•7?6- On the 2 2d we met with fome farmers o f our acquaint- February. , § •. i i j O-y-vJ ance, who, with their wives, children, and cattle, had removed into Krakekamma. Thefe honeft ruftics gave us much pleafure, by news, of different kinds they brought from the Cape, and from our friends on the rOad; being on their parts very happy to find us fafe -and irr a whole fldn, as people had been all along apprehenfive that the Caffres would cut us in pieces; and this was fuppofed to have been affually the cafe, on account of the long ftay we had made before we returned. We then took a trip to Van Staades-rivier, to fee the fame Gonaquas Hottentots, which we had met with before in our journey to Ay ter Bruntjes- boogte. But as the current of this river was dammed up in a confiderable degree by ftorms and the furge of the fea, we were obliged next morning to go back by a road two hours round about, before, on account of mountains and other fuch impediments, we could find a ffiallower place; by which at length, however, we paffed this river. We there met with feveral Hottentot families, who called themfelves Damaquas, and feemed to have a greater affinity to the Caffres than the Gonaquas had. Then we came to a pretty fteep hill, which, though only a few hundred yards long, took fix oxen a good hour’s work and hard tugging to go up it with the waggon, which might, had there been occafion for it, have been drawn by one pair only on level ground.— On the 2 2d we flopped at Galge-bofcb.— On the 23d at Lorris-rivier, and on the 24th we ftaid at Camtours- rivier, with Captain K i e s , whom I mentioned at page 1 of this volume; and who, in confideration of a trifle that I gave gave him to boot, fwopped with me for two of my oxen, which were become quite ufelefs to me. A pair o f young lively oxen, full of fire and fpirit, and as fwift-footed as deer, which I received inftead of thefe, were each of them immediately yoked with a fteady old ox, and in the ipace of a few hours were pretty well broke in, with the affift- ance of the large whip. In faff, the reader muff not imagine that thefe animals are as flow and heavy in Africa as- they are in our country, where they are obliged to be kept within doors during our long winters : but ffiould recol- leff, on the'contrary, what I have related at page 238 of this volume, concerning a Hottentot who had trained up his pack-ox to hunting." On the 26th we arrived at Cabeljaauw-rivier; and the fame day, the bailiff of the farm of this name, Mr. Im- m e lm a n and I rode towards the lower part of Camtours- rivier, in order to look out for the fea-cows; of the way of life and manners of thefe animals, I have already fpoken at page 284 of this volume. To what has been there advanced I will add, that we now faw thefe animals going out to fea with the tide, as, indeed, it is faid, they are in general ufed to do. At this time they appeared to enjoy themfelves, by blowing, rolling, and tolling about in the water, which was here already fait, but were faid to return in greater filence with the flood tide. On account o f the ruihes and weeds which grew at the fide of the river, our ihot did not take place; by which means likeWife the fea- cows were made fo fhy, that for a long while after they could not be attacked with any hopes of fuccefs. There
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