Dr Andrew Smith tydens die Ekpedisie, 1834 (Skets deur Charles Bell)
Handskrif van Andrew Smith
Dr. Andrew Smith is in 1797 gebore in nederige omstandighede in Roxburghshire. Soos vele ander Lowland Skotte, het hy deur harde werk ‘n goeie opvoeding verkry en het in medisyne gekwalifiseer in Edinburgh. Hy het die weermag mediese diens betree, en is in 1820 na die Kaap van Goeie Hoop gestuur om toesig te hou oor die mediese sorg van soldate. Hy was in Grahamstad gebaseer in word in 1822 aangestel as die Albany distrikgeneesheer. Hy is ook die vader van dierkunde in Suid-Afrika. Sy publikasie, Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa, beskryf ‘n wye verskeidenheid spesies.
Magaliesberg from the Magalies River (Sketch by Charles Bell)
On the Limpopo River (Sketch by Charles Bell)
Hierdie, die tweede bundel van Smith se dagboek, begin waar die reis groep van Mafikeng na die Moloporivier reis. Hulle reis dan verder noord na Mosega waar hulle beskrywings van die Baralong gemeenskap se lewens neerskryf. Van hier gaan hulle oos deur die Zeerustvallei om die Magaliesberg te verken. Hulle reis langs die Magaliesrivier tot by die samevloeiing met die Krokodilrivier, naby waar Pretoria vandag geleë is. Hulle reis verder oos, en dan weer noord, tot hulle die Steenbokskeerkring by die Limpoporivier bereik op 4 September 1835. Daarna keer hulle terug na Kaapstad via Mzilikazi, wie hulle vir ‘n tweede keer besoek.
Die dagboek bevat uitgebreide beskrywings van die wildslewe asook die gebruike van die Afrika volke wat hulle teëgekom het.
Goewerneurs het Smith verskeie kere gestuur om die inheemse stamme buite die Kolonie grense te besoek. Tydens hierdie ekspedisies kon hy sy nuuskierigheid oor natuurlike geskiedenis en antropologie bevredig.
In 1833 vertrek Andrew Smith op ‘n 18-maand ekspedisie na Basoetoland, Kuruman, die hoofkwartiere van Mzilikazi (die hoof van die Ndebele) en so ver noord as die Magaliesberg. Hy word onder andere vergesel deur Charles Bell, ‘n kunstenaar. Smith het terug gekeer met twee van Mzilikazi se adviseurs wat ‘n alliansie met die Kaap Kolonie gesmee het namens hulle opperhoof. Smith se Report of the expedition for exploring Central Africa is in 1836 gepubliseer. Behalwe vir twee kort verslae wat verskyn het na sy terugkeer na Kaapstad in 1836, is geen gedetailleerde verslag van sy reistogte ooit gepubliseer nie.
Die Dagboek van Smith wat hy bygehou het tydens die Expedition for Exploring Central Africa is in die Suid-Afrikaanse Museum in Kaapstad ontdek in die laat 1930’s en is deur Percival R Kirby geredigeer. Dit is deur die VRS in twee bundels gepubliseer – Vol I-20 in 1939 en Vol I-21 in 1940.
Andrew Smith se roete, gerekonstrueer deur Percival Kirby
OM ‘n HOë RESOLUSIE KOPIE TE SIEN, KLIEK HIER.
UITTREKSEL UIT DIE TEKS
The tyger [sic] when pursued by dogs prefers to retreat to a hole in the ground rather than to a tree. When in a hole and a gun is fired into it, he immediately springs out, and should any person be opposite the hole he will fly upon him. Should he have been wounded by the shot he first bites one and then flies to another. He kills smalt baboons, bites them dead, and then suddenly flies to escape the vengeance of the old ones. A male baboon, if once he gets hold of him, quickly bites him to death. He is often pursued for a distance by the herd after killing a young one. When they go away from it, he returns and eats it. He sometimes kills his prey, then leaves it lying in the place where he killed it whilst he retreats a little and watches what may come to eat of it; that he also kills. In this way he has been known to catch dogs, cats, etc. by killing a sheep and letting it remain on the spot where it was caught. Sometimes he hangs up animals which he may catch upon trees, the natives say till they stink, and then returns and eats them. The tiger is never far from the spot where he has food waiting for him. When persons are passing near to him, he will remain still, neither attempt to injure the person nor run away. The lion, on the contrary, generally gets up and runs off should he see a man. The lion generally remains close to his food when he has killed anything. In this way he differs from the tiger. Most of the game in this direction retreat to the hills during the winter. The footmarks and dung of both old and young rhinoceroses were seen on the very top of the Cashan hills. Elephants often pass over the tops of high mountains. The new species of Bucco with crest is pursued by small birds, and like the owl harassed by them. Whenever it is discovered it flies always into the lower parts of trees or shrubs, etc.; never perches on the top. It is an inhabitant of the sides of hills and eats berries.
REDAKTEUR
Percival R Kirby, Professor van Musiek en Geskiedenis van Musiek aan die Universiteit van Witwatersrand, Johannesbrug het die bundels geredigeer en die voorwoord, voetnote, kaart en indekse geskryf.