Fourth Journey (MS 107/3/1-2)
10th November 1779
transcription
[10th November 1779]
10
't selfde weer en wind. warm. gepasseerde nagt warm.
hieuwen middag by pinars eiland, schoten verscheide zeekoeien, en slagten er ene van die boven kwam, de andere blyven voor de bosjemans die ons aan de overzyde volgende, hoorde hen duidelyk roepen ham quena, i.e. wat volk. dog dorsten niet overkomen sy spreken het sogenaamd chinees dialect veel als agter sneberg, kunnende koerikei hun verstaan.
na van de rivier afgedraayt te zyn de klippige rug over gingen wy slapen, daar wy te voren middag hadden gehouden, hiete dese plaats schoonsigt, kunnende men de rivier hier fraay sien. schoenmaker bleef agter, synde de draay der rivier gevolgt. enige zeekoeien kwamen tot op den oever na ons vuur, kwetsten er eene by de maneschyn in 't lyf dog kregen hem niet, sag als overal langs de rivier gerbo spoor, dog geen dier dieren, van daag weer voor 't eerst cameel en rhinoster spoor.
translation
[10th November 1779]
10
The same weather and wind. Hot last night.
Paused at Pienaar’s Island at noon. We shot various hippopotamus and cut up one that rose to the surface for the meat. The others remained for the Bushmen who are following us on the other side. Clearly heard them calling: "Ham quena" i.e., "People!" but they did not dare to cross. They speak the so-called Chinese dialect, very like that across the Sneeuwberg. Koerikei can understand them.
After we had turned away from the river and crossed the stony ridge to the place where we had previously had passed the noon we went to sleep. Called this place Schoonsigt because the river was beautifully visible. Shumacher got left behind by following the bend of the river. Some hippopotamus came onto the bank and towards our fires. In the moonlight we wounded one of them in the body but could not get it. Everywhere beside the river saw the tracks of gerbils but not one of those animals itself. Today for the first time, giraffe- and rhinoceros-spoor again.