300 
MUCHUNKA'S ORATIONS 
29, 30 June, 
the map, by the words Kruman Station, close to the Kamhanni 
mountains.* 
Although we had advanced many miles into the country, we 
had not yet met a single Bichuana. In the evening, while sitting at 
my usual employments in the waggon, my attention was frequently 
attracted by Muchunka, whose extraordinary manner this evening, 
appeared for a long time unintelligible. He was sitting with the rest 
of the men around the fire, and conversing with them either in the 
Dutch, or in the Hottentot, language ; when suddenly he started up, 
and without leaving his place, held a long oration in Sichuana, in a 
tone of voice astonishingly vociferous. This he did repeatedly in the 
course of the evening : yet none of the natives were seen, nor did 
any come near us that night. But the object of these theatrical 
movements, was to let them know, that we were friends ; and, should 
any one, seeing the waggons and observing men in European dress, 
approach us with hostile intentions, to give them notice, by the sound 
of their own language, that some of their countrymen were with our 
party : or should they, on the contrary, be intimidated by our appear- 
ance, these speeches were to have the effect of encouraging them to 
come forward. 
30^^. We remained a day at this place, for the purpose of 
hunting ; as it was necessary to recruit our stock of provisions before 
we proceeded farther. Six Hottentots were thus employed, and not 
without success, as they brought home two species of antelope which 
I had not before met with, and of which I found no account in any 
of the zoological books I had with me. Their skins were therefore a 
greater prize than the meat. 
. . One is called Paala (Parla) by the Bichuanas, and is known 
by the name of Roodebok (Redbuck) to those of the Mixed Hot- 
tentots who have travelled into this country ; for, although very 
* The word Kamhanni may possibly be a corruption of Krumani. I have once 
heard these mountains called by the name of Nchb Jamhaan which latter word may pro- 
bably have been a careless mode of speaking Kamhanni. 
