8 A REMARKABLE INCIDENT. 26, ft! Feb.
patently of equal size and form. Immediately on my arrival here,
one of them was, without any previous examination, or the least hesitation,
pointed out by one of the Hottentots of the kraal, as having
several years before, when he lived in Namaqualand, belonged to him;
and on my expressing a doubt that it could be the same ox, since I
had purchased it in the neighbourhood of Cape Town, he desired my
driver to put his finger into its nostrils, when he would feel the hole
through the septum, which had been made by him to receive the
bridle, as it had been trained, while in his possession, for a riding-ox.
And this was directly ascertained to be the fact; although the hole had
hitherto escaped the notice of my own people; who, now, were pleased
at finding that we possessed a riding-ox among the number. This
animal, which perhaps originally had been obtained by barter from
some more inland tribe, happened, as its owner recollected, to have
been one of a large herd which had been brought into the colony and
exchanged to some of the boors, for articles of which they were then
more in need. In this manner it had changed masters till it became
Frans Van der Merwe’s, and had now completed the tour of Southern
Africa; but it was yet destined to visit other regions in the interior,
until at last it was, I believe, one of the four-and-twenty which were
stolen from me one night by the Caffres in the Zuureveld.
My people were supplied by their friends here with pumpkins
and milk for their supper. In the evening, Gert, who was exceedingly
attentive, and desirous of evincing, by every act of service in his power,
his gratitude for my past kindnesses towards him, came to me to beg in
the name of the rest that I would play on the flute, as this was to be the
last evening they could have an opportunity of hearing this instrument
until my return. I willingly granted their request; and thus myself
took leave of a valuable friend : for the fear of accidents, on so rough
a journey, prevented my taking it with me farther than the river.
Perhaps this was the first time since the creation, that these groves
and rocks re-echoed the sound of the flute; and the novelty of the
entertainment commanded the attention of the whole kraal, who
had for this purpose assembled at a little distance round my waggon.
1812. THE PLEASING EFFECTS OF MUSIC. 9
The complete silence which prevailed, indicated their fondness
for music; however rude the sounds which the wild uncultivated
Hottentot himself may be able to produce. He will sometimes take
his gorah, and, unintelligible as his notes may seem to a more polished
ear, will sit by his fire, or in his hut, playing them over for hours
together, with increasing pleasure and satisfaction : while his friends
around him listen without growing weary; and perhaps among their
number some one, captivated by so great a display, as they may deem
it, of musical power, may catch the spirit of emulation and long to
play as w ell: or even may his notes inspire more tender feelings;
and youth and innocence may listen to them with delight. I confess
that I warmly participated in the amusement of the evening; and
never before felt so satisfied and proud of my own performance: but
my pride was surely allowable on such an occasion, and I doubt
whether the most accomplished performer in Europe, feels at the
rapturous applauses of a refined audience, a gratification greater than
that which I received on witnessing the pleasure which my music
afforded to a kraal of simple Africans. It was the pride of being
able to render my fellow-men happy, even though but for a few
hours: it was the heart, and not the head, which claimed the whole
enjoyment. How often, when far removed from these wild regions,
has memory carried me back to scenes and amusements such as these,
again to try the question whether man find not an equal portion of
happiness, and feel not equally the care of a kind Providence, in the
civilized, and in the uncivilized state. How often have 1 travelled
over my journey again, to dwell a longer time at those places where
the goodwill of my fellow creatures, and innocent pleasures, have
beguiled my hours, and soothed the pains of the more rugged and
unkind parts of my road.
9.7th Early the following morning we left Jan Bloem’s Kraal,
accompanied by its chief and six of his people. The distance to the
river was not more than four miles ; but having quitted the valley,
that we might take a more direct road to the ford, we no longer met
with the same romantic scenery, nor even with rocks of the same
nature; these appearing every where, in this day’s journey, to consist
VOL. II. c