Fourth Journey (MS 107/3/1-2)
8th November 1779
transcription
[8th November 1779]
8
gepasseerde nagt zuidelyke wind kout geweest met helder weer, even als het omtrent Sneberg met die wind ook is. desen morgen schoon weer stil, met den dag warm en even west in den agtermiddag,
vertrokken met dag, hieuwen middag by de eerste goringeis, daar nu de tweden by lagen. sy waren nu vriendelyker en vooral tegen my, seggende dat de anderen maar stout op hun werf quamen en hunne beesten bekeken. sy gaven ons overvloedig melk, en wy hen tabak ons volk ruilde jonge beesten, en ik een slagtkoe. wy vertrokken agtermiddag en sliepen by de draay eilanden, sagen de bosjemans vuren dog hen niet, ons volk had nu omtrent 50 beesten te samen, die my den ganschen nagt plaagden, lopende my somtyds byna over het lyf.
translation
[8th November 1779]
8
Southerly wind last night. It was cold, with clear weather, just as it is around the Sneeuberg with that wind. Clear weather this morning again. Calm. Hot in the morning with a light west wind in the afternoon.
Departed at daybreak. Halted in the afternoon at the first Goeringeis, close to where the second kraal is also now living. They were friendlier this time and especially towards me, saying that the others had come onto their land impertinently and had inspected their cattle. They gave us milk in abundance and we tobacco. Our people bartered for young cattle and I for a slaughter-cow.
We left in the afternoon and slept at the Bend Islands. We saw the Bushmen fires but not them.
Our people now have about fifty head of cattle all together. They troubled me all night, sometimes almost walking across my body.