246 JOURNAL OF A 
turned with us, that he might not lose the bargain he proposed to 
himself, bj selling us a spann of oxen, according to a former offer. 
By the way, we dined in a pleasant valley, under some trees. At 
Essenbosch we staid but a short time, to purchase some wheaten 
bread, and a rehbock antelope, shot by a Hottentot lad, for 
which he asked a dollar and a half Brother Schmitt proposed to 
him, to take a boschlemmer knife instead of the money, lest he 
should spend the latter in brandy, and lose all advantage of his 
day's work. Our Hottentots likewise urged him to take the knife, 
which, after long demur, he agreed to; but, still undetermined, fum- 
bled about, and among several knives, could not find one to suit 
his fancy, Avhile his sheepish, suspicious looks, and confusion in ex- 
amining the knives, afforded much merriment to his countrymen. 
At last, he chose the worst, and sneaked off, with silent murmurs at 
not having turned the rehbock into brandy. 
We had no time to pay a farewell-visit to the lady on the other 
side of the glen, (p. 189), but after a tedious ride in the dark, along 
the Kromm Revier, and through some deep ravines, reached a 
farm-house, pitched our tent near it, and enjoyed a quiet night's 
rest. It lightned much in the east and north. 
261 h. ^Ve set out before day-break. It was a clear, autumnal 
morning. The high peaked hills, to our left, had emerged from the 
dark mists, which surrounded them last night, and the sun broke 
forth with splendour. The farm we had just left was forsaken by 
the former possessor, who declared himself unable to pay the new 
duties, charges for measurement, and high quit-rents. Another farm 
in the neighbourhood, was forsaken by the husband of the lady of 
Essenbosch, for the same reason. These effects of the present 
system seem to demand a revision of the mode of carrying it into 
execution, which so many farmers, in the interior, assert to be done, 
without due discrimination or knowledge of local circumstances. 
We trust, that,, as his Excellency the Governor is about to under- 
take a journey to the frontier, he will hear and judge for himself, 
hovy' far these repeated compiamts are 'well founded; for it is to be 
