1812. 
A RIDE BACK TO THE KRUMAN. 
313 
while to take a journey back to our last station, to search for a small 
pocket-knife which was now missed and supposed to have been lost 
at that place. It was composed of various articles of convenience, 
some of which were of great service in the operations of preparing 
the birds for my collection. 
As the most important post for myself, was to remain by the 
waggons for their protection, I appointed Van Roye and Cornelis, as 
being the horsemen and having hitherto done less than any of the 
others, to ride back and seek for it at the spot where the waggon 
had stood. On this occasion, I made the unfortunate discovery, 
that, in time of danger, Van Royes courage would be as little to be 
depended on, as Gerfs : and I began to feel the mortifying persuasion, 
that he would prove on trial, to be as timid as he had already proved 
himself lazy. No sooner did he hear that he was appointed to this 
duty, than he began to complain of a pain in his back, which, he 
said, rendered him utterly unable to ride on horseback ; although he 
had ridden twenty miles the day before, and had not till this moment, 
been heard to complain of any illness. One of the other Hottentots, 
however, betrayed the truth, that the only pain he felt was that of 
fear. 
In this case, no compulsion could be used, as I had determined 
never to require any service, which my people could possibly call 
unreasonable ; and therefore appointed Keyser in his place. Yet, on 
further reflection, suspecting that even these two would not really 
go so far as the Kruman, but would merely keep out of sight the 
whole day and make their appearance in the evening with a report of 
their not having been successful in their search, I resolved on 
going thither myself, Gert having hinted that most of the Hot- 
tentots had more or less reluctance to venture alone so far from 
the waggons. 
Accordingly I set out early in the forenoon, taking with me only 
Cornelis. We were both well armed, and supplied with a good 
stock of cartridges ; and had taken care to provide ourselves not 
only with four and twenty hours' provisions, but also with the means 
of producing fire. 
VOL. II. s s 
