My wound was not today so painful as I had anticipated.

Mr.Walker, at my request, attempted to heal it by union by the first intention, as I hoped to be thus only compelled to delay the party for a few days.
My pain and suffering were, after the first day, so great, owing to an abscess having formed in my hip, that I was unable to keep a regular journal, and will therefore give a short narrative of the events which occurred, recommencing my journal on the 27th of February, the day on which I was sufficiently recovered to enable me to proceed with the party.
CAPE MAN SENT BACK TO THE VESSEL.
Two or three days after I had been wounded the man from the Cape, who had been with me at the time, came to request that he might be allowed to leave the party and return to the vessel.

He stated very fairly that his horror and dread of the natives were so great he should never be able to face them; that he had never been before placed in circumstances of danger; and felt himself quite unable to cope with them; that if his own father had been with him when they attacked us he could not have helped him; and that he was sure he should die of fright if ever he saw them again.
I thought it would be cruel to compel him to remain with the party, and it was moreover impossible to tell what evil effect his cowardice might produce upon the others; when already he had, by running away from the natives, induced them to attack us.

The only account he gave of this transaction was that he saw a native sitting on a rock with a spear and, feeling alarmed, immediately ran away.

No one after this could feel in the least surprised at the consequences.