Second Journey (MS 107/1/1-2)
28th December 1777
transcription
[28th December 1777]
28
gepasseerde nagt geen dauw, goed weer, ook desen morgen, de wind n:w:
waren na een paar uren z z w aan op zy Castors berg op vier uren distantie. zagen veel noes spring en bontebokken maakten er jagt op een bastert hottentot schoot een bonte bok by een fontein, dien wy dus noemden, het na by de uitspan tyd zynde spanden wy uit vond dat dit dier het zelvde met de bovenlandsen is, dog niet ten vollen zo helder van couleur, vonden hier weder een wilde leger dog maar van vier a vyf Coppel, hunne legers zyn als van een dier, een kuil 3 voet diameter 7 duim in de midden diep na de syden opgaande, waarin eenig riet, bevat twe, na gedagten man en vrouw, enige stenen waarop zy hun verw vryven en om benen me in stuk te slaan om de murg te eeten leggen er verbrand riet, van hun vuur, also er geen hout hier is, en daar hout is staan drie a vier lange takkige stokken daar zy hun
[page 12]
proviand aan ophangen, hunne matjes daar zy zig hunne hutjes aan ene zyde me dekken voeren zy me als zy verhuisen dat zy dagelyks doen; vond er hier en daar enige stukken van.
na onsen honger allersmakelykst voldaan te hebben, vervolgden wy onsen coers regt zuiden, en arriveerden, een uur na donker aan fagels fontein. het is zeer warm op den dag geweest, de wind met de zon omlopende, wierd met den avond zuiden en scherp koud, zagen grote troppen spring en bonte bokken, ook veel noes. beginnende het veld hier beter te worden en wy meer wild te zien. het verwondert my dat nog leeuw nog rhinoster nog oliphant hier is, zynde er gras en wild en water genoeg, ook geen vogel struis schoon meest vlakte, de schildpadden zyn worden zeker door de wilden vernield, die uit honger alles moeten eten. sterke weerligt rondom desen avond.
translation
[28th December 1777]
28
No dew last night. Good weather, this morning as well. The wind north-west
After a few hours south-south-west we were alongside Castorberg, which was four hours away. We saw many gnus, springbok and bontebok. Gave chase to them and a half-breed Hottentot shot a bontebok at a spring, which we called by this name. Since it was nearly time to outspan, we unyoked and I found that this animal is the same as the one found in the high country, though it was not quite as light in colour. Here we again found a sleeping-place of the savages, but for five or six couples only. Their sleeping-places are like those of an animal: a pit three foot in diameter, seven inches deep in the middle, rising towards the sides. There were some reeds in them and they each contained two people, presumably man and wife. There were some stones on which they had rubbed their paints and had used to smash bones to eat the marrow; and there were also burnt reeds from their fire, since there is no wood here. Where there is wood there are three or four branched sticks on which they hang their victuals.
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When they move house, which they do daily, they take their mats with them, using them to cover one side of their huts. Found some pieces of these here and there.
After we had satisfied our hunger in the most delicious way, we continued our route due south and arrived at Fagelsfontein an hour after dark. It was very hot during the day. The wind, which had veered with the sun, turned south in the evening and it became sharply cold. We saw large herds of springbok and bontebok as well as many gnus. The countryside is starting to improve here and we are beginning to see more game. It surprised me that there are no lions nor rhinoceros nor elephants here, since there is enough game and grass and water. There are also no ostriches, although it is mostly flat country. The tortoises have most probably been destroyed by the savages, who have to eat everything to satisfy their hunger. This evening there was bright lightning about.