people, and I was therefore the more struck with this proof of the
man’s superior degree of civilization, and felt the more gratified by his
consideration of the fatigues and privations which he knew I must have
suffered. But as the passing but a single night in a warm house
might occasion me afterwards to take cold, I preferred sleeping in
the open air, to which I was now more accustomed. When he found
this to be my determination, he sent a jug of milk, as the most
acceptable present which it was in his power to offer. How superior,
in the common feelings of human nature, must this man have been,
to the inhabitants of the first farm-house at which we arrived, on
our entrance into the Colony.
Fortuyn informed me that Captain Berends and a large party
with several waggons, had departed but the day before, on a journey
farther into the Interior, for the purpose of hunting elephants: and,
that the horses from the Boggeveld, which, as mentioned in the
former volume, had been sent there to avoid the paardeziekle, had
returned in the preceding week; and by this opportunity, the missionaries
had received several packets of letters from the Cape. The
latter part of this intelligence, it may be supposed, was most interesting
to me, as I hoped that among these letters there might be
some for myself.
At another piece of information I was much more surprised:
that Kaabi and the old Bushman Gryslcop, had been to Klaarwater to
fetch the two pack-oxen, supposing that we had already arrived
there. They, however, did not think it worth their while to wait
for our coming; but on finding us not there, they immediately returned
home. Although this report was found to be correct, I could
not at first believe them to have been the same Bushmen, because
Kaabi was seen by three of my men, at his own kraal on the 16th;
and this account having reached the Kloof yesterday and having been
two days coming from Klaarwater, three days only were left for them
to perform the journey, including the crossing of the river; which
proves them to have travelled at the rate of at least forty miles each
day.
A serious calamity, according to Hottentot estimation, had befallen
the gardens of this village: an unusually heavy storm of hail
had cut all the leaves oif their tobacco plants, and totally ruined
the expected crop, on which so much of their comforts, and even
profits, depended.
23rd. Hans Lucas, Hendrik Abrams, and Nieuwveld, now took
their leave of us, and returned to their homes at Groote-doorn, by a
nearer road across the mountains. Lucas had proved himself to be
a worthy good-hearted Hottentot, and though neither he, nor any
of the others excepting my own men, had much more to do on the
journey than merely to accompany me, I found in him always a
readiness and goodwill, which failed not to gain my esteem. In
Abrams I discovered nothing either to censure or to commend; unless
I censure him for inactivity, and commend him for quietness.
Nieumoeld, as a Bushman, deserved praise for his constant and steady
attention to his duty in driving the loose cattle, as long as we had
any to require his care. I had very little communication with him
by conversation, because he spoke no language but his own; yet in
his deportment there was something which claimed my good opinion.
At this village, we left Cobus Berends and Rviter. The former
was, I believe, a good old man; but on account of his age, was of no
use whatever to us as an assistant; although his presence, to give the
appearance of greater strength to the party, and occasionally his judgment
and experience, rendered him an acceptable companion. Ruiter
was at the commencement of the journey, a very useftd man as an
interpreter, but having taken offence at my finding fault with some
unfair bartering of which he had been guilty, he became sullen and
often refused to interpret; so that ultimately he was of little advantage,
excepting by his mere presence: and this was the utmost
extent of Old Daniel’s service. It appeared to me remarkable that
no one of the party, excepting my own people, shot any game, although
gunpowder was delivered to all in the same proportion; yet it was
always reported as having been consumed. However, we all parted
good friends ; and I had the satisfaction of having accomplished mv
journey, without accident to any one, and with the gratification of
knowing that no one was the worse for having accompanied me.
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