1812. 
AT KOSI FOUNTAIN. 
275 
had no occasion for it on the journey, having previously cast as much 
ball as the quantity of gunpowder he took with him would require. 
This quantity, I found, was no more than the pound which I had 
then given him, and which was now very nearly expended ; so that 
he was, as he confessed to Gert, venturing his journey homewards 
with scarcely any ammunition for his defence. He had, indeed, 
another gun in his waggon, the bullet-mould of which he offered me 
instead of my own ; but this could be of no service as it was much 
too small. He was therefore told that, as the rifle was the most 
important of all our guns, and its use absolutely indispensable for the 
prosecution of my journey, I would wait at our present station till he 
had returned home and despatched a man on horseback to me with 
the mould ; that I would not proceed without it, and that as soon as 
it was received I would return him his own gun, which I had brought 
with me in expectation of meeting him at Litakun ; and that it was 
entirely through his own neglect, or want of reflection, that he had 
not brought it, knowing as he did, that my gun was useless with- 
out it. He at first objected to the trouble of sending a horse and 
man back so far; but it was represented to him that the distance 
was barely fourteen hours at a usual and moderate pace, and might 
be performed with ease, and without danger even for one man ; 
and that it was but just that he should take this trouble, as he alone 
had occasioned the necessity for it. 
Although he was apparently little pleased with my proposal, 
yet as he made no objection to it, I concluded that the matter was 
thus settled ; and returned to my waggon. 
I sent to him the buffalo-skin, to be given to his nephew Captain 
Dam, as payment for an eland-skin which he had supplied for the use 
of my waggons : and Speelman and Juli on their own account, 
requested him to take home for their wives some dried meat ; but, 
not being in a very obliging humour, he gave them an immediate 
refusal, though he might have granted their request, without the least 
inconvenience to himself 
Apparently with a view of giving vent to his ill-temper, and to be 
revenged for my insisting on having the mould, he took advantage of 
N N 2 . 
