I. H. Cloete to Swellengrebel,
Nooitgedacht, 2.5.1778
With reference to my letter of 15th April, I am sending you on the Company's ship Overduin some of our so-called Cape ambergris which Adam Kok found growing beside the Orange River. It is an aromatic root used by the Hottentots as body-perfume. You will notice the difference between the whitish pieces which lay under the soil and those pieces which have turned brownish and have lost much of their scent due to exposure in the air.
I am curious to know whether this root is in fact ambergris. If not, it may serve some other purpose as yet unknown. If it is of no use at all, it will serve to show my zeal in attempting to discover for you, if possible, something as yet unknown from these parts.
In the same little box is some gum which exudes from the same trees. When fresh, it is white; with age, it grows darker and darker brown. There are also two stones from the maw of a dassie or rock-rabbit. The stone from the maw of a wild buck which I sent you by Skipper Dona may well be the same as is described in N. Lemmery's dictionary of drugs under the entries ‘Bezoar’ and ‘Rupicapra’. If so, it must be one of the largest bezoars ever seen, and, as a consequence, highly efficacious. I wonder whether the same property may be ascribed to the stones from the dassies of these parts. Also in the box are a sort of red fruit or seeds (which serves for decoration rather than usefulness), and a Rose of Jericho.
Through Fiscal Boers I sent to Europe live specimens of Davidjes Wortel, Ziekentroost Wortel and Perssing or Perssie Wortel; and dried specimens of Mistletoe entwined in some branches. One can clearly see that the stems of the mistletoe have no connection with the branches on which they grow; it is a different plant. Two sealed bottles encased in rattan contain distilled ‘Dawidswortel’. Boers, who is despatching all these to one of his friends, promised specially to request his friend to hand over half the consignment to you. I do not doubt that his friend will do so, therefore I now enclose descriptions of these roots, their effects, and how to make use of them. You will notice that the mucilage from the Ziekentroost Wortel is mentioned; but I was unable to send very much, as it is not the right season and the roots are not juicy. In two or three months I hope to be able to provide an adequate quantity for Fiscal Boers to send on to you. Meanwhile, I enclose, along with the Cape ambergris, a very small sample in a little tin.
If these roots reach you in good condition, please let Mr Cassel of Bremen have a specimen of each variety, and also some of the red fruit. We are all in good health. My wife and children send their greetings.
Auteursrechtelijk beschermd