by a crowd of boys and girls. Most of them came
merely out of curiosity; but there were some amongst them, only
3.c 2