344 
HOTTENTOT ALMANACK. — GLOOMY SILENCE. 10, 11 July, 
Southern Africa, excepting the Hottentots of the Colony, who 
perhaps have borrowed the idea from others, ever keep a similar 
account. 
Among my men, Speelman was regarded by his companions as 
the grand almanach-maker^ and was often referred to, for the day of 
the week : and I have sometimes, on putting to him questions relat- 
ing to the past occurrences of the journey, been surprised at the 
accuracy with which he was by these means enabled to recollect when - 
they happened. If he was in doubt, he would pull out his ' almanack,' 
which was always secured to some part of his dress by a small thong 
of leather, and after examining his notches, tell me correctly, or 
very nearly, the length of time which had passed. It is not meant 
to be asserted that these tallies were infallible ; or that they were in 
any light extraordinary, unless when viewed as the effort of an 
untutored Hottentot. 
Wth. During the whole of the preceding evening and this 
morning, I remarked an unusual and melancholy silence prevailing 
among my people : the sound of the fiddle was never once heard ; 
and conversation and laughter no longer enlivened the fireside. As 
I sat alone in my waggon, I might have fancied that all my men had 
deserted me : when I came to the fire, it seemed from this strange 
stillness, as if a funeral were about to take place, and that we were 
now going to commit to the earth, the bodies of some of our com- 
panions who had just been murdered. I looked around to discover 
the cause, but saw nothing which could inform me; no one appeared 
unwell, or to have met with any accident ; all the party were 
together ; all my cattle were safe ; all the wheels were entire. Still, 
it was certain that this gloominess and dejection could not exist 
unless there had happened some serious misfortune to occasion so 
sudden a change from mirth to melancholy. But none of my people 
seemed willing to disclose to me the distressing secret ; and, expect- 
ing some intelligence fatal to ray expedition, I was almost afraid to 
ask for information. 
At length, by waiting some time at their fire, I discovered by a 
few short remarks which they occasionally made to each other, that — 
