122 JOURNAL OF A 
our tent on the waste, cooked our supper, and having commended 
ourselves to the protection of God, slept well on our mattrasses, 
till half past five in the morning. 
7th. We had not proceeded far, before we were stopped bj a 
boor on horseback. He came on full speed, jumped off his horse 
close to our waggon, shook hands with each of the party, and ob- 
served, that we had a Hottentot with us, Lebrecht Aris, who was 
bound by a regular contract made with him, to come and work at 
his farm, immediately after New-year, but had not made his appear- 
ance. Brother Schmitt ordered Lebrecht to come forward. The 
boor no sooner saw him, than his whole countenance changed from 
affected friendliness, to that of an infuriated demon. He began to 
rave at the poor Hottentot, without permitting him to utter a word 
in his own defence. Never in my life have I heard Dutch spoken 
with such fluency. As his rage increased with every sentence, the 
guttural sounds of that elegant language, seemed to proceed deeper 
and deeper from the bottom of his throat. At length, almost 
breathless with exertion, he turned to Brother Schmitt, and de- 
manded, whether he would give up the man. On being answered in 
the negative, he mounted his horse, and gallopped oft' to the Veld- 
cornet's house, which lay in sight and near the road. We followed 
quietly, and Brother Schmitt going up to the door with Lebrecht, 
the Veldcornet, on examination, being doubtful as to the validity 
of the contract, thought proper to suffer the Hottentot to accom- 
pany us, but promised the boor, that after our return, he might 
claim his services. Poor Lebrecht stood dumbfounded, nor would 
the boor sutler him to speak. It was to us a very unpleasant adven- 
ture, not only because it occasioned delay, but as the character of 
our Hottentots was imphcated. 
This instance, however, was one among man}^ which shows the in- 
justice sometimes done to these poor people, if left without protec- 
tion to the mercy of the boors ; and here it may be proper to antici- 
pate, by giving an explanation of the business, as it appeared, on 
examination, before the landdrost of Zweliendam, on our return. 
