1812. 
IMPRUDENCE. — SYMPTOMS OF TIMIDITY. 
265 
tial and unexpected arrival of a large party of colonists under Land- 
drost Van de GraafF, rescued them from the death which awaited 
them, and obliged the barbarous robbers to take instantly to flight. * 
The two unfortunate Hottentots were certainly to blame for their 
imprudence in venturing, with so little probability of being able to 
defend themselves, to traverse a country of lawless savages, with a 
large quantity of property, by which the wretches were too strongly 
tempted to attack them. 
This fatal occurrence has contributed to impress the Hottentots 
with the idea that the Bushmen inhabiting the country between 
Ongeluks fountain and the Kamhanni mountains, are more ferocious 
and dangerous than any others ; and, consequently, a mutual mis- 
trust and enmity now exists between them. While we were at 
Klaarwater, it was not omitted to infuse into the minds of my men, 
serious fears on this account, and I had the vexation of witnessing 
their effects on several occasions. 
Under the impression, probably, of this story, Gert, when he 
came to my waggon in the evening, seemed, by several indirect ques- 
tions which he asked, to be very desirous of ascertaining the course 
and extent of my journey, and spoke as if he hoped, and expected, 
that I should advance no farther than Litakun. He, and all the 
rest of my people, knew that it was my intention to explore the 
country beyond ; and therefore, as these questions could only be 
the result or symptoms of that timidity with which they had been in- 
fected at that village, the discovery of such symptoms at so early a 
period, and at so great a distance from any real cause for apprehen- 
sion, could not but open a source of some uneasiness. I had no 
doubt that, being admitted, in compassion to his late misfortune, 
to more familiarity than the rest, he was employed to find out the 
real plan of my journey, and at the same time to hint to me their 
disinclination to venture far into the Interior. On being told that 
he must not expect our journey to terminate at that town, he replied 
* Dr. Lichtenstein, who happened to be one of the landdrost's party, gives in his 
Travels, an interesting account of this occurrence. 
VOL. 11. MM 
