A DISAPPOINTMENT. 159 



the stream ; and should, therefore, wait until we 

 heard from him in reply to my communication. 

 Proceeding with this note to the river, I found some 

 Corannas about to cross, and agreed with one of 

 them to take charge of it, and to deliver it to Mr. 

 Melville, upon condition that on his return I would 

 give him the trowsers I then wore, particularly stipu- 

 lating that the buttons should be included, which 

 indeed were the principal object of attraction. 

 Placing the letter in a handkerchief, which he bound 

 round his head, he launched into the stream upon a 

 log of wood about his own length, commonly used 

 for this purpose, called a paard, or horse, upon which 

 he managed with great dexterity to stem the rapid 

 current. 



We waited anxiously all day in expectation of our 

 messenger's return, but it was not until the next 

 morning that we descried a party of horsemen on 

 the opposite bank, coming at full speed across the 

 mountain to the drift. Hoping to meet our friend, 

 I went down to the river, but was disappointed 

 on finding that it was a party of Griquas, who had 

 come post-haste on the report of the messenger, 

 under the impression that I had arrived on a trading- 

 expedition ; and bringing accordingly an immense 

 horn, capable of containing at least a gallon of 

 spirits, with which they calculated on being supplied, 

 and manifested strong symptoms of disappointment 

 on discovering their mistake. They were extremely 



