1812. 
CLAIMS SATISFIED, 
551 
It was in vain that we still endeavoured to persuade some of 
the Klaarwater people to go with us ; there evidently remained no 
hope of adding more strength to our expedition, and we began to 
argue ourselves into a belief, that our little party would be quite 
strong enough. 
22wc?. The missionaries remained mere lookers-on to my pre- 
parations, but not silent ones. They ceased not till the last moment 
to discourage me from the attempt, and Mr. Anderson seriously 
asked me to give him a written paper, in which it should be stated 
that they had used their utmost endeavours to dissuade me from so 
perilous an undertaking ; so that in case of a fatal termination, they 
might stand cleared from the imputation of having contributed to 
it by any encouragement or advice of theirs. 
While engaged in this conversation, a message arrived from 
Captain Berends, to inform me that he could not find any men for 
me, nor everi a driver and leader to bring back my waggon from 
the river, as I had intended to take the convenience of it thus far 
on our road. 
Mr. Jansz, who had a horse which had been given him by the 
late unfortunate expedition into the Interior, offered me the use of 
it when he saw I was determined on going ; and for this friendly 
act, I feel under considerable obligation, as it certainly saved me 
all the inconvenience, and the greater fatigue, of riding so long a 
journey on the back of an ox. 
I hired a saddle of Captain Kok, and also a pack ox, and made 
him some further presents. I gave his uncle, Cupido Kok, a pound 
of gunpowder, for which in return he engaged to supply Gert with 
a due portion of the game he might shoot ; and I made an arrange- 
ment with the Captain, by which he undertook, when necessity re- 
quired, to furnish Gert and Speelman's wife with food during my 
absence. I finally satisfied all those who had any claims upon me, 
and, among them, a woman who demanded two handkerchiefs as 
payment for sitting up with Gert three nights during his illness. 
This was calculated to be, under all circumstances, equivalent to paying 
twenty shillings in England for the same piece of service. I settled 
