Fourth Journey (MS 107/3/1-2)
27th July 1779
transcription
[27th July 1779]
27
term. 58 - 76 - 66
gepasseerde nagt wat geregent weste sterke wind. betrokken lugt vandaag.
een plaaster op myn been gelegt hebbende, was ik beter. vertrokken n:n:w:h w: en arriveerden langs deselve weg na vier uren rydens by engelbregt. ging eer de wagens vertrokken na de kraal van capt wiltschutt met die capt: de craal lag een quartier uit de weg. sy bestond uit 9 stro of liever matte hutten; en omtrent uit 50 so mannen vrouwen als kinderen, observeerde dat die de meeste kinderen had, maar vier had. en ieder man maar eene vrouw. sag twe meiden uit het grote namacqua land, hier getrouwt die ieder het eerste lit hunner kleine vinger van de regterhand afgesneden had, zy seiden, hunne ouders hadden sulks gedaan toen zy nog jong waaren, voor schoonheid, dog er was by geslagt dus eene ceremonie. zy zeiden ieder deed zulks niet, sommige seiden het geschiede omdat zy ziek waren, als bloedlaten.
translation
[27th July 1779]
27
Thermometer: 58-76-66.
Rained a little last night. Strong west wind.
Sky overcast today.
After putting a plaster on my leg, I was better. Departed north-north-westerly (half west). and after a four hour ride along the same route arrived at Engelbregt’s. Before the wagons left, I went to Chief Wildschut’s kraal together with that Chief. The kraal lay a quarter of an hour from the road. It consisted of nine straw- or rather mat-huts, about fifty men, women and children. Observed that those who had most children had not more than four and that each man had only one wife. Saw two maidens from the Groote Namaqua Land, who had been married here, each of whom had the first joint of the little finger of their right hands cut off. They said that their parents had done this when they were still young. for beauty; yet that when this took place there was a slaughtering, and thus a ceremony. They said that this was not done by everyone. Some said it is done as a way of bloodletting because they were ill.