Third Journey (MS 107/2)
15th October 1778
transcription
[15th October 1778]
15
vertrokken na prinslo oost aan dog met een draay om de bos berg
peilde van bruintjes hoogte de hoek der sneewbergen van lottering w:h:n: de beer w:n:w: desen dag goed weer weste slappe wind arriveerde voor den middag by prinslo term: 67 tot 84. en d tot 78.
hoorden van de boeren dat er enige duisend caffers in de bergen lagen om met ons te vegten. ook kwam Jacob Joubert en deed een groot beklag. twyfelde aan de zaak en reed, (na enen durand die gepasseerde jaar met my by de caffers geweest was, gevraagt te hebben of hy me wilde gaan. dog hy declineerde zulks.) alleen na de caffers dewelke ik onder Capt Coba maar twe uur van hier trof
hy bleef in het begin leggen en scheen soubsonneus, dog toen hem vroeg of hy zyn broer gordon niet meer kende sprong hy vrolyk op en gaf my vriendelyk de hand. ik proponeerde hem na onse grote Captein mede te gaan dat hy accepteerde met 39 van zyn volk, zy wilden hunne assagaays niet mede nemen.
translation
[15th October 1778]
15
We left eastwards from Prinsloo, with a turn going round the Bosberg. From Bruintjes Hoogte measured the angle of the Sneeuberg range at Lottering's, west half north; De Beer, west north west. Good weather today. Soft west wind. Arrived at Prinsloo before noon.
Thermometer. 67 degrees to 84 degrees and dropping to 78 degrees
We heard from the farmers that there were several thousand Caffres in the mountains, waiting to fight us. Jacob Joubert also came and complained greatly. I had doubts about the case and – after having asked a certain Durand, who had been with me to the Caffres last year, whether he would go with me again, but he declined – I rode alone to the Caffres, whom I encountered only two hours from here under their chief Coba. At first he remained lying down and appeared suspicious. But when I asked him if he no longer knew his brother, Gordon, he jumped up merrily and gave me his hand cordially. I proposed that he should come with me to our great Chief which he accepted with thirty-nine of his people. They did not want to take their assegais with them.