are here given precisely as they were sung in the hut, and repeated
during the whole time, with scarcely the least variation. The measure
of time was exactly half a second to each crotchet, or two seconds to
a bar. The upper notes were sung by the company ; those of the
middle line, by the dancer ; while those in the bass clef express the
beating of the water-drum.
I find it impossible to give by means of mere description, a correct
idea, either of the pleasing impressions received while viewing this
scene, or of the kind of effect which the evening’s amusement produced
upon my mind and feelings. It must be seen; it must be
participated in: without which, it would not be easy to imagine its
force, or justly to conceive its nature. There was, in this amusement,
nothing which can make me ashamed to confess that I derived as
much enjoyment from it, as the natives themselves : there was nothing
in it which approached to vulgarity; and in this point of view, it
would be an injustice to these poor creatures not to place them in a
more respectable rank, than that to which the notions of Europeans
have generally admitted them. It was not rude laughter and boisterous
mirth, nor drunken jokes, nor noisy talk, which passed their hours
away; but the peaceful, calm emotions of harmless pleasure. Had I
never seen and known more of these savages than the occurrences of
this day, and the pastimes of this evening, I should not have hesitated
to declare them the happiest of mortals. Free from care, and pleased
with a little, their life seemed flowing on, like a smooth stream gliding
through flowery meads. Thoughtless and unreflecting, they laughed
and smiled the hours away, heedless of futurity, and forgetful of the
past. Their music softened all their passions; and thus they lulled
themselves into that mild and tranquil state, in which no evil thoughts
approach the mind. The soft and delicate voices of the girls, instinctively
accordant to those of the women and the men; the gentle
clapping of the hands ; the rattles of the dancer; and the mellow
sound of the water-drum ; all harmoniously attuned, and keeping time
together; the peaceful happy countenances of the party; and the
cheerful light of the fire, — were circumstances so combined, and fitted
to produce the most soothing effects on the senses, that I sat as if the
hut had been my home, and felt in the midst of this horde as though
I had been one of them ; for some few moments, ceasing to think of
sciences or of Europe, and forgetting that I was a lonely stranger in
a land of wild untutored men.
Thus the evening passed; and thus the pleasing recreation
beguiled the hours of night, and stole their sleep away; till morning
light announced that other duties claimed their time. But
the past fatigues of the day, sensibly reminded me of rest, and forced
me reluctantly to quit the party at midnight; leaving them still intent
on dancing.
1th. When I rose the next morning, I found that my Hottentots
had changed their mind with respect to hunting the rhinoceros, and
wished to defer it till the following day. A fit of laziness had suddenly
come upon them ; for which, as they had rested the entire day
before, there was no excuse, unless the expectation of a hotter day
than usual might have been urged. But as we had publicly promised
to the whole kraal, that we would hunt on this day, and as
the Bushmen were already preparing to show them the way, I insisted
on making good our word, lest we should be considered as unwilling
to oblige them, and, thus forfeit some portion of their present favorable
opinion of us. They therefore prepared immediately; and at
seven o’clock they started, having with them about a dozen natives
to assist in looking out for the animals. In this instance, one feature
in the Hottentot character was strongly exhibited; the uncertainty
and fickleness of their plans : for, on being roused from their laziness,
they seemed now to be as eager and ready for the chase, as
before, they had been disinclined and dilatory. Instead of the hunters
only, or such as were good marksmen, all now of my own people
k 2