AFRICA. 93 
felf an invincible competitor in the rivalflilp 
of fmoking as well as of drinking ; and I felt 
that the admiration his perfeverance produced, 
turned but little to the advantage of my ef- 
feminacy. 
Not but I was perfeflly aware that Paterfon 
had conduded himfelf like a wife and con- 
fiderate man. Obliged to live with drunkards, 
and to depend upon their kindnefs, he had the 
prudence to conform himfelf to circumftances 
and yield to their prejudices. I fiiould myfelf 
have done the fame, if my conftitution would 
have admitted of it. But my impotence in 
this refpedt Vv^as not lefs than my averfion ; atid, 
capable of fupporting every other kind of fa- 
tigue, I had no fkill in the art of hard drinks 
ing, and leaft of all in the drinking fpirits. 
My intention in returning to Van der Weft- 
huyfen's was to obtain from him and his bro- 
ther-in-law, that they fhould each of them fell 
me a team. Piet Barter had left me, to return 
to his horde ; and my own oxen, with the ad-^ 
dition of thofe I had bought of his brother, 
were certainly not fufficient for the drawing 
of three waggons. Anxious about the con- 
dition in which I found myfelf, I was impa- 
tient 
