It now became neceffary to make fome arrangement for out
proje&ed journey into the country o f the KafFers. Several
teams of oxen for the waggons and relays had indeed already
met us according to appointment with the farmers, who had
alfo affembled to the number of thirty or forty perfons, all
expecting to accompany us on the intended expedition* When
it had been made known to the two members of the council
that it would in all probability be neceffary for us to proceed
into the country of the Kaffers, as far as the refidence o f the
king, they immediately propofed, as a neceffary precaution for
fecurity, to take along with us a party o f twenty armed men.
It was in vain to convince them that twenty armed men in the
heart o f a country that could bring as many thoufands into the
field, were no better defence than four j that by multiplying
our numbers we Ihould multiply the danger o f giving offence j
that the Kaffers were not to be confidered in the fame light as
the Bosjefmans beyond the Sneuwberg, in expeditions againft
whom they had been accuftomed to join ; but, on the contrary,
as a mild, rational, and in fome degree civilized people, who
had always afforded protedtion to fueh travellers in their country
as had made proper applications to their fovereign for it.
The ftory o f fome Dutch farmer being murdered in Kaffer-
land, where he had gone for the fake o f exchanging trinkets
for cattle, had got hold of their minds, and it was no eafy matter
to make them conceive the difference between going officially,
in the fervice o f government, to the Kaffer king, and
that o f clandeftinely entering a country with the view o f carrying
on an illicit traffic with the fubjedfcs of that country. From
the time they had known our intentions they had daily t-eazed
the
die landroft with their propolhl of twenty men, till at length it
was found neceffary to filence the application by faying, that if
they had any apprehenfions as to their perfonal fafety they
were at full liberty to return to Graaff Reynet. Though nothing
more was faid on the fubjeit, there was reafon to fuppofe
that the people had affembled for the purpofe of accompanying
us. To a Dutch peafant a jaunt from home, on a hunting
party, or to fee new parts of the country, is fupreme felicity :
but an opportunity of getting into the Kaffer country, fo. rich
in cattle, was not to be refilled. Some of the farmers it was
abfolutely neceffary to take along with us, as none o f our own
party were acquainted with a fingle ftep of the country. Thofe
that feemed to be the molt proper for this purpofe were, an old
man from Upper Zuure Veldt, and Reniburg, one o f the companions
of Jacob Van Reenen on the journey along the eaftern
coaft in fearch of the unfortunate paffengers and crew of the
Grofvenor that was wrecked on the ihore of the Hamboonas.
This at leaft was: the oftenfihle motive for that journey.
Reniburg was on many accounts a defirable companion on
the prefent occafion. He was well acquainted with the country
: he was an excellent markfman ; and he had with him an
old Hottentot that was ftill better: from this man he generally
reckoned upon a beaft for every balk Two or three others
joined us in the evening at the place of encampment, under
pretence of looking after their oxen with which they had fur-
niihed us ; and the firft night that we paffed in Kaffer-land, the
number of peafants, that had contrived to fmuggle themielves
into that country, amounted to ten.
We