Southern Africa, excepting the Hottentots of the Colony, who
perhaps have borrowed the idea from others, ever keep a similar
account.
Among my men, Speelman was regarded by his companions as
the grand almanack-maker, and was often referred to, for the day of
the week: and I have sometimes, on putting to him questions relat-
ing to the past occurrences of the journey, been surprised .at the
accuracy with which he was by these means enabled to recollect when
they happened. If he was in doubt, he would pull out his ‘ almanack,*
which was always secured to some part of his dress by a small thong
of leather, and after examining his notches, tell me correctly, or
very nearly, the length of time which had passed. It is not meant
to be asserted that these tallies were infallible; or that they were in
any light extraordinary, unless when viewed as the effort of an
untutored Hottentot.
Wth. During the whole of the preceding evening and this
morning, I remarked an unusual and melancholy silence prevailing
among my people: the sound of the fiddle was never once. heard;
and conversation and laughter no longer enlivened the fireside. As
I sat alone in my waggon, I might have fancied that all my men had
deserted m e: when I came to the fire, it seemed from this strange
stillness, as if a funeral were about to take place, and that we were
now going to commit to the earth, the bodies of some of our companions
who had just been murdered. I looked around to discover
the cause, but saw nothing which could inform me; no one appeared
unwell, or to have met with any accident; all the party were
together; all my cattle were safe; all the wheels were entire. Still,
it was certain that this gloominess and dejection could not exist
unless there had happened some serious misfortune to occasion so
sudden a change from mirth to melancholy. But none of my people
seemed willing to disclose to me the distressing secret; and, expecting
some intelligence fatal to my expedition, I was almost afraid to
ask for information.
At length, by waiting some time at their fire, I discovered by. a
few short remarks which they occasionally made to each other, that—
all their rations of tobacco were exhausted, and that not a pipe had
been smoked since yesterday morning! From the ill-foreboding
state of mind which appearances had occasioned me, it: may easily
be imagined that this was an agreeable discovery; and although their
rations would not be due till the Monday following, I gladly infringed
the regulations, and gave each an extra piece enough to last till that
day: and finding by their representations, that a larger weekly supply,
would add greatly to their comfort, I promised for the future, to increase
their rations by two inches more. Such are highly important
affairs, when we have to deal with Hottentots.
Immediately, their voices were heard again ; and loud talking,
laughing, joking, whistling, and fiddling, enlivened our home- once
more.
Various sorts of birds were found to inhabit these groves) and
frequent the fountains ; but all excepting two, were already in my collection.
A species of Lanins *, or Butcher-bird, was now shot for the
first time, though probably to be found within the Colony. Several
kinds of Lanius, especially those having a plumage in which black
and white are the predominant colors, are called Fiscaal-vogels (Fiscal-
bird) by the colonists. Their notes are very loud and powerful, and
their sound has the nature of a whistle rather than of a bird’s singing.
The Bachapins call them by the name of Lekokko.
I here also added to my collection, a small and very pretty
species of grouse, and, I believe, hitherto undescribed, f It appeared
to have a great affinity to the little ‘ Namaqua grouse;’ but
its feet were furnished with only three toes, and it had not the two.
long acute tail-feathers which distinguish that sort. The upper parts
of its body were variegated with white, brown, yellow, and black;
Very much resembling Lanius collar is, from which it appeared to vary only by a
white mark over each eye.
f Tetrao (Pterocles) variegatus, B. Suprà albo, fusco, flavo, nigroque, varius : sub tu s
ferrugineus. Remiges nigras, rachidibus albis. Cauda brevis sequalis, cum dorso con-
color.. Pedes lanuginosi ochracei, tridactyli, digitis longitudinaliter auctis. Unques nigri.
Irides angustae ochraceae. Lingua brevis acuminata. Sexus vestitu non dignoscendi,
V O L . I I . Y Y