1812. BERENDS AND MOLLEMMI DEPART. — THE WAGGONS. 479 
my birth or those to whom I was now writing. This letter, at length, 
safely reached its destination, and was, perhaps, the first ever received 
in Europe, which bore a date from Litakun. 
Berends and Hendrik having ended their bartering at this town, 
were ready with their waggons and all their party, to take leave 
of me at noon ; but I detained them an hour longer, till I had con- 
cluded my letter. They intended soon after their return home, to 
make a journey to the Cape ; and promised to take the utmost care 
of every thing which I had committed to their charge : a promise 
which I afterwards, at my final return to Cape Town, found they had 
performed with the greatest punctuality. At parting, I made them 
some further presents ; to which I added some more gunpowder, as 
they complained of being in great want of it. For this indispensable 
provision for a journey, they expressed the warmest thanks ; the quan- 
tity being estimated as sufficient for procuring more meat than they 
could obtain by killing four or five of their oxen. 
They were accompanied by MoUemmi ; and I was not sorry at his 
leaving Litakun : for, his frequent importunities for gunpowder and 
his unremitted endeavours to get possession of another musket, were 
the source of much uneasiness and vexation to me. His intention, 
however, was only to visit Klaarwater ; and though I had earnestly 
advised him to take advantage of so favorable an opportunity for 
going to the Cape, he was obstinate in refusing to make that journey 
with any one but myself 
2Sth. The dryness of the weather had caused the fellies of the 
little waggon to shrink so much, that the joints began to open, and 
the tire itself became loose. This misfortune was not entirely to be 
attributed to the weather, as the larger waggon, made by Kilian in 
Cape Town, was still in perfect order ; while the one bought of 
De Bruyn at Tulbagh, was beginning already to fall to pieces. The 
difference was occasioned by the fellies having been made of timber 
not duly seasoned. I therefore employed Juli in filling up the 
vacancy between the tire and the fellies, with small wedges of wood 
dipped in tar and driven in as tightly as possible. A crowd of natives 
stood around us, watching our operations ; and, if it be in the nature 
