CHAPTER VII.
R ETURN FROM THE COLONY, THROUGH TH E COUNTRY OF TH E BUSHM EN , TO
K LAARW ATLR.
T h e first occurrence after quitting the Colony, was that of meeting
with the friendly river so often mentioned on our former journey;
and as it appeared by the map which I had then made, to run in a
direction sufficiently near to what would have been our shortest road
homewards, I resolved to follow it the whole way, and not to incur,
with so many people and cattle, the risk of suffering from want of
water, by attempting any other more direct course.
Just before sunset we arrived and unpacked at an excellent
spring of water, surrounded by abundance of reeds. It was known
to Platje, who had once formerly visited it on a hunting excursion
with a boor in whose service he then was, and who at this place
administered a flogging to his slave named Nieuwejaar (New-year);
on which account this spot, is called by the Hottentots Nieuwejaars
fontein.
1th. At about eleven miles beyond this spring, we joined our
former track; and a little more than six miles farther, we passed
Rhenoster poort (Rhinoceros Pass). It was dark before we arrived
at the Halfway Spring : here we conveniently stationed ourselves for
the night, and made use of our shelter of reeds, which we found remaining
just in the state in which we had left it.
My new men, who were all utter strangers to the following part
of the journey; and to whom the existence of a kraal of Colonial
Hottentots in this direction, was hitherto unknown, seemed much
pleased at an opportunity of learning the way to it, and took great
interest in our daily progress. Some indeed were a little inclined to
fear, at thus venturing into the heart of a country which had always
been reported as unsafe for a colonist; but my other people now
boldly talked of the Bushmen and their friend Kaabi, in so familiar
a tone, that these fears were soon quieted; yet they often expressed
their surprise that we could have found any means of gaining the
good-will of a race of savages, whom they had been accustomed to
look upon as the greatest scoundrels in Africa.
Not one of the natives had yet approached us, although we
were certain that we had been seen by them, as two were observed
at a distance by some of our party who had straggled from the main
body. Their absence was occasioned by our numbers being so much
greater than before, that they at first feared it might be a commando
sent in search of stolen cattle; and our increased number of horses
strengthened that suspicion.
A troop of horsemen is the most alarming sight which can present
itself to a kraal of Bushmen in an open plain, as they then give
themselves up for lost, knowing that under such circumstances, there
is no escaping from these animals. Their conscience allows them
little hope of mercy; as they feel aware, that by their repeated
incursions and robberies, they have given the colonists sufficient
excuse for treating them with severity, and that their own plea of retaliation,
or revenge for former injuries, is now turned against
themselves.
We had no doubt that, when they had fully reconnoitred us
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