Fourth Journey (MS 107/3/1-2)
15th August 1779
transcription
[15th August 1779]
15
't selfde weer en wind.
term 56 - 75 - 60
met den avond seer mistig in zee, so dat de zon sig met allerley hoeken in 't ondergaan vertoonde. gepasseerde nagt omtrent twaalf uur zynde myn wagt riepen sy om hulp in Patersons tent. vond hem byna flaauw en seer siek. dog na sterk vomeren wierd hy beter hy had tegen myn raad te veel water gedronken, warm en dorstig zynde, en toen een stuk zeer vet schapevlees. moeten nu van ons mede gedreven schapen leven, zynde er niets te jagen. indien men niet seer oplet sou een hottentot alles in eens sonder vooruitsigt van toekomend gebrek verteren. trokken n:n:w: na den middag voort. en arriveerden na 8 uren
vond de brete te zijn
| Gr. | 42 | min van 't zenith | 53 |
| 14 | noord dec: | 4 | |
| geeft gr: | 28 | min: | 49 |
miswy: 19½ gr: n:w:
merke geen barometer meting aan omdat alles laag land is, dan eens 50 voet hoger dan lager.
met den donker en door sandige hoogtens, de ossen moede, spanden dus sonder water uit, ook weinig te vreten dog de vlesige brakke bosjes, mesembriantimum asphalagus etc geven altyd veel vogtigheid aan het vee en wilt.
translation
[15th August 1779]
15
The same weather and wind.
Thermometer: 56-75-60.
Very misty on the sea at evening so that the sun displayed many different facets of light as it went down.
Last night about twelve o’clock, it being my watch, they called for help in Paterson’s tent. Found him nearly unconscious and very ill, but after heavy vomiting he became better. He had, against my advice, drunk too much water when hot and thirsty and then a piece of very fatty mutton. Because there is nothing to hunt we must now live on the sheep that we have driven with us. Unless one is very careful a hottentot would eat the lot at once without thinking of future want. After midday we travelled on north-north-west and arrived after 8 hours.
Found latitude to be:
| Degrees | 42 | Min. from the zenith | 53 |
| 14 | Northerly declination | 4 | |
| gives deg. | 28 | min. | 49 |
Error: 19½ deg. North-West
Took no barometer reading because this is all low-lying land, with variations of only fifty foot.
After sandy hills, the oxen being tired, we outspanned at dark, without water and also with little grazing.. But the fleshy, brackish shrubs, mesembryanthemums and asphalagus etc., always provide good moisture for stock and game.