there being so large a river in Africa: it contained, they said, more
water than all the rivers of the Colony put together. To them this
was the first stage of the journey; and it was a circumstance not
unimportant to me, that they felt pleasure at having, in our course
hitherto, beheld and learnt many things which they thought interesting.
The glory of shooting a | sea-cow ’ had long, in prospect,
occupied their thoughts, and the moment, therefore, the baggage was
unloaded, they ran down the steep bank of the river to discover if
any were then within shot. As soon as they had taken supper, they
posted themselves by the water-side, and remained on the watch
during the greater part of the night; but tbis eagerness was not
repaid with success. The light of our fires, and the voices of so many
people, had probably alarmed the animals and driven them, either
higher up the stream, or, nearer the opposite bank.
At this ford, the place of which is marked on the map by the
words Ox-Ford, we found a Bushman kraal of ten huts, the inhabitants
of which were of taller stature than the natives whom we had
hitherto met with in the Cisgariepine. Or, to prevent any supposition
that these were tall men, which would be a notion quite false, as
they are every where that small race which I have described, it ought
rather to be said, that the Bushmen of the country between the Colony
and the Gariep, are among the smallest of the Hottentot race. This
difference of stature in those who inhabit tbe vicinity of the river, is
probably to be attributed to a mixture of Kora blood: and the same
difference has been observed in other places where the intermingling
with other tribes may readily be supposed to have occasioned it : but
the genuine Bushmen are all excessively small.
9.0th. At this ford the river is divided into two channels, by an
island; and before we attempted to pass with the whole party, we
made some previous trials, and found the ford too deep to be practicable
without the aid of oxen; and even then, the water flowed over
their backs. As old Lucas and Cobus were supposed to be well
acquainted with every part of the river hereabouts, we were guided
by their opinion that this was the shallowest place; and therefore prepared
for crossing, by collecting together a quantity of dry wood for
making rafts to pass the channel on the northern side of the island,
that being much too deep to be forded in any manner. While thus
employed, we were observed by three Koras on the opposite bank,
who goodnaturedly swam over to give us their assistance, knowing
by previous report who we were.
My men .had laboured the greater part of the day, in collecting
the wood and carrying it to the farther side of the island, and we had
just made the raft and all was nearly ready, when some Bushmen
came to inform me that another ford higher up the river, was
much more shallow. In consequence of this advice, I ordered my
people to desist from further preparations, and resolved on removing
thither: for, having now in my party a number of Hottentots unaccustomed
to swimming, and a woman and infant besides, I considered
myself responsible for their safety as far as it depended on my judgment,
and therefore determined to adopt that plan which offered the
least possible risk; although some of the Hottentots seemed little
pleased at finding that all the labor of collecting wood must be
begun again.
It being too late in the day to commence a journey, we remained
at this place, and took advantage of the remaining daylight, to put
our baggage in the best order we were able. I amused myself in the
mean time, in examining the stones in the bed of the river. The
shores of the Gariep, not only at this spot, but every where along its
course, as I am informed, abound with pebbles of various sorts, and of
considerable beauty. They have been found well adapted for seals
and necklaces, or other ornaments of that kind; and from their
hardness, are susceptible of a high polish. Of these I now collected
a few; among which were some very handsome chalcedonies, some
curious agates, and other varieties of this class ; together with some
of porphyry, primitive amygdaloid, amygdaloidal greenstone; and
separate pebbles o f zeolite, a substance frequently occurring embedded
in the other stones of the river.
21sf. Before sunrise we began the business of packing the
baggage; but in consequence of the Hottentots’ dilatoriness and