53 
nothing of their language, and for some 
time I endeavoured to explain myself by 
signs. Fortunately there was a Hottentot 
present, who had lived with the Dutch 
farmers, and could speak their language. 
My third mate was a Dutchman, and these 
served as interpreters. 
This difficulty being happily removed, I 
endeavoured by every means in my power 
to secure the friendship of the natives. I 
thanked them in the name of my whole 
crew, and on the part of my nation, for 
the liberal and humane assistance they 
had afforded us in the hour of our mis- 
fortune, and solicited their future kindness 
and support. 
This being, as I conceived, at no great 
distance from the spot where the Grosve- 
nor was lost in 1782, I inquired of the 
natives whether any of them remembered 
such a catastrophe. Most of them an- 
swered in the affirmative, and, ascending 
one of the sand-hills, pointed to the place 
where the Grosvenor suffered. 
I then desired to know of them whether 
they had received any certain accounts re- 
