retreat, between some large trees of Royena, on the edge of the
Acacia grove. Hither I made a dozen of the people drag my waggon,
or, as it might now be called, my house, which with some
trouble was pushed in under the boughs, and completely concealed
from the sun ; whose burning heat (94°) made us feel grateful to the
trees for the kind protection they afforded us from his rays. This
scene is represented in the engraving, at page 381. The distribution
of presents to a party of Bushmen, forms part of the subject.
On taking a survey of surrounding objects, the first thing which
struck me, and with no little astonishment, was, the enormous height
to which the water of the river had risen above its ordinary level.
Our waggons stood on the top of the lofty bank, in a situation
similar to that described on my first arrival at the Gariep*, and yet
at this elevation, the water was not two yards below our feet.
Nothing of the willows was to be seen but their highest branches ;
and many were quite covered by the flood. Even the Acacias in
the second tier, appeared as if swimming in the stream, with their
heads just above water. On the opposite bank, the summits of the
largest willows, seemed like low bushes along the shore ; and, on our
side of the river, the inundation had already begun to spread itself
over a part of the adjoining country, which lay lower than the
rest. Although the natives assured us that they did not expect it
would rise any higher, I could not perfectly divest myself of apprehensions
of the possibility of our waggons being swept away. Yet
it was not the Ky-gariep which thus swelled its own stream, for that
river, five miles higher up, was at its natural level; but, on directing
my view a little. downwards to the opposite side, I beheld the mouth
of the Nu-gariep rolling into the Great River, a rapid and agitated
tide of muddy water, swelled to a terrific height, overwhelming the
trees on its banks, and thrown into waves by the force of its
own impetuous current; driving back, by a wide extended eddy,
the waters of the river near us, to the alarming height that has
* See page 316.
been described. The trees, bent forward by the violence of the torrent,
kept bowing their half-sunk heads, in submission to the mighty
stream; while many of their less fortunate brethren, torn by the
roots from the bank on which they had stood for half a century,
were hurried unresisting down the angry tide.
The name Gariep, is applied only to that part of the river below
the confluence; while the branch which begins at the place where we
were now stationed, is called the Tky-gariep or Ky-gariep, by the
natives, and the Vaal Rimer by the Klaarwater Hottentots ;■ which in
English may here be rendered by Yellow River. While the Nu-
gariep is, in the same manner, called '¿wart Rimer, and Black River:
and the stream which we intended next to visit, the Gmaap or Maap,
translated by Modeler Rivier and Muddy River. As the propriety of
these three names, has been established by the observation of the
natives for many generations, they are, I have no doubt, perfectly just
and equally applicable, notwithstanding their distinguishing characters
not appearing to me very evident, at the season in which I saw
them.
We were visited by half a dozen Bushmen, who sold us some
honey. They were paid in tobacco stalks, pounded hemp leaves or
dakka, and in tobacco, the true Bushmanic currency, the grand circulating
medium, which here suffers no depreciation. These people
were taller and larger than the Bushmen of the Karree Mountains,
and appeared wilder or more savage; as would seem to be fully confirmed
by an anecdote they related to Mr. JansZ, with visible signs
of pleasure in their countenance. I cannot repeat the horrid circumstance,
without surmising that it was probably much exaggerated by
the Klaarwater interpreters, who appear on all occasions anxious to
prevent the White people from entertaining a good opinion of
these savages.
These Bushmen had lately been at war with another kraal,
which they completely routed, and unfortunately the chief of it was
taken prisoner, The first thing which they did on getting him into
their power, was, to tie him to a stake: they then deliberately proceeded
to glut their diabolical vengeance. But, to make sure of his