April.] DISTRESS OF THE MATCHAPPEES. 
193 
standing in a complete quagmire, so that it was 
almost impossible to take one step from them 
without having the shoes covered with mire ; 
and being on flat ground, in the bed of the river, 
it was impossible to drain off the water. The 
Matchappees who had slept in the tent were 
much depressed and discouraged, no people 
being sooner affected by rain and damp than they 
are. Their situation was rendered more de- 
pressing in consequence of their having devoured 
all the stock of flesh, which, with ordinary mo- 
deration, ought to have lasted for four or five days 
longer; but eat they will while they have it, 
without once thinking from whence supplies are 
to come for the future. They all sat in sorrowful 
silence, but when I presented them with a little 
snuff their tongues were loosened for a short time. 
One of the Hottentots said that he had 
wounded a hartebeast on the preceding day, and 
was sure it must have died ; but our Matchappees 
would rather remain and starve in the tent than 
go out in the rain to search for it. They com- 
plained that they were very hungry, but we told 
them they must endure it with patience till the 
rain was over, and we had killed some animal ; 
which they considered poor consolation, from the 
gloomy appearance of the weather. 
Observing Kleinfeld to be without shoes, not- 
VOL. I. o 
