1812. 
FICKLENESS OF HOTTENTOTS. 
67 
themselves into that mild and tranquil state, in which no evil thoughts 
approach the mind. The soft and delicate voices of the girls, instinc- 
tively accordant to those of the women and the men ; the gentle 
clapping of the hands ; the rattles of the dancer ; and the mellow 
sound of the water-drum ; all harmoniously attuned, and keeping time 
together ; the peaceful happy countenances of the party ; and the 
cheerful light of the fire, — were circumstances so combined, and fitted 
to produce the most soothing effects on the senses, that I sat as if the 
hut had been my home, and felt in the midst of this horde as though 
I had been one of them ; for some few moments, ceasing to think of 
sciences or of Europe, and forgetting that I was a lonely stranger in 
a land of wild untutored men. 
Thus the evening passed ; and thus the pleasing recreation 
beguiled the hours of night, and stole their sleep away ; till morn- 
ing light announced that other duties claimed their time. But 
the past fatigues of the day, sensibly reminded me of rest, and forced 
me reluctantly to quit the party at midnight ; leaving them still in- 
tent on dancing. 
1th. When I rose the next morning, I found that my Hottentots 
had changed their mind with respect to hunting the rhinoceros, and 
wished to defer it till the following day. A fit of laziness had sud- 
denly come upon them ; for which, as they had rested the entire day 
before, there was no excuse, unless the expectation of a hotter day 
than usual might have been urged. But as we had publicly pro- 
mised to the whole kraal, that we would hunt on this day, and as 
the Bushmen were already preparing to show them the way, I insisted 
on making good our word, lest we should be considered as unwilling 
to oblige them, and, thus forfeit some portion of their present favor- 
able opinion of us. They therefore prepared immediately ; and at 
seven o'clock they started, having with them about a dozen natives 
to assist in looking out for the animals. In this instance, one feature 
in the Hottentot character was strongly exhibited ; the uncertainty 
and fickleness of their plans : for, on being roused from their lazi- 
ness, they seemed now to be as eager and ready for the chase, as 
before, they had been disinclined and dilatory. Instead of the hunters 
only, or such as were good marksmen, all now of my own people 
K 2 
