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Updated: May 22, 2025
"The Mantatees had at that time advanced as far, and had taken possession of, Litakoo, a Bechuana town, containing 16,000 inhabitants; and I will now give, as nearly as I can recollect it, the account of Mr. M., the missionary at Kuruman, who accompanied the Griquas to propose and effect, if it were possible, an amicable arrangement with the invaders.
"But," said Alexander, "shall we leave this before they can see us, or allow them to see us?" The Griquas said, that it would be better that the enemy should see them, as then they would know that the fires had been kept up to deceive them, and that the wagons were probably a long way off. This having been agreed upon, a careful watch was kept upon the enemy during the remainder of the night.
As soon as our travelers had explained to them their own motions, the Griquas said that they would bring their wagon down in the evening and encamp with them. Our travelers then returned to the caravan. As they promised, the Griquas joined them late in the afternoon. They were a party of sixteen; all stout fellows, and armed with the long guns used by the Dutch boors.
The Major stating that it was their intention to hunt the giraffe, the Griquas informed them that they would not find the animal to the southward of the Val River, and they would have to cross over into the territories of the king Moselekatsee, who ruled over the Bechuana country, to the northward of the river; and that it would be very dangerous to attempt so to do without his permission; indeed, that there would be danger in doing so, even with it.
The opinion of the Griquas was asked, and it was ultimately arranged that they should take over Alexander's wagon only, with fifteen pair of oxen, and that some of the Griquas should accompany them, with Swanevelt, Omrah, and Mahomed; that Bremen and the Hottentots should remain where they were, with the other three wagons and the rest of the Griquas, until our travelers should return.
The exact position of Lake Ngami had, for half a century at least, been correctly pointed out by the natives, who had visited it when rains were more copious in the desert than in more recent times, and many attempts had been made to reach it by passing through the desert in the direction indicated; but it was found impossible, even for Griquas, who, having some Bushman blood in them, may be supposed more capable of enduring thirst than Europeans.
"To the people now known by the name of Griquas, from their having taken possession of the Griqua country. They are the mixed race between the Hottentots and the whites.
Attempts were made to take him prisoner and bring him to the colony, but without success. Expedition after expedition failed, and Africaner dared them to approach his territories. At last, the colonists had recourse to the Griquas, and offered them a large reward if they would bring Africaner in.
All were eager to distinguish themselves, and success depended mainly on the courage which leads the huntsman to go close to the animal, and not waste the force of his shot on the air. It was noticeable that the average for the natives was under one per man, for the Griquas one per man, for the Boers two, and for the English officers twenty each.
"Well, they are bold enough, and so far are good travelling companions; but we certainly did not come here to fight," observed the Major. "But does the Matabili with us know that they are Griquas?" "He did not; he supposed that they were Cape people whom we had brought with us; but he has found it out by the Hottentots, I suppose.
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