Sacred Texts  Africa  Index  Previous  Next 


Specimens of Bushman Folklore, by W.H.I. Bleek and L.C. Lloyd, [1911], at sacred-texts.com


||KABBO'S CAPTURE AND JOURNEY TO CAPE TOWN. SECOND ACCOUNT.

My wife was there; I was there; my son was there; my son's wife was there, while she carried a little child (on her back); my daughter was there, while she also carried a little child; my daughter's husband was there; we were like this (in number). Therefore, the Kafirs[1] took (lit. "lifted") us, when we were like this, while we were not numerous; the Kafirs took us, while we were not numerous.

We went to sit in the wagon; the Kafirs took us away, as we sat in the wagon. Our wives also sat in the wagon. They got out of the wagon; they walked upon their feet. The wagon stood still; we got out of the wagon; we lay down, when we had first made a fire. We roasted lamb's flesh; my son)s wife roasted a springbok, which I had killed with my arrow. We smoked; we lay down. The day broke; we made a fire; we smoked early in the morning.

Then, we left them, we went away to the Magistrate; while we (who were in the wagon) ran along, we were upon the road, while our wives walked along upon their feet. We ran, leaving them, while we altogether ran, leaving them.

[1. Kafir police are probably meant here.]

Then we went to talk with the Magistrate; the Magistrate talked with us. The Kafirs took us away to the jail at night. We went to put our legs into the stocks; another white man laid another (piece of) wood upon our legs. We slept, while our legs were in the stocks. The day broke, while our legs were in the stocks. We early took out our legs from the stocks, we ate meat; we again put our legs into the stocks; we sat, while our legs were in the stocks. We lay down, we slept, while our legs were inside the stocks. We arose, we smoked, while our legs were inside the stocks. The people boiled sheep's flesh, while our legs were in the stocks.

The Magistrate came to take our legs out of the stocks, because he wished that we might sit comfortably, that we might eat; for, it was his sheep that we were eating. Katteng ("Piet Rooi") came (and) ate with us of the Magistrate's sheep, while we were eating it; also another man, Khabbi-ddau; also !kwarra-ga-|k(e)ow.

They again put their legs into the stocks; they slept, while their legs were in the stocks. Other Korannas also came, they came into another house, another "jail's house."


Next: ||Kabbo's Journey In The Railway Train.