Journals

Fourth Journey (MS 107/3/1-2)

12th November 1779


transcription

[12th November 1779]
12

t selfde weer en wind warm gepasseerde nagt koel tegen den morgen. ook wat bewolkt

passeerden de poort der geissiquas en hieuwen middag by de vorige plaats, eiheep bragt my dikke melk, synde dese morgen doorgeswommen na de twede geissiqua. hoorden dat enigen der twede geissiqua uit het briqua land gekomen waren, byna verdorst, by de koeroemana leggen de kralen dowsi en coriaqua byeen daarna homma Cariqua en curuquer ook byeen alle geissiqua families en met de moetjoana getrouwt, dog hadden nu twist en vegten. veel volk is aan de kindersiekte gestorven, dog die siekte is nu opgehouden, dese siekte heeft het lopen over en weer der geissiquas en coraquas ook der briquas na de namacquas voor een tyt, gestut.
sliepen by de eerste geissiqua. de rivier bleef nog langsaam vallen, dog was nog troebel. Sag voor het eerst in dit veld een secretaris vogel. arriveerden nog by tyds (son) by de eerste geissiqua die ten eersten wat melk voor my bragten.
onse hottentot die hier gebleven was klaagde dat zy in die tyd niets dan melk gegeten hadden, en hen weinig gegeven hadden. al ons volk bleef agter en wy konden niet begrypen wat hen weerhield.

translation

[12th November 1779]
12

The same weather and wind. Warm last night, cool towards morning. Somewhat cloudy as well.

We crossed the Geisiqua’s defile and had our noon pause at the previous place. Eiheep, who this morning had swum across to the Second Geisiquas, brought me soured milk. Heard that some of the Second Geisiquas had arrived from Briqualand, nearly dead from thirst. The Dowsi and Curuqua kraals are side-by-side on the Koeremana. Thereafter the Homma Cariqua and Curuquer are also adjacent. They are all Geisiqua families and marry with the Moetjoana but at present they have quarrels and fights. Many people have died of smallpox, but the disease has now ceased. This disease put an end for a time to the to-ing and fro-ing between the Geisiquas and Koraquas, and also the Briquas and Namaquas.
Slept at the First Geisiquas. The river was still falling slowly but was still turbid. Saw a secretary-bird for the first time in this veld. Arrived in time (sunset) at the First Geisiquas, who at once brought me milk. Our Hottentot, who had remained here, complained that they had eaten nothing but milk during that time, and had given him little.
All our people have fallen behind and we cannot understand what is keeping them back.