a kraal situated several days journeys lower down the river, to
solicit his family and friends here to assist them in removing to
Klaarwater; the villain Africaander having robbed them of every
thing, and reduced them to the necessity, through want of food,
of eating leathern thongs and the halters of their oxen. At the time
when this Hottentot came away, Africaander was stationed a little
below the great Waterfall, his party consisting of sixteen Hottentots,
besides Bushmen. He was possessed of twenty-seven muskets, with
a small quantity of ammunition; and it was now reported that he
had lately attacked two kraals of Namaquas, many of whom he had
murdered. This lawless wretch had, by caution and cunning, contrived
hitherto to escape the revenge of those whom he had injured,
and to elude even a commando (an armed party of boors), which had
been a few weeks before ordered out by the Landdrost, in pursuit of
him, but which had returned into the colony without accomplishing
the service upon which it had been sent.
This occurrence created a sensation at Klaarwater, and seemed
to excite, in some degree, the fears of my own people, who
had been industriously told that the great quantity of gunpowder
which I had in my waggons, would strongly tempt Africaander to
attack us, in the hope of being able to get possession of it; for
without a supply of ammunition, his freebooting schemes could not
be carried on, as he had no means of recruiting his stock but by
plunder. Tales of this kind, most frequently unfounded, were continually
being related to my men, who, indeed, too readily listened
to them; while I had thus a constant business in endeavouring to
do away the impression they generally made.
Fortunately the kraal of Caffres had for a long time been so
quiet and peaceable, that we heard nothing of them ; but this was
accounted for by the season of the year, as they always prefer the
long nights of winter, as .more favourable for their marauding expeditions.
It has been remarked that they more frequently make their
attack about an'hour before day-light; or, as they express themselves,
as soon as they can just see the horns of the oxen ; for they know that
at this hour it is most likely that all the enemy will be fast asleep.
But another circumstance concurs to induce them to defer the attack
till that late hour of the night; they are careful to avoid approaching,
during the day-light, so near as to run any risk of being observed
; but in most cases halt at the distance of a night’s journey ;
and as soon as evening comes on, advance with great rapidity, so
calculating their time that they may arrive at the place of attack
just before the commencement of the morning twilight.
I considered every piece of information of this sort, as part of
the lesson I had to learn, before I could be qualified for conducting my
little party safely through all the dangers and treachery of the various
tribes through which I expected I should have to make my way.
My protracted stay at Klaarwater was not to be regarded as time
lost, as it gave an opportunity of acquiring a species of knowledge,
which was of essential necessity in my dealings with the natives ;
and without which, to have ventured amongst them alone, and defenceless
as I was, would certainly not have been a proof of wisdom.
19Ik. During the preceding night, a heavy rain had fallen, and
the country this morning no longer exhibited that arid colorless appearance
which, for several months past, had almost persuaded me
to believe that it could never be visited by verdure. The moistened
earth looked now as if vegetation were every where possible, although
its bare surface presented nothing but scattered bushes,
almost dried up.
c25th. The day of the month is the only circumstance which, in
these far-distant wilds, can remind the traveller of that season which
the customs of Europe dedicate more especially to conviviality and
social enjoyment; among those, at least, who preserve a respect for
ancient usages. Here the fur-clad skaiter, rapidly circling round in
graceful sweeps, is never seen.. Over these hills and plains, no thick
snowy mantle of dazzling white, spreading a new beauty over the
leafless landscape, conceals the herbage, or clothes the bending
bush; here no-unrelenting frost locks up the soil, and denies entrance
to the plough or spade. Here, in these unknown solitary
regions, no fog descends to hide the mountain,, or each neighbouring
hut or tree, while the peasant doubtful wanders over the moor. No