Z812. 
THEIR SIGNAL MISTAKEN : THEIR SAFE RETURN. 
283 
more readily pointing out his situation. As soon as Philip and his 
companion had, by riding forward, ascertained that the two Hot- 
tentots and sheep were safe and returning home, they made the 
best of their way to the waggons to give us speedy intelligence that 
all was well. 
In the mean time, we had observed the smoke ; and various 
were the debates among us, respecting the occasion of it : but all 
concluded that it bore a suspicious appearance, and was to be in- 
terpreted as a signal of some misfortune, or of their having been 
found murdered by the Bushmen ; and when, in about an hour 
afterwards, we saw the two horsemen galloping at full speed towards 
us, we were filled with the most melancholy forbodings of the sad 
tidings which, we supposed, they were bringing to us. 
Our rejoicing therefore was the greater, when we were told 
that the lost men, and the sheep were all safe and on their way 
homewards. 
When Speelman and Platje arrived, they were received with 
general congratulation ; and provisions, of which they stood much 
in need, were immediately set before them. Their account was ; 
that, having fallen in with the track of the sheep, they followed it 
in expectation of soon overtaking them ; and with this hope were 
led on the whole day, till the darkness of evening prevented their 
discerning the footmarks any longer. They then lay down to sleep, 
and passed the night in the open plain, without fire or food. On 
their way they had seen two springs of water, one of which ap- 
peared capable of affording a copious supply at all seasons. At day 
break the next morning they continued to follow the track, surprised 
at being led by it so far j and at length came up with the flock, at 
some distance beyond our last station at Knegt's Fountain. That 
they were not discovered and carried off by the Bushmen, or devoured 
in the night by beasts of prey, was a circumstance to be attributed 
only to singular good fortune. 
These two men had seen nothing of the natives during the whole 
time ; and as none, excepting the few already mentioned, came near 
us, on our journey from Klaarwater to the northern limits of their 
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