1812. 
PREPARING FOR DEPARTURE. 
523 
where almost every day brought forth some disappointment, or 
some disagreeable occurrence. 
I therefore lost no time in making preparations for my depar- 
ture, as soon as a sufficient number of men should have been 
engaged ; which I now began to hope, would, by means of my 
own people, soon be accomplished. 
I packed up all my collections and drawings, in expectation of 
being able to send them to Cape Town by some of the waggons 
which were to accompany the missionary. I put in order all my 
notes and memoranda, my lists and catalogues, my sketches and 
journals : and at last reduced into an intelligible form, the mass of 
observations which had up to this date been accumulating. So that, 
in case of my death during the journey, they would, for the greater 
part, be found sufficiently clear to explain themselves. Thus, if my 
labors should prove of any value, I had now the satisfaction of know- 
ing that they would not be entirely lost ; though I might never live 
to explain them myself. 
28if^. My waggons, which during our stay had been partly dis- 
mantled, were again put upon their wheels, and placed in order for 
travelling : the chests were fetched from the store-house at the vil- 
lage, and loaded up and properly secured : the little waggon was 
repaired, and the wheels rectified : the yokes, straps, and thongs, 
and, in short, our whole equipage, were examined, and got in 
readiness. * 
29th. Gert was now quite recovered from his accident, 
and declared himself perfectly able to bear the fatigues of the 
journey ; and, to convince me of this, he walked with Speelman 
to Groote-doorn, to see my oxen, and make a report of the state 
they were in. • 
30th. He returned on the following day with a very satisfac- 
tory account of my cattle. This decided me in thinking seriously of 
* The vignette at the end of this chaptei* represents the Hottentots employed in 
putting the little waggon in order for our departui-e into the Interior. 
3x2 
