country, this fact might be taken as a proof, either of their hostile
disposition towards strangers, or of their fears of retaliation for past
robberies, or of the scarcity of inhabitants in this part of the country.
Which last supposition is the least probable of the three; for a land
which, it would seem by Speelman’s discovery yesterday, is in general
not deficient in water considered as a Bushman country, is not likely
to be totally unoccupied by their tribes: besides which, we had,
during our stay at this station, every night observed their fires at a
distance, in several directions around us. I have before made the
remark, that, according as the Bushmen view strangers either as
friends or as foes; or suppose themselves-to be viewed as one or
other of these;, so their country will appear, either well inhabited, or
perfectly deserted.
We had, however, sufficient reason for concluding that at this
time they were not watching our motions; otherwise they might
easily have made a prize of the sheep. But I could not avoid
noticing on this, and on many other, occasions since leaving Graaff-
reynet, how little prudence belongs to the Hottentot character; and
how inconsistent with their fears of the Bushmen and other native
tribes, is their want of precaution and vigilance. How often have
they through Eeedlessness and neglect of order and discipline, exposed
themselves unnecessarily to the risk of being cut off by the
savages, had these been so inclined, or really so ferocious and ill-
disposed, as their own fears, or the tales of others, taught them to
believe.
Having recovered the sheep and our two companions, whom we
were just beginning to deplore as lost, and never to be seen more, all
our affairs became smooth again, and every one seemed happy and
freed from care; even the dread of the savage Bushmen of the
Kosi, and the fear of being taken too far into the Interior, appeared
to have left them, like an intermittent fever: and there now ensued
an interval of tranquillity which lasted for some time.
As soon as Philip returned, the baggage waggon was unloaded
without delay, and sent for the kanna which he had shot: this
was brought home by eight o’clock the same evening. It being
a young and fat animal, the meat was excellent; and even Hottentot
cookery could not spoil it. '
Every night, the jackals, attracted perhaps by the-smell of so
much meat, approached us, and for two or three hours after dark
continued at intervals to bark around us, at the distance, as it seemed,
of about two hundred yards. Our dogs never failed to give them
an answer each time; but took no trouble to go after them, or to
drive these impertinent visitors away. The sound of their barking
was peculiar, and might not inaptly be compared to that of laughing.
It would not have been easy to shoot one, as they are real
cowards, slinking away the moment they perceive any person coming
towards them ; and, being a nocturnal animal, they can see too well
in the dark ever to be surprised or approached by man, who not
being at such a time able to take aim, could have little chance of
killing one, excepting by mere accident. Thus, to avoid wasting our
ammunition and taking much useless trouble, we found ourselves
obliged to leave their noisy intrusion unpunished; as they could do
us no harm, or, at least, as they would not dare to advance nearer to
so numerous a pack of dogs. These seemed to be of the same
opinion as their master, and appeared to consider the jackal as a
troublesome fellow, beneath their notice, and, among quadrupeds,
what some men are, among bipeds.
26th. Cartridge-boxes being, according to our new regulation, a
necessary article of our equipment, I undertook to instruct my men
in the method of making them out of dry hide; and to render my
instruction more intelligible, I assisted in making one as a pattern.
But their stupidity and laziness, or perhaps unwillingness, rendered
it a business of very slow progress ; and it was, at last, evident that
unless I would make them all myself, they would never be finished ;
nor, in fact, could I ever get the requisite number made, but was
obliged to remain contented that three of the Hottentots carried
them, hoping that the rest would in time be convinced of their
utility more especially in saving them trouble. But the same
obstinate adherence to old customs, which made them averse to the
use of cartridges, counteracted equally my wish to introduce the car