CHAPTER II.
TRANSACTIONS AT KAABl’s KRAAL.
I t being dark when we arrived at this station, I did not go to the
kraal this evening, but Kaabi and our Bushman fellow-travellers
passed the night at their own huts, where they entertained their
friends with some account of us, and extolled the generosity of the
white-man, so highly, that many of the inhabitants came down the
hill, and sat round our fire till nearly ten o’clock. These strangers
had been much prepossessed in our favor by what they had heard,
and behaved with the greatest cordiality and good-will, but I was
obliged to let them know that no tobacco was to be given away till
the morning; when it was my intention to distribute some to every
person in the kraal. With this promise, they were perfectly satisfied,
and remained conversing with us, and occasionally obtaining the
favor of a whiff out of the pipe of one or other of my Hottentots.
Having brought with us no boiling-pot, we requested them to
lend us one from the kraal; and immediately they ran up to their
hut sand fetched one of their own manufacture, made in a neat manner,
of hardened clay, and capable of holding about a gallon and a
half. (The figure of this may be seen at the end of the preceding
chapter.) This was filled with eland meat; and our visitors, as might
be expected, were careful not to be absent at supper time.
This spot is distinguished among the natives by the name of
Water-point, implying, as before stated, that it is the point of the
Hyena Mountains, close to which the river flows.
6th. My bed, if such it may be called, was made under a bush at
the distance of a few yards from the spot where my men had their
fire. I was awoke soon after sunrise, by the voices of a party of eight
or ten of the natives who passed close at my feet and took their seat
at the fire, without attempting to disturb m e; as they supposed me
to be asleep. Others following them immediately, I arose ; and as
soon as I had dressed myself, I went towards them : on which we
exchanged the usual salutations.
For the space of half an hour, men, women, and children, of
all ages, continued descending from the hill, and assembling at our
station; till at last we were completely surrounded by a numerous
crowd. They were all unarmed; a state in which hitherto I had not
seen any of this nation ; having remarked that they constantly carried
with them their hassagay and bows, and never, even when they put
them out of their hand, layed them beyond their reach. I had,
indeed, never till this moment, had an opportunity of beholding them
in their own domestic circle, and at home at their ease.
I began now to appreciate my singular good fortune, that so many
favorable circumstances had unexpectedly combined to give me an opportunity
of studying and knowing the real character of this nation,
such as seldom, if ever, has fallen to the lot of travellers in these regions
; and, I believe, never to those whose observations have been laid
before the public. As a European, I was alone in the midst of their
hordes, and trusting my life in their hands : I associated with them, and
by conforming to their ways and customs, yielded apparent respect to
their prejudices. It was this confidence, which so completely gained