A F RIGA, 139 
Ithey may be in a higher latitude than that of 
the frontiers of the colony. I fliall particu- 
larife elfewhere my reafons for fpeaking in this 
manner, and the resdcr will fee in what mif- 
fortunes I was involved by undertaking this 
journey at an unfeafonable period. 
It w^as then the month of January, and, 
agreeably to the advice of the Colonel, 1 was 
not to depart till May. By deferring it fo 
long, I could make my preparations at my lei- 
fure, with more care, and even with more eco- 
nomy : another advantage w^as, that it would 
enable me to complete, as far as poilible, a cdl- 
Jedion of the animals of the cplony. My dif- 
after in the bay of Saldanha had confiderably 
injured this project, and now that it was in my 
power to finilli it, I could not fufFer the oppor- 
tunity to efcape. 
Such of the Hottentots as I had retained in 
piy fervice fince my firfl: journey, were at 
Groene-Kloof, employed in keeping and look- 
ing after my oxen. I paid a vifit to my herds 
and their guardians, and had reafon to be fatif- 
fied with both. Remarking however that, 
among my cattle, there were three or four 
which had been too much fatigued by their 
former 
