>776- January. th e e a r t h . As th e f e f e em e d m o f t c o n v e n ie n t f o r th e p u r - p o fe o f e x p lo r in g the g r o u n d , M r . Im m e l m a n a n d :I ro d e n e a r ly th r e e m i le s t o o n e o f th em , w h i c h w a s in th e v i c i n i t y o f Koks-craal, in o rd e r , as I fa id b e fo r e , to fe a r c h a f t e r a n t iq u it ie s , o r a n y r e lic k s w h a t e v e r o f a n t ie n t t im e s , c o n c e r n in g w h i c h I w a s in h o p e s o f g e t t in g in fo rm a t io n . A bar of iron, two feet long, which we had taken with us in order to dig up bulbs and roots with it in the courfe o f our journey, was the only inftrument we had fit for our purpbfe; and we had not an opportunity of taking any more hands with us by way o f aififting us, than the youngeft o f our Boihies-men, a ftout, willing, and alert young fellow. We met, however, with impediments not to be overcome, in large ftones piled up clofe together, fo that with our united ftrength wecould not get more than two feet deep into the centre of the heap, and that not without great labour and trouble ; and at laft found nothing more than fome rotten bits of trees, and fomething that appeared to be a piece of a bone quite mouldered away. The Hottentot who before this, induced by the tobacco which we promifed him, had aflifted us, though not without fneering, us a good deal, and ridiculing us in his own language, which we did not underftand, at laft fairly burft out a laughing, and began likewife, with an air of great indignation, and moralizing on the matter, to turn his back upon the work. To this may be added, that this diftricft was very much noted for harbouring lions; and that our horfes, which we had turned out upon the paftures, with their heads and legs tied together, had ftrayed away, and were miffing a longtime before before we could find them again among the buihes on this dangerous fpot. - In the duik we got home to our waggon, and were not a little pleafed with the punctuality o f the three farmers before fpoken of, who were now come, agreeably to their promife, to affift us in hunting the fea-cow : though at the fame time I was, and am ftill exceedingly vexed at having miffed the opportunity of exploring, in a proper manner, and with a fufficient degree o f accuracy, the heaps o f ftones occurring in thefe parts; an inveftigation which would probably .throw much light on the nature of mankind in general, and more particularly on its priftine condition in this part o f the world. There was a vague report propagated here, that a farmer had found on a fpot near the diftriCt o f Camdebo, fome antient ftone ruins. This ftory I fliall make no comment upon; yet, together with the heaps of ftones fo often mentioned, it forms a fubjeCt worthy of a particular and clofe inveftigation : and this could not be done by any one better than Major G o r d o n , who, being a member of the regency at the Cape, and a man o f great genius and an inquifitive turn of mind, would certainly have as great a claim to the gratitude o f the public by his fuccefsful labours on this fubjedt, as he has already by clearing up the remarkable hiftory of the Camelopardalis. Jacob Koks-craal, which I have mentioned before, and put down in my map, is a place which is in general pair- able with waggons; and from the fituation o f the mountains near it, and other circumftances, is faid to be the key, as it were, to the northern part of Africa. It is reported M m 2 to
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