In the evening one of these natives related to us some particulars
respecting the murder of the English travellers before mentioned,
and described various European articles which he said he had seen
among the more northern tribes; and asserted that they were part of
the plunder. He exhibited two long scars which had been purposely
made down his thighs, and told us that they were marks a/ honor
which he was allowed to hear, in consequence of having killed two
men in war. He showed us something hanging at his neck,
resembling a piece of shrivelled leather, which he said was part of
one of them. He assured us, in a manner which appeared serious,
that when an enemy is killed in battle, they cut out the liver, or the
lungs, and broil and eat part of it. On my questioning him closely
whether this were literally a fact, he did not seem to persist in the
truth of it: but I shall not assert that his reason for relinquishing
the story and for not attempting to vindicate the custom, did not
proceed -from some sense of shame occasioned by the horror and
and disgust which he must have seen expressed in my countenance.
That which he wore at his neck, appeared to be what he represented
it for: and it is not improbable that this and the practice of swallowing
some small part of the body of an enemy, maybe the result rather
of superstition or some absurd belief, than of a desire of eating
human flesh, a crime of which I fully acquit the Bachapins; and
consider that to apply to them the name of cannibal, would be
extreme injustice.
27th. I rose at an early hour in the morning to perform the
pleasing task of writing a letter to England, to describe to my family,
as far as it could be foreseen, the prospects of the following part of
my journey. While thus employed, in the midst of a scene so
different from that in which this letter would be opened, a thousand
animating reflections mingled with warm hopes, passed rapidly
over my mind; and I confess that some agitation disturbed me,
while for an instant I thought of the possibility of this being the last
letter which they might ever receive, and admitted a momentary
idea, that it might be my destiny never again to behold the land of
thy birth or those to whom I was now writing. This letter, at length,
safely reached its destination, and was, perhaps, the first ever received
in Europe, which bore a date from Litakun.
Berends and Hendrik having ended their bartering at this town,
were ready with their waggons and all their party, to take leave
of me at noon; but I detained them an hour longer, till I had concluded
my letter. They intended soon after their return home, to
make a journey to the Cape ; and promised to take the utmost care
of every thing which I had committed to their charge: a promise
which I afterwards, at my final return to Cape Town, found they had
performed with the greatest punctuality. At parting, I made them
some further presents; to which I added some more gunpowder, as
they complained of being in great want of it. For this indispensable
provision for a journey, they expressed the warmest thanks ; the quantity
being estimated as sufficient for procuring more meat than they
could obtain by killing four or five of their oxen.
They were accompanied by Moll'emmi; and I was not sorry at his
leaving Litakun : for, his frequent importunities for gunpowder and
his unremitted endeavours to get possession of another musket, were
the source of much uneasiness and vexation to me. His intention,
however, was only to visit Klaarwater; and though I had earnestly
advised him to take advantage of so favorable an opportunity for
going to the Cape, he was obstinate in refusing to make that journey
with any one but myself.
‘28th. The dryness of the weather had caused the fellies, of the
little waggon to shrink so much, that the joints began to open, and
the tire itself became loose. This misfortune was not entirely to be
attributed to the weather, as the larger waggon, made by Kilian in
Gape Town, was still in perfect order; while the one bought of
De Bruyn atTulbagh, was beginning already to fall to pieces. . The
difference was occasioned by the fellies having been made of timber
not duly seasoned. I therefore employed Juli in filling up the
vacancy between the tire and the fellies, with small wedges of wood
dipped in tar and driven in as tightly as possible. A crowd of natives
stood around us, watching our operations; and, if it be in the nature