As soon as I could prepare my presents, I desired the captain to
assemble the whole of his people; and in the midst of a crowd not
less happy than those of Kaabi’s Kraal, I distributed to every individual
a piece of tobacco. It is unnecessary to describe the effect which
was produced on these poor creatures, as it would only-be a repetition
of what has been said on a preceding occasion. They now
declared aloud, that I was the best man they had ever seen, for the
boors, they said, never gave them either tobacco or meat, though
they came into their country and killed their game. Some of these
people had been living a short time in the Colony, in the service of
the farmers, as shepherds or herdsmen, for the purpose of earning
a few sheep-skins for karosses ; which by them are more valued, on
account of their greater warmth, than the skins of any of the wild
animals, and nearly every person here wore cloaks of that kind.
This village did not appear in such good circumstances as Kaabi s :
I counted no more than ninety-eight goats and kids, as the whole of
its riches, and fifty souls as the greatest amount of its population. It
was situated in the middle of an open plain covered with low bushes,
and was at least, two miles from any water. The table-mountain,
of which I took this opportunity of making a drawing, was at the
distance of a two or three hours’ walk to the eastward; although the
unvaried surface of the intervening ground would have induced me
to suppose that it was much nearer.
Notwithstanding the poverty of this kraal, the captain thought
himself bound to testify his gratitude; and sent me a goat ready
skinned: but I was much vexed at discovering that Ruiter, not
waiting for a voluntary gift, had been mean enough to ask for it,
founding his claim upon the great quantity of tobacco which I had
given to the captain and his people. Not doubting that he had acted
the part of a treacherous interpreter, and had demanded it in my
name, I immediately presented to the chief and some of his friends,
a much larger quantity of quakka-meat in return.
My obligations, however, would not have remained unpaid, even
had I not made them this return; for nearly all the men, and several
of the women, came to sup with u s; so that, when the meal was over,
we found no part of the goat left.’ Soon after this, they returned
to their huts, well satisfied with the treatment they had met with;
and, certainly, not sorry that a white-man had visited their kraal.
My own people, having now dismissed all those apprehensions
which their first uncertainty respecting a friendly reception by the
natives, had excited, enjoyed the evening apparently as much as
they j and even followed them to the huts, and remained sitting by
their fires till a late hour.
I also, passed some part of the night at the kraal, to witness
again the pleasures of the dance. Here I found the i ball-room’ so
crowded that there was but just space enough left for the dancer’s
feet: but this seemed not at all to incommode the party. Riizo was
the chief performer; and I heard the next morning, that he continued
incessantly dancing during the greatest part of the night. The style
of the dance, and the accompaniments, were exactly the same as at
Kaabi’s Kraal, excepting that instead of the words Wa wa koo and
their corresponding notes, Riizo made use of Lok a tee (Lok a tay),
thus:
The syllables Lok a tay have no more signification than those of
Wa wa koo, and were intended only as an assistance to the notes. These
the tlancer kept on singing, as if heedless of every thing but himself:
without appearing to take any notice of the company about him, he
continued his dancing, first with one leg, and then with the other,
much to the gratification of his friends, though they had allowed him
barely room for the sole of his foot; while the lowness of the -hut