1812. 
SUFFERINGS FROM FATIGUE AND THIRST. 
205 
I6th. But in the morning I gave my visitors a meal ; for which 
they were exceedingly thankful, as they had not, I fear, feasted 
much in our absence. 
At two in the afternoon, Speelman arrived, extremely fatigued 
and exhausted. The sky having been all day cloudless, the heat of 
the sun had reduced him to a state of great lassitude. He declared 
that he had neither eaten nor drunk since yesterday morning ; and 
his appearance confirmed his statement. He could give no account 
of the others, as they had parted company soon after setting out : 
and he himself had been wandering about, and traversing the 
country, in hope of getting a shot at some game; but had been quite 
unsuccessful. He had fallen in with two of the natives ; and they 
passed the night together, under shelter of a bank of earth, where 
they found a small cave, in which they slept. 
I gave to the people of Poverty Kraal, a large quantity of dakka, 
and desired them, in their way home, to look out for my people, and, 
if they saw any, or could discover them by following their track, to 
give them directions respecting our situation. They took leave of us 
at three o'clock ; and in a most friendly manner assured me that they 
would search for my people and send them home. 
On observing some quakkas at a distance in the plain, Philip and 
Juli with their guns went after them ; but were strongly enjoined not 
to pursue them out of sight of our station. In an hour afterwards, 
one of them returned with the agreeable intelligence of their having 
shot a kanna (eland) j the other remained by the carcass to guard it 
from vultures and wild beasts. Pack-oxen were immediately sent 
off ; but it was not till eight at night, that the meat was brought 
home, and we were enabled to satisfy the cravings of hunger. 
In an hour and a half after the Bushmen left us, Keyser and 
Stuurman arrived, faint and weary from their long wanderings, and 
sufferins: much from thirst. I ordered them to have as soon as 
possible, a cup of coffee, which I knew to be, for persons in their 
state, a much safer and more refreshing beverage than water. They 
had, in their way this morning, shot a Gemsbolc (Ghemsbok) ; and to 
so high a degree had the heat of the day raised their thirst, that 
they eagerly cut open the animal's stomach, and with the greatest 
