Fourth Journey (MS 107/3/1-2)
12th October 1779
transcription
[12th October 1779]
12
schoon weer westelyke wind,
term: 60 - 76 - 55.
vond desen morgen in de brosse cosplaten, kleine robyntjes, egter niet groot of helder, en meest, so bros de rode stukken, dat sy veel in seer klein gruis veranderden.
vertrokken met den middag oostelyk aan, alles opdragend vlak veld 't selfde terrein, hou nog 't hoge tafelbergige namaqua land, twe en een halve myl op de regterhand, de rivier loopt langs 't selve, meest oost. sagen met den agtermiddag, eerst een daarna twe maalen twe rhinosters, synde koeien, met hun halfwassen kalf, dus 5 in het geheel; maakten jagt op deselve en kwetsten een dog kregen niets. kan ons getal niet regt bepalen also wy dagelyks meer bosjemans by ons krygen die van onse jagt leven en seer gedienstig zyn.
[in margin:] n:b: na ses uren rydens
omtrent sons ondergang sag ik, dog ver en met myn sak telescoop, het eerste cameeleopard: hy kwam na ons toe in syn coers na de rivier somtyds stond hy stil en beweegde syn hals, op de ene dan op de andere syde als de mast van een schip dat op zee voor top en takel overhaald. een myner hottentotten had hem al gesien en hem bekruipende kwetste hem ligt, dog hy liep heen
pinar kwam juist van agter twe rinosters te jagen, in dat pad vervolgde het dier en myne honden agter hetselve insettende hoorde ik 't geblaf der honden en twe schoten. schoon de schemering al gevordert was, liep ik hebbende myne paarden agtergelaten, op het geblaf aan, en kwam met gansch donker en op 't sein schieten en vuurmaken by pinar een uur van de wagen, en vond dit schone en sonderlinge dier een der fraayste dat de natuur formeerd, dood. kon my niet genoeg versadigen hem te besien, met brandhouten voorgeligt zynde.
de kleine kabas en koerikei waren my door heg en struik zynde 't vol doornbossen, nagelopen en by gebleven, schoon de hottentotten seiden dat 't dangereus was in den donker om de rhinosters, die hier veel zyn. liet twe hottentotten de wagen hier brengen, die middernagt kwam, verwonderende sig myne bovenlandsche hottentotten om 't meest over dit dier. de wind met den avond fors z:delyk en koud, so dat warm gelopen en dun gekleed veel koude leed tot de wagen kwam. hadden geen water als in myn watervat.
translation
[12th October 1779]
12
Fine weather. Wind westerly.
Thermometer: 60-76-55.
This morning found small rubies in the brittle slabs of Cos. But they were neither large nor clear, and the reddish particles were so brittle that most of them disintegrated into very fine grit.
Departed eastwards in the afternoon; everywhere the same terrain: flat, rising veld, still keeping the high table-top mountains of Namaqualand two and a half miles away on the right. The river runs alongside the same, mostly east.
This afternoon saw first once and then twice, a pair of rhinoceros cows with their half-grown calf. Thus five in all. Hunted same and wounded one but got nothing.
Cannot accurately determine our numbers since every day we are joined by more Bushmen who live off our hunting, and most serviceable they are.
About sunset (N.B. after travelling for six hours) I saw the first giraffe, but far off and with my pocket telescope. It came towards us on its way to the river, at times standing still and moving its neck from one side to the other like the mast of a ship pitching strongly at sea. One of my Hottentots had already seen it, and wounded it slightly while stalking it; but it got away. Pienaar, who had been hunting two rhinoceros, came from behind, right into its path, and followed the animal. Setting my dogs on the same I heard the dogs barking and two shots. Although the twilight was already advanced, having left my horse, I went on foot to the barking and came when it was completely dark up with Pienar who was making signals by shots and fires; this was an hour from the wagon. There I found this beautiful and extraordinary animal dead, one of the most loveliest that nature has formed. I could not get my fill of looking at it, illuminated as it was by burning wood. Young Cabas and Koerikei had followed and stayed with me through hedge and scrub despite its being full of thornbushes. Although the Hottentots said it was dangerous in the dark on account of the rhinoceroses, of which there are many here, I told two Hottentots to fetch the wagon which arrived at midnight.
My upland Hottentots were the most amazed at this animal. In the evening a cold, brisk southerly wind came up and since I had become hot from walking, and being thinly clad, I suffered greatly from the cold until the wagon came. Had no water but that in my water cask.