140 
THE ACTING-LANDDROST. 
25, 26 March, 
no time in conferring with the acting-landdrost, on the readiest mode 
of hiring the number of Hottentots required. He called upon me 
in the evening, for this purpose, and stated that he was unable to 
point out where any such men could be found ; that he knew of none 
who were at this time out of service ; that this scarcity was in great 
part, occasioned by the commando against the Caffres, the demands 
for which, had drained all the neighbouring districts ; and that he 
had himself no power in this case, because, being merelj' an acting- 
landdrost until the regular appointment of another, he felt unwilling 
to proceed without the instructions and authority of the commandant 
of the troops on the frontier, who happened to be the same Colonel 
Graham, from whose regiment I had obtained my Hottentot Philip. 
It was therefore agreed, that he should write on the morrow to ex- 
plain the affair to the commandant, and solicit his assistance, and an 
early answer. 
On the death of the late landdrost, the duties of the office 
devolved in the interim, according to established custom, upon one 
of the Heemraaden : and this now fell to the lot of Mr. Paul Mare, 
a respectable burgher and shopkeeper of the village. This situ- 
ation of affairs was, therefore, not the best suited to my visit, 
and appeared likely to detain me longer at Graaffreynet, than 
I had calculated, on the supposition of finding that office held by 
Mr. Stockenstrom. I felt much disappointed at hearing it stated by 
the landdrost, that he had not this power ; as, whatever might have 
been the reasons which induced him to think so, I myself at the 
same time believed that he was fully competent to give me the assist- 
ahce I required, and was afterwards convinced that my opinion was 
right. 
My men did not arrive till the dusk of the evening, but 
the little Bushman was not with them. He had remained in the hut till 
the moment of their coming away ; when he had taken an oppor- 
tunity of slipping off unperceived by any one. They waited a long 
while searching for him in every direction ; but could discover no 
traces ; and therefore concluded that his absence was intentional, and 
that he meant to return to his kraal. We remarked that he had ap- 
peared very contented with us, as long as we w^ere alone ; but when 
