suffer. Keyser (Kyser) was also absent; and no one knew whither
he was gone, nor for what reason he was thus away from us. The
loss of the horses was, in some respects, a more serious misfortune
than that of the men ; who, by this conduct, proved that they would
be of little value in time of danger. I felt the more persuaded that
these things had not been occasioned by any treachery on the part
of the natives, as they had so honorably brought home my oxen,
which, to them, would have been a far more valuable prize than the
horses and sheep. As nothing could be done this night, the rest of
my Hottentots as well as myself, awaited in much uneasiness of mind,
the result of the next morning’s search.
I then retired to my waggon, not to sleep, as nature and past
fatigues demanded, but to record as concisely as possible the numerous
observations and transactions of the day, before an accession
of fresh matter for my journal, should confuse my recollection of
occurrences so numerous and so various. In this employment I suffered
much inconvenience from the coldness of the night; as the
mercury of the thermometer, at an hour and a half after midnight,
was found to have sunk within three degrees of the freezing point.
CHAPTER XV.
RESIDENCE IN TH E TOWN OF LITA K U N ; AND AFFAIR OF TH E GUN.
J u l y 14th. Early this morning, and before I had left my waggon,
. the Chief sent me, as a present, a fatted cow. This I would willingly
have reserved for the sake of its milk during the following part of
our journey, but knowing that it was given in the expectation of our
making immediate use of it, and of distributing some of the meat
among our Bachapin attendants and visitors, I was compelled to resign
it for slaughter. This mark of hospitality is customary between all
the Bichuana chiefs when they pay a visit to each other ; and as I was
The above engraving represents the Chief and a small party of his friends, as they
usually sit in the public enclosure, when engaged merely in desultory conversation. As
he persisted in refusing to allow any drawing to be made of him, this sketch was taken
unknown to him, as he sat in view from my waggon: the figure, of which only the back
is seen, was drawn from him. The back-ground shows part of the outward fence of the
enclosure.