no time in conferring with the acting-landdrost, on the readiest mode
of hiring the number of Hottentots required. He called upon me
in the evening, for this purpose, and stated that he was unable to
point out where any such men could be found; that he knew of none
who were at this time out of service ; that this scarcity was in great
part, occasioned by the commando against the Caffres, the demands
for which, had drained all the neighbouring districts; and that he
had himself no power in this case, because, being merely an acting-
landdrost until the regular appointment of another, he felt unwdhng
to proceed without the instructions and authority of the commandant
of the troops on the frontier, who happened to be the same Colonel
Graham, from whose regiment I had obtained my Hottentot Philip.
It was therefore agreed, that he should write on the morrow to explain
the affair to the commandant, and solicit his assistance, and an
early Oann swthere. death of the late landdrost, the duties of the office
devolved in the interim, according to established custom, upon one
of the Heemraaden : and this now fell to the lot of Mr. Paul Mare,
a respectable burgher and shopkeeper of the village. This situation
of affairs was, therefore, not the best suited to my visit,
and appeared likely to detain me longer at Graaflreynet, than
I had calculated, on the supposition of finding that office held by
Mr. Stockenstrom. I felt much disappointed at hearing it stated by
the landdrost, that he had not this power ; as, whatever might , have
been the reasons which induced him to think so, I myself at the
same time believed that he was fully competent to give me the assistance
I required, and was afterwards convinced that my opinion was
right.M y men did not arrive till the dusk of the eveni.ng, but
the little Bushman was not with them. He had remained in the hut till
the moment of their coming away; when he had taken an opportunity
of slipping off unperceived by any one. They waited a long
while searching for him in every direction; but could discover no
traces ; and therefore concluded that his absence was intentional, and
that he meant to return to his kraal. We remarked that he had appeared
very contented with us, as long as we were alone; but when
so many strangers with their carriages and attendants continued
visiting my hut, yesterday and this morning, and the boy not comprehending
whether their object was good or harm, he was observed
to look about him with mistrust, and to become evidently uneasy :
yet he made no remarks to any one. I had myself while lying in my
bed, noticed him very busy in putting in order his arrows, of which
he had only fifteen in his quiver, by warming the heads over the fire
to soften the poisonous compound with which they were covered ;
and then rolling them cylindrically on a flat stone, to smoothen the
poison and bind it firmer to the arrow : but at that time I had not the
least suspicion that he was preparing to leave me, otherwise I would
have quieted his fears. Knowing his own intention, he had provided
for his return, by begging tobacco from every one of the Hottentots,
but had not ventured to take any provisions, as that circumstance
would have betrayed his design ; nor had he even a tinder box, an
article almost indispensable for such a journey. Although uneasy
at -losing him, I was far less anxious on his account, than I was at
Cold Station, where I expected he would die while in our hands.
I had now a hope that he would find his way back in safety to his
father, and that, by travelling in the night, he would escape detention
by, the boors ; yet the subject remained a source of some
anxiety, lest the event should happen otherwise.
A small tent was lent me by Mr. Kicherer, for the use of my
men, and they pitched it on the open ground at the back of his
garden.
26th. The bustle and variety of business had yesterday completely
occupied my attention and given me temporary strength ; but
I was not so far recovered from my illness as I supposed. I relapsed
into a state of great debility, and, in the course of the preceding
night and during this day, became much worse than before. The
fever and hoarseness increased to a high degree, and I was unable
to leave my bed. Nothing could be more truly hospitable and
friendly than the attention paid me by Mr. and Mrs. Kicherer, in
whose house I thus lay sick : the lady, whose knowledge of domestic
medicines was considerable, prescribed for me all those remedies
which had been found, or thought, serviceable in thè late epidemic;