takes delight in associating with us, in sharing our abode, and
is even jealous that our attention should be bestowed on him
alone: it is he, who knows us personally, watches for us and warns
us of danger. It is impossible for the naturalist, when taking a
survey of the whole animal creation, not to feel a conviction that
this friendship between two creatures so different from each other,
must be the result of the laws of Nature; nor can the humane and
feeling mind avoid the belief that kindness to those animals from
which he derives continued and essential assistance, is part of his
moral duty. To me, during my travels, the horse and the ox were
scarcely less the objects of my admiration and gratitude; and his
patient performance of his unceasing and daily labors, strongly
attached the latter to me.
As the expeditious loading of our muskets, might, under a variety
of circumstances, be of the greatest importance, I employed six
of the people in making cartridges; and in the course of the morning,
we completed between two and three hundred. This being a work
with which none of my men were acquainted, I was compelled to be
their instructor and overseer.
As both Speelman and Philip had been in military service, I
concluded that they would impress their companions with a proper
idea of the advantages of this mode of loading. But although all
confessed that it was excellent; yet such was the influence and force
of habit and custom, that they never could be brought voluntarily to
adopt this improvement. Having first learnt from the boors, to carry
their powder in a horn, and their bullets in a kogel-tas (bullet-pouch)
they were now either too awkward, or too lazy, to practise any new
method. Though their ammunition was for a long time delivered to
them in this form, and though they always professed to follow my
instructions, I discovered that at length they frequently took the
cartridges to pieces, and loaded their guns in the old manner; in
which much powder is wasted. But during our travels in the Trans-
gariepine, I continued the use of these ; although at last they were
allowed when hunting, also to carry loose powder and ball. A large
stock of cartridges, however, was always kept ready in my waggon,
in case of any sudden attack from the savages.
Andries and Stuurman, who had been appointed to attend the
oxen and sheep at pasture, were now so neglectful of their duty, that
the latter were suffered to stray. As soon as this was discovered,
two men on horseback were sent in search, and they at length found
them at. Ongeluks Fountain, a distance of six miles. As a punishment
for this neglect, and as an example to the others, I withheld
their rations of brandy and tobacco.
In giving to the people their usual allowance of brandy, which
was portioned so as to avoid the risk of intoxication, I noticed a
singular expedient to which they resorted in order to counteract my
precaution and to render more sensible the exhilarating effects of the
spirit. They had made agreements with each other to give up their
rations alternately j and were content to remain one turn without
any, in order that on the next they might receive a double quantity.
On coming to their fire in the evening, it was easy to perceive, by
their unusual talkativeness and animation, whose turn it had been to
have double rations.
Our biscuit and flour being all expended, we now began to
make use of, what was intended for, our last resource, and opened
the sack of rice. Afterwards, when this was all consumed, we continued
from necessity, to live on animal food alone, and literally without
the smallest addition of any thing of a vegetable nature.
16th. During this day, we travelled over an open country, the
soil of which was generally a red loamy earth, thickly covered with
grass, in which the track we followed was nearly obliterated, or very
faintly marked. At this season we found the grass dried up, though
it still remained standing in the same position as when alive and
growing. As we were obliged to force our way through it much
inconvenience was experienced from its barbed seeds and triple awns,
which, adhering to my clothes, and their sharp points creeping through
to the flesh, occasioned a constant irritation.*
These plains abounded also in large bushes of Tarchonanthus ;
* These were the seeds of two or three species of Aristida [ChiVlariil), of an Anthis-
tvriay and of different sorts of Andropogcm.