Leaving on our left the usual track to the Sack river, we were
advised by the Hottentots to take a more eastward circuit, through
the Niewwveld (New-land, or New-country), in expectation of meeting
with better pasture. The waggons, during this day, were dragged
over a most rocky, unfrequented, and nearly pathless country, where
the wheels of our caravan imprinted a track that would be visible*
perhaps, for several years. In one place, an ascent of between
eight and ten hundred feet lay over rugged rocks and stones, that
seemed, every minute, to threaten destruction to some of the crazy
vehicles.
We halted for the night in a rocky situation, near a small river,
where the fine scarlet flowers of a new kind of Aloe decorated the
barren rocks, and gave a certain gay cultivated look to a spot, which,
without them, would have appeared a rude neglected waste. * Crabs,
of nearly two inches in diameter, of an olive-green, variegated with
shades of lemon-color, were common in the running water here, and
are often to be met with in the rivers of the Roggeveld.
25th. An accident occurred which prevented our travelling
this day, and had nearly cost a Hottentot the loss of his life, and
* Among the plants found on the road from the Karree river, and at this station,
were —
Mesembryanthemum magnipunctatum.H. Crassula columnaris
Mesembryanthernum croceum • . Crassula pyramidalis
Eriocephalus spinescens. Cat. Geog. Pteronia, 4 sp.
1419. Ramuli apicibus spinescen- Lanipila
tibus. Flores solitari, laterales. Cotyledon, n. sp.
Eriòcephalus decussatus. C. G. 1407. Salsola, 2 sp.
Folia brevissima, sub-fasciculata Hermannia .
et quadrifariàm decussata. Flores Thesium
minuti, in singulo fascículo soli- Aster
tarii. Ehrharta
. Euphorbia Mauritanica Heliophila
Euphorbia tenax. B. Solanum
Aloè claviflora. C. G. 1425. 2. Leysera
Acaulis. Folia elongata glàuca, Gnaphalium
• marginibus aculeatis. Flores densè Eriocephalus
spicati. Spica simplex. Corolla Pelargonium.
clavata, laciniis conniventibus.
me that of an eye.. Observing Speelman busy with the lock of
the great rifle-gun, I found that he had put the hair-trigger out
of order. As soon as I had rectified and fixed it on again, not
supposing the piece loaded, I snapped the cock, on which it went
off, although there was no priming in the pan. The ball, by a providential
guidance, passed between the people,, who were sitting
around in all directions, without doing any injury; but the flash
from the pan scorched my eye, ;and rendered me blind for the remainder
of the day. The pain and inflammation were at length
alleviated by continued bathing with warm water; but it was not
ascertained till the next day, that my sight was uninjur ed, a discovery
which, I need hardly say, rejoiced me as much as any .event
of my journey.
26th. This morning, as soon as the painful operation of picking
the grains of powder out of my face had been submitted to, we
departed from this rivulet, which, though none of us knew the name
of it, would be sufficiently impressed on our memory by the fortunate
escape we had all had.
Our intention was to have reached Kleine Quagga Fontein this
evening; but half-way, unexpectedly - finding a family of colonists,
who had taken up this wandering life for the sake of pasture for their
flocks and herds, they earnestly persuaded us to tarry till the next
day. The spot, though arid, was agreeable: some scattered bushes
of considerable size, and low hills on either side, gave it a sheltered
and comfortable appearance. * Their abode was merely their two
waggons, and a hemispherical hut, made of mats, after the Hottentot
manner. They received us with much good will, and were proud of
entertaining us in the hut with their best fare; among which was some
of the finest wheaten bread, 'a treat quite unlooked for in this part of
the colony. Falling in, at this place, with civilized beings, after we
had bid adieu to all society of the kind, was to me a very pleasing
* I here met with a remarkable species of Awnd-bloem (Hesperanthera). This
genus is very widely dispersed, and occasionally to be found ail over the colony, and even
beyond it.
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