224 
BAD FAITH. 
24 May — 3 June, 
being in connexion equally with Klaarwater and with the Kamiesberg, 
undertook to forward letters for the missionaries into the Colony ; 
and mine, being put into the same packet, reached ultimately their 
destination. 
Gert and Hannah, were both in excellent condition, having had 
nothing to do but to sit by the waggons and fatten themselves. They 
informed me that my waggons were in all respects in the state as 
when I left them. I was, however, much vexed at hearing that the 
Hottentot named Cupido Kok had taken my great rifle-gun with him 
to Litaakun ; the consequence of which was, that I lost the use of it 
during my whole journey in the Interior. This man having greatly 
admired the gun, I consented to lend it him till we returned from 
GraalFreynet, as it was too heavy to be constantly carried in the hand ; 
and as he offered to supply its place with a lighter musket. I gave 
him at the same time a pound of gunpowder, for which he engaged 
to let Gert have either game or a sheep in our absence ; but this, I 
now was told, he had not done. 
I made my complaint to the missionary, but soon dropped the 
subject, as I found that the man had been baptized, and that it was 
not pleasant to hear a bad character given to one of whom he held a 
good opinion. 
I had given Gert at my departure, a quantity of powder and ball, 
with which he might obtain a supply of provisions during part of the 
time ; but the person to whom he entrusted it, returned him no more 
than half a springbuck. Captain Kok, however, had fulfilled his 
promise, and had allowed him to have as many goats, on my account, 
as he required. 
Although two of my men were sent out hunting every day, and 
their powder-horns were frequently replenished, we never gotmore than 
one springbuck during our stay at this village. It being known that I 
had plenty of gunpowder^ I was beset in various ways, and have little 
doubt that in this particular, as well as in provisions, my own men 
were often successfully solicited to betray their trust ; as they never 
reported having missed aim, so often as when we were in the neigh- 
bourhood of the Klaarwater Hottentots. Keyser, whom I had sent 
back from the Kloof to the river, for our hatchet, which he had care- 
