Third Journey (MS 107/2)
1st December 1778
transcription
[1st December 1778]
1 dec
mooy warm weer, stil in den morgen, met den middag weste wind, fris, wat bewolkt. term. 65 80 70,
ben veel beter, maaken klarigheid om weder veldwaards in te trekken. Sakrivier, vis en rietrivier loopen in grote rivier, de namacquas melken altyd op den middag
houden hunne handen om hoog eer sy melk drinken, vele van hunne voorleden der vingers af gesneden de bosjemans, men ziet zelden de voorlid van de kleine kinderen op hunne kleine vinger de middel vinger somtyds twe leden, zeiden voor een ziekte eene kloot saadbal veler grote namacquas uitgesneden
s’avons quam capt: de lille, de botanist patterson, en van Rhenen van de caap om my te besoeken, hebbende myne siekte gehoord.
translation
[1st December 1778]
1st Dec
Fine warm weather. Calm in the morning; at midday a fresh west wind, somewhat cloudy. Thermometer: 65 -80 - 70.
Am much better. We are making ready to go into the country once more. The Sak River, Vis River and Riet River run into the Groot River. Namaquas always milk at noon. They hold their hands high before drinking milk. Many have the first joint of their fingers cut off (like Bushmen). One seldom sees small children with the first joint of their little finger, sometimes two joints of the middle finger; they say they do this for a sickness. Most of the Groot Namaquas have one testicle cut out. In the evening Captain de Lille, the Botanist Paterson and Van Reenen came from the Cape to visit me, having heard of my illness.