the natives were going to murder u s; and with agitated voice, asking
why we did not begin to defend ourselves and fire upon them.
Speelman, whatever might have been his own fears at that moment,
had not, most fortunately for all, so far lost his reason as to listen
to Keyser’s recommendation; but, disregarding our terrified fellow-
traveller, left him in that situation and took his station as near to
me as the closeness of the crowd would allow him. In the meantime,
the Hottentot, watching for a moment when the attention of
all the natives was directed towards the circle where their Chief was
sitting, slipped away unperceived, at least by any of my own people;
and, as fast as he could run, fled into the country under an impression
that he had just escaped from death. When he came up to Stuurman
and Andries, who were tending the cattle and horses, his mind was
so utterly confused, that he fired off his musket, threw down his
cartridge-box, and, with the vehemence of a madman, tore his hat
from his head and dashed it on the ground, crying out to them to
beat him, for he could not speak, he could not say what had happened.
At length, he told them, that he was the only one remaining alive
out of all the party ; the rest were all murdered: he had himself seen
the natives run me through the body with their hassagays j and to
conclude, advised them to fly for their lives and make the best of
their way back to Klaarwater. After this declaration, the truth of
which, his great terror and agitation seemed to confirm, they all three
instantly mounted the horses, and, leaving the oxen and sheep to
their fate, rode off at full speed, till they had nearly reached our last
station at Lobutsani. There they passed the night, without fire, for
they were afraid of being discovered and murdered; and without
food. In the morning, the other two were induced, by some inconsistency
which they discovered in Keyser’s story, to suspect that
affairs had not proceeded to that extremity which his account had
at first led them to believe. They had suffered much from cold
during the night, and now began to feel the pains of hunger : they
perceived, too, on reflection, that by separating themselves from me
and the waggons, they were both defenceless and helpless, and were
in the greatest danger of being cut off, in their way back, should they
persist in retreating from us. So that on a cooler view of their case,
they considered, supposing I was not really murdered as Keyser had
reported, that they were running into more certain danger by deserting
me, than by returning to Litakun. They therefore refused any
longer to follow Keyser’s advice; especially as, on beginning. to
recover from his panic, he consented to go back with them to the
town, or as near as they might venture with safety, in order to discover
whether I, or any of the Hottentots, were still alive. On this, they
came to. within two miles of Litakun, when their fears or doubts
prevented their advancing farther; and, as they knew nothing of the
language, their difficulties were increased by not being able to ask
any questions of the natives whom they met. Uncertain what step
to take, they seated themselves under a bush, to consider how they
were to act, and to watch for an opportunity o f gaining some correct
intelligence. In this situation they were fortunately seen by the
natives, who afterwards met Philip.
In coming home with him, they met Platje, who was attending
my oxen at the river; and Keyser’s fears returning in proportion as
he approached the town, he could by no argument be persuaded to
proceed. Therefore he and Andries were left there, as they promised
that they would come with the cattle in the dusk of the evening.
This they afterwards did; but still continued penetrated with fear.
We had given up the sheep as utterly lost, but here again, contrary
to my expectations, they were recovered; for a man, who also
called himself a son-in-law of the Chief, having found them straying
in the plains this morning, brought them safely home to the waggons,
asking merely a piece of tobacco as payment for his trouble.
This affair, in spite of our wish to conceal it, was soon made
known to the Chief and the whole town, who, most unfortunately
for me, were now convinced that I was accompanied by men who
would be ready to desert me on the first appearance of danger.
These people were discerning enough to discover every symptom
of fear, as soon as it appeared; and the opinion which they now
formed, became daily more confirmed by the manners and behaviour
of most of my Hottentots, whose unfounded timidity, added
to the smallness of our number and the circumstance of my being the
VOL. II. 3 d