130 
THE BUSHBOY RESTORED TO LIFE. 
22, 23 March, 
thing around him ; and Phihp and Speelman repeatedly gave their 
opinion, that he would never speak again. 
I saw that it was necessary to restore the activity of the vital 
functions, which the cold seemed to have nearly stopped : I was re- 
gretting that we had nothing of a stimulating quality to give him, 
when the recollection of having a bottle of volatile alkali, gave me 
some hopes. I immediately prepared in water, as much as half a 
teacup-ful, of as great a strength as could safely be administered. 
It would appear by the use which I made of it, that I regarded 
this medicine as my panacea ; for I gave a dose to the three old men ; 
and the rest had so much confidence in it, that they were desirous 
of taking some also ; but as I thought they could be restored without 
its aid, I judged it more prudent to reserve it for those who might 
have the misfortune to be bitten by serpents. Ruiter suffered almost 
as much as the boy ; and was also speechless : but the warmth of the 
fire at last re-animated him. Hans Lucas's appearance was most 
miserable, and Berends's countenance was equally sad ; but our Bush^ 
man Nieuwveld bore the cold much better than his countryman. 
At length the boy was enabled to move his limbs ; he crept nearer 
to the fire, and in a little time afterwards recovered his speech enough 
to tell me that the medicine had done him much good. After nursing 
him for about two hours, I rejoiced to find him sufficiently restored to 
be able to eat ; and in order to fortify him against the night, I desired 
him to eat a large quantity of food ; a request which is never unseason- 
able to a Bushman. Cobus, and the rest, revived by degrees ; but all 
the party sat over the fire very melancholy and dejected. 
The rain now had ceased for a short time, and the men took the 
opportunity to cook their dinner, or rather, supper. The apathy or 
forgetfulness of Hottentots, was here well exemplified': they had taken 
their own meal, without ever once thinking of their master, who, in 
the mean while, had been too much engaged in attending the boy, 
to think of himself But being reminded by hunger, I ordered 
Philip to broil a piece of meat, while I sought for a place where 
I could pass the night : for it was then evening ; the clouds had 
