462 
ADMONITION TO THE REFRACTORY. 
23, 24 July, 
bound to be obedient and to do the duty to which I thought proper 
to appoint him ; and that, let the consequences be what they might, 
I was resolved that my men should obey me. Seeing therefore no 
prospect of gaining the mastery by intimidation, he made no further 
reply, but walked quietly away. 
I afterwards took an opportunity of talking to Speelman, who, 
I knew, disapproved of his conduct and reprobated his uselessness. 
I desired him to advise the other to be cautious in his behaviour, 
never in future to attempt resistance to his master ; and to tell him 
that I recommended him, as he had learnt to read, to look frequently 
over the written agreement by which he was engaged in my service, 
and to conform to what was there stated to be his duty ; and that he 
and all the rest of my men might know that if I required of them any 
unreasonable service or acted unjustly towards them, I was amenable 
to authorities in the Colony as much as they were ; but that, as long 
as we were wandering in a country where unanimity was necessary to 
our safety, I would be obeyed ; and that it should be perilous for any 
man of them to resist my orders. 
Thus ended one of the most turbulent days which I had 
experienced since the commencement of my journey. 
24^7i. On the next day Cornells came in a respectful manner to 
ask for some leather, that he might make himself a pair of shoes ; all 
Hottentots generally, being their own shoemakers. He begged that 
he might be allowed to remain at home to make them, and that I 
would in the mean time appoint some one in his place, to attend the 
oxen till his shoes were ready. 
Although this seemed to wear some little appearance of being 
only a plea for deferring an open submission to my former regula- 
tion, yet, as I considered his refractory spirit as now subdued, I gave 
him immediately what he asked for. I took this opportunity of 
calmly admonishing him against disobedience, and of advising him, 
as well as the others, that, if they thought a reasonable objection 
existed against any orders which I might issue, they should rather 
represent the case to me in a respectful manner, when they might be 
assured that I should always be ready to listen, and, that if their 
