1812. 
VAN ROYE AND CORNELIS. 
461 
Mattivi, on seeing me arm myself to pursue this man, had 
quitted his party and alone followed me at a short distance, as if to 
witness the result ; but he said nothing, nor in any manner interposed 
his authority, either to restrain my proceedings or to assist them, 
As soon as we had reached the waggons, I assembled my men, 
and in their presence, declared to Coimelis that unless he begged my 
pardon for the great disrespect of which he had been guilty, I would 
instantly have him punished. He seemed to hesitate. At this 
moment 1 felt myself placed in that critical situation which was 
balanced between violent measures and all the dangers of ineffective 
authority. Nothing could be more discordant to my disposition, or 
wishes, than the former, nor more fatal to the expedition, than the 
latter. While I assumed the appearance of a firm resolution to have 
my threats put immediately into execution, I in reality made a delay of 
a minute or two, in order to give him time to reflect on the dangerous 
position in which we all stood. This had the effect so much hoped 
for ; and he at length begged pardon for his conduct. He did it, 
however, in so unwilling a manner, that it was evident that I had 
preserved nothing more than the bare appearance of my command. 
When this affair was ended, as I supposed, and all had returned 
to their hut, Mattivi and Mollemmi came to my waggon, and sat with 
me for about half an hour. In the course of our conversation, he 
noticed what had just passed, and said, he was glad that I had suc- 
ceeded by words, in making him obedient; that whenever any of his 
servants were disobedient, he always endeavoured to bring them to 
their duty by the same means. 
But during that time, Cornells, whom my manner had alarmed 
into a concession of his error, had recovered his refractory spirit, and 
began to repent of having shown submission. As soon as they were 
gone, he came once more to the waggon to ask me why I went to 
him with arms in my hand. I succeeded in stifling all my anger at 
this revival of his insolence, and replied ; that I should give neither 
him, nor any of my men, reasons for what I did ; that I most 
seriously advised him not to try the experiment of again irritating 
me, but to go away and remember that as he was my servant, he was 
