518 
NO ASSISTANCE. 
19—22 Jan. 
requiring the persons of that institution to afford me all possible aid, 
I rejected the advice, because I was then confident, from the friendly 
assistance Mr. Anderson had already given me on several occasions, 
that such a letter would be unnecessary. It must, however, be ad- 
mitted, that being merely a private individual, I was not entitled to 
that attention and ready assistance which all who had visited that 
settlement before me had received, they having been sent vested 
with the authority of government ; and, indeed, when I once slightly 
hinted that it might be useful if the missionaries would represent to 
the captain and the people that I was the bearer of papers from 
government, calling upon the inhabitants of the colony to give me 
all the aid I might stand in need of, they declined doing this ; saying, 
that the settlement was independent of the colony, which, having 
refused to afford it protection when they once applied to the Land- 
drost for that purpose, was, consequently, not entitled to make de- 
mands upon it. 
Being thus made sensible that neither I, nor my papers, had 
any power at this place, I begged them to co-operate with me in 
making inquiries after a few men for my service. They, however, de- 
cidedly declined using any persuasion with the Hottentots, or even 
representing the journey as desirable, since they beheld it as fraught 
only with danger ; and stated further, that having some years before 
permitted two people of the settlement to accompany Dr. Cowan and 
Captain Donnovan, they could not, as a matter of conscience, take 
any steps to induce others to risk the same untimely end ; but that 
all they could do would be, not to prevent him, if any man should 
think proper to accompany me. From this declaration I clearly dis- 
covered the extent of the difficulties that opposed me. I was inclined 
to suppose that among the missionaries there was some difference of 
opinion on the subject, although it never was expressed ; and I am 
willing to believe that all three were not, in sentiment at least, 
equally decided against affording me their assistance in this busi- 
ness. 
20th, The next morning Speelman came from Groote-doorn, to 
stop here a few days to help Philip to grind corn, a small quantity of 
