Chap. V.J SOUTHERN AFRICA. 



CHAPTER V. 



FROM GRAAFF REINET, BY THE SNOWY MOUN- 

 TAINS, TO THE BORDERS OF THE COLONY. 



Every preparation for our final departure was 

 completed on the 1st September ; but that day, so 

 auspicious to sportsmen in Europe, " looked lowering 

 upon us," — dawning with a tremendous deluge of 

 rain, which continued until after noon, and afforded 

 the Hottentots more than sufficient leisure to indulge 

 in their vicious propensities. In accordance with 

 advice that we had received, but the futility of which 

 we were not long in discovering, they had each 

 been furnished with a musket, as a defence aorainst 

 the wild beasts and savages ; and it will be seen 

 hereafter, that whilst their pusillanimity prevented 

 their turning these weapons to our advantage, they 

 employed them but too successfully in scaring the 

 game from our encampments. On the present 

 occasion our astonishment may be conceived, when 

 on preparing to start in the evening, one-half of 

 the muskets were found to be already in pawn, and 

 the proceeds squandered in the gin-shop. As a 

 consequence, most of the Hottentots themselves were 

 discovered to be in such a brutal state of inebriety, 

 that we were obliged — after various ineffectual 

 attempts to rouse them, on our own part and that of 



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