the Hottentot was found, and brought to me. Even at first sight I
was much pleased with his appearance, and his countenance seemed
expressive of good qualities. When the object of my enquiries was
explained to him, he answered my questions with unusual alacrity;
and, giving us to understand how much he was rejoiced at the prospect
of again leading a life of travelling, he instantly declared his
readiness to engage himself in my service for the whole journey.
Thus much being settled to my wishes, nothing remained but to
obtain his discharge from the regiiAent; an affair which did not promise
to be equally easy of accomplishment, it being feared, that, to
deprive the regiment of a man of so good a character, would be objectionable.
Nothing, however, could be done at present; as it
seemed necessary, for this purpose, to wait tiff the Governor’s return
from a tour through part of the colony.
While waiting till Jan Tamboer could be found, I amused myself
in making two drawings of the Camp. During this employment,
two naked Hottentot boys, on my giving them a little encouragement,
came and seated themselves on the ground by my side, though not
without some shyness. A Hottentot soldier, also, approached from
curiosity; and, not heing then on duty, was indulging himself in going
quite undrest, except with a pair of trowsers. He told me he had
been in the regiment five years, and liked a military life very well;
but added, that many others complained of being thus compelled to be,
as he expressed himself, so exact and regular in all they did, and that
they began to repent of having enlisted themselves. To me, almost
every tbmg truly African was interesting; and nothing gratified these
feelings more than an opportunity of observing and conversing with
the Hottentots, a race of men whose character and history, as given
by the romantic pen of Le VaiUant, had made on my mind, even in
my earliest days, many pleasing impressions, which now revived with
all their warmth, whenever I chanced to meet any of these men.
From this train of ideas, -I was summoned to the hut of one of
the officers, to see a tame lion. This object, instead of interrupting
my reflections, added considerably to the lively feelings they had
created, by reminding me that I was now in the country where these
formidable animals roam at liberty in their native plains; and this
circumstance lent a peculiar interest to the sight. As the animal
was only nine months old, its tameness might yet he considered as
problematical; and it was not unlikely that it would assume its natural
ferocity, as soon as it should have attained its full size and strength:
for the lion in the Cape Town menagerie, which is now so ferocious,
was, when very young, so tame and tractable,- that Governor Jansens
suffered it to run loose about the house; but, before it was full-grown,
several indications of its dangerous nature were observed, and the
prudent precaution, of putting it into a place of security, was immediately
taken. The present animal allowed any one to play with it,
and did not appear to be in the least degree vicious. It was taken,
together with a lioness whelp, when but a few days old, from a
lioness which had been shot in a distant part of the colony.
Here I also saw a Cape baboon, which. Was as tame and familiar
as such creatures generally are, but hot sufficiently so to be trusted
without a chain.
On taking leave of Wynberg and its beautiful scenery, Dr. Glae-
ser and Mr. Stockenstrom accompanied us a short distance, for the
purpose of showing us a road from which I might have a view of
Kerstenbosch; and, that I might take the advantage of this opportunity
to botanize over new ground, we went on foot, while two Hottentot
soldiers led our horses. This road had been but newly cut through
a pleasant coppice, containing a great variety of shrubs, and many
large silver-trees. Here I found several plants which I had never
met with before. *
* These were, —
Pencea acuta. Th. ' Protea grandifiora
Morcea gladiata Anthericum gramiiiifolium,
and some others.
On the same spot may be found —*
Brunia nodiflora Anthospemum JEthiqpicum
■ Cliffbrtia ilicifolia Aristea bracteata. i ’ers.
Rhus villostm Cluytia polygonoides ?
K 2