wine; but which a small fragment of rock accidentally rolling down
from the top of the bank, now broke to pieces.
The difficulties which heavy baggage might occasion, and the
impediment it might become in crossing a pathless or mountainous
country, were considerations sufficient to restrain us from taking any
thing which was not absolutely indispensable; and when, in debating
this question, I put aside the influence of habit and custom, and of
those necessities which belong only to civilized society, I discovered
that we might dispense with nearly every thing ; even with all our
cooking utensils, excepting a small tin pot and a tea-kettle. Without
either gridiron or saucepan, we cooked all our meat, either broiled
on the embers, or stuck on forked sticks before the fire. Nor could
we admit the encumbrance even of plates and forks. We therefore
entered upon this journey with no other provision than our watch-
coats and covering for the night, our guns and ammunition, a hatchet,
a quantity of tobacco intended principally for presents to the
Bushmen, and five sheep. To this I added for myself, three blankets,
an umbrella, and two tin boxes, one to hold my papers, my journal,
and sketches, my compass, and a few other light articles of this kind;
and the other, a change of linen, and a small assortment of the
more important medicines, particularly the volatile alkali, or liquid
ammonia, for the bite of serpents.
28th. We passed the night without having been observed by the
natives ; and rose at day-break, hoping to see Suiter and the cattle:
but neither were visible, though we repeatedly called over to them
so loudly that our words must have been distinctly heard, had any person
been there. Hour after hour elapsed, and no answer was given ;
nor was any human being to be seen along the bank. Our uneasiness
continued increasing, and every unpropitious accident was in turn
surmised, to account for their absence.
At last towards noon they made their appearance on the shore,
and in less than an hour afterwards, I had the satisfaction of viewing
the whole of my party safely landed on the southern side of the
Gariep.
Ruiter’s delay had been occasioned by an untoward circumstance,
and which now deprived us of the use of one of the cattle. The
ox on which Cobus was to ride, was missing ; and, having been supposed
to have strayed back again to the village at the Kloof, one of
the Hottentots was despatched thither in search; yet after wasting
much time, it was at last found on the road nor far off, its rein
having been accidentally caught by a bush, from which the poor
animal had not only been unable to extricate itself, but in the struggle
had dislocated its foot. Being therefore unfit for service, it was left
under care of the people at the kraal; and we were obliged to give
up one of the pack-oxen to supply its place; although we were then
left with no more than three for carrying all our goods, together
with the game which we might expect to shoot from day to day.
At length all being ready and the baggage properly adjusted,
we commenced our journey in the Cisgariepine, my party consisting
of six Hottentots, the Bushman Nieuwveld, and Ruiter the Bachapin
whose proper name amongst his own countrymen, was Mdkhowta.
Having gained intelligence that a friendly Bushman, who, by
frequent visits to the Hottentots of the Asbestos Mountains, was
personally known to one of my men, had lately pitched his hut on
the banks of the river a few miles lower down, we bent our course
that way, intending to persuade him to accompany u s; not indeed
as a guide, but for the purpose of introducing us as friends, at the
different kraals of his countrymen, at which he might be known, and
of assuring them of our good intentions towards them and of our
peaceable disposition; but more especially, of testifying that I was
not one of the boors,— men with whom they have been unfortunately
too often on hostile terms, and of whose views they are generally
too suspicious, to allow them to pass through their country without
molestation.
We traversed a very extensive plain, covered with grass so tall
that the dogs were completely hidden by it ; but the ostriches stalked
through exposed to view, and stonebucks * here and there starting
up, bounded over it and were soon out of sight.