208 
RETURN OF THE HORSEMEN. 
17 May, 
kind than tliat which they themselves make by their virtuous or 
vicious conduct. 
llth. The absence of the other three men, caused me con- 
siderable uneasiness, as we were unable to account for their having 
remained away two nights. They were all mounted on horseback, 
and could easily have overtaken us ; or have escaped from any 
inimical kraal of natives who, mistaking them for part of a com- 
mando, might have made any hostile attempt upon them. At one 
time, a suspicion arose in my mind, tliat they had deserted, and re- 
turned back to the Colony ; at another, I believed them to be waiting 
for us lower dov>'n the river. In hope, if they happened to be near, 
of giving them notice of our situation, I sent one of the people to a 
hillock close by, to make a large fire and keep it burning for several 
hours ; and I resolved in the afternoon to move forward along the 
banks of the river. 
Having waited till more than two hours after mid-day, I gave 
orders for packing the oxen : but just as we were on the point of 
departing, Van Roye, Cornells, and Platje, made their appearance ; 
having been guided by our fire on the hill. Their story was, that 
having hunted for a great distance northward, and not discovering 
our track, nor falling in with any Bushmen of whom they could ask 
information, they concluded that we were still remaining at Kaabi's 
new kraal, which we had distinguished as the kraal where we had 
obtained the two oxen, and that they had returned thither in search 
of us. The inhabitants there had behaved very kindly towards them; 
and, being just about to remove their whole village, Kaabi had not 
thought it worth while to send any of his people with us to bring 
back the two pack-oxen ; but desired the Hottentots to tell me that 
I might keep them till I again returned to his country. 
We travelled parallel with the river about eleven or twelve miles, 
over a flat covered principally with a species of Mesembri/anthemum* ; 
and at twilight halted on the banks, at a spot abounding in rushes, and 
* Resembling Mesembryanthemum veruculatum. 
