Both the banks pf the Orange river were at this part of it
thickly covered with mimosas and willows and a great
variety of other trees, whose names and descriptions are not
mentioned. A little beyond the right bank the great quantity
of a species of shrubby mimosa, seldom higher than seven
or eight feet, with a small white leaf, was very remarkable.
I t was the prevailing feature on the surface 'of the country
for twenty or thirty miles, though not a single plant of the
kind had appeared on the Cape side of the-river. Here also
they found, growing in great abundance, a species of wild
onion, of a taste as strong and pungent nearly as that of
garlic; notwithstanding which it was so highly acceptable to
the travellers, that they laid in an ample supply for future
use on the journey. The leaves, flowers and seeds resembled
those o f the common cultivated species. On the
margin of the river they found, in great plenty, a small and
delicate orange-coloured poppy ; and, creeping over a great
extent o f surface, a very fragrant species of Clematis or Virgin’s
bower. The agate, onyx, sardonyx and chalcedony
abounded on the pebbled bed of the river, Of which they collected
some very beautiful specimens. Several hippopotami
were observed rolling about, blowing and snorting in the
deep parts of the river, at a little distance below the ford;
and one was severely wounded by a musket ball, but it
escaped.
Leaving the river on the 6th, they travelled till the 8th
before they met with any water when, after pushing their
way where neither traces of waggons nor tracks of any kind
appeared, and in constant anxiety and dóiibtful suspense
Whether they might not be entangled and finally stopped by
mountains, deep chástns, or thickets; they came to a village of
Kora Hottentots, situated in a deep defile Of the mountains ;
and a little farther on, to a second horde of Bastaards and Bos-
jesmans, under a chief of the former description whose name was
Kok. This man was a kind of volunteer missionary who, to the
great astonishment of our travellers, delivered a very able discourse
to his people in their presence, from a text out of the gospel
of St. John, on the subject of regeneration, which was preceded
and followed by an extemporary prayer and by singing
Of hymns. The missionary Edwards and his wife and a boor
of the name of Kruger had joined the party on the right
bank of the Orange river; and a little beyond the kraal of
Kok was the Aakaap or Rietfonteyn, the then residence of
Mr, Kicherer. On their arrival at this place on the 8th,
being Sunday, they found this zealous teacher of the gospel
enaaoed in the duties of his office. 0 , 0 His church was a tem-
ponuy building of poles, wattled with twigs, plaistered over
with clay and ców dung both within and without, and covered
with a thatch of reeds. A smaller hut of the same construction
served for a school, and a third for his habitation. A
number of other huts of an inferior kind, shaped like beehives
and consisting chiefly of grass matting, were scattered
over the plain; but On the strangers approaching towards
them,- thèir inhabitants, mën, Women and children all fled
and hid themselves in the bushes. Mr. Kichërer received the
travellers with gréât kindnesá and affability. He was assisted
in the labours of his mission by two other missionaries of the
nánie's of Anderson and Chamfer, all of them sent out by the*
3 c