Chapter Thirteen.

Chapter Thirteen.Great Namaqualand.This country occupies the western shore of the South Atlantic, from the Orange river, which is the northern boundary of the Cape Colony, to Walfish Bay, a distance of 420 miles. The southern boundary follows up the Orange river for ninety miles, where the Great Fish river falls into it from the north. The native name of this river is the Garip. The breadth at its mouth is nearly four miles; the sand in its bed and the many shoals and sand-banks prevent its being navigable. Higher up there are long stretches of smooth water for miles, intersected by rapids and rocks,—some of them very beautiful, passing down between broad belts of rich vegetation, with splendid timber of many varieties: the willow, with its drooping branches kissing the water, adds greatly to the beauty of the scene.It was on this river, some miles above, that I spent many delightful months, with my canoe, sailing on its placid waters,—some of the most pleasant of my life. Many beautiful stones, not in small quantities, but in cart-loads, can be shovelled up wherever the water has left them on the shore. The upper portion of the river I have already described.Following the coast-line north from this river are several anchorages. The principal are Angra Juntas, Whale Bay, Possession Island, which is nearly three miles in length, and over one in breadth—once famous for guano; and if time be permitted will be again a valuable island for that manure. Seals frequent this coast at certain seasons of the year, and penguins are also abundant. Cape Voltas lies on the mainland. North of Possession Island is Angra Pequena (now German) Island and Bay, where the mouth of the little Orange river enters it, which rises in the highlands at the back. At Pedestal Point, Bartholomew Diaz in 1486 erected a marble pedestal, which has long since disappeared. It is a trading-station for supplying the natives of the interior, who trade in feathers, skins, karosses, cattle, and other products, and receive goods from the Cape in exchange. A road from the bay is over a dismal, barren, and heavy road for fifty miles, when it becomes better, with some herbage. In the bay there are several islands, viz. Penguin, Seal, Shark, and others, which give good shelter for ships visiting it. Copper has been found on the neighbouring coast. North of this bay is the Island of Ichaboe, which, although very small, is famous for once being noted for its superior guano, supplying England with thousands of tons annually. North of this island is Hottentot Bay, and beyond Spencer’s Bay, the cliffs rising 500 feet nearly perpendicular; and in the bay is Mercury Island, nearly a mile in circumference, rising to a height of 250 feet, in which is an immense cavern, divided into several lesser ones, through which the waves rush with fearful force and noise. This rock is bare of vegetation, many sea-birds find shelter upon it—gannet, penguin, gulls, and others. Seals and whales frequent it at certain seasons.In latitude 24 degrees 30 minutes South is Hollam Bird Island, about half a mile in circumference. Seals and birds frequent it in large numbers; many turtles have been caught on the shore. In 24 degrees South latitude is Conception Bay, and to the northward is Sandwich Harbour, which is situated thirty miles south of Walfish Bay. Sandwich Harbour has a coast-line of sand-hills beyond; inland is pasturage for cattle, and on the beach is a spring of fresh water. A fishery was once established here by a Cape merchant. The River Kusip used to fall into this bay, but now flows into Walfish Bay. It rises in the uplands, near the Tans Mountains, but has no water in it, except when it happens to rain, which is very seldom. Great Namaqualand terminates about this point, and Damaraland begins.From the sea-coast for many miles inland the country is barren and poor; as the highlands are reached vegetation improves. The Desert of Tans extends a long distance inland, nearly to Mitchell’s Mount, which is a lofty hill of 6000 feet, commanding most extensive views in every direction. On the tributaries of the Great Fish river, and the river itself, most of the natives live in small wherfs, at the mission stations belonging to the Rhenish Mission Society, Bethany, Bethesda, Reheboth, and others. The Isabella mines and Nabos copper-mines are on the Orange river. Some of the principal wherfs are Reheboth, Ames, Haochannas, Nababis, Kachasa, Amhup, Reems, Hudenass, Brokhout, Robaclip, and others, on the various branches.As I have previously stated, the natives are greatly mixed; many of the women daub their faces and bodies with black stripes, and also dye their teeth black; they use a red berry that grows in the bush veldt. Jonga Africander, the head of the Hottentot tribe, living in the northern part of this region, has been constantly thieving from the Damaras, causing many petty wars between them. They are a lawless set. They drove out and threatened to kill the magistrate there lately.Wood is plentiful in the kloofs and on the river-banks, where the water is procured. The larger game is found in the north-east corner, but has become very wild from constant hunting by the various tribes. The lofty hills are of granite formation and sand. The Bastards cultivate the land in favourable localities, plough, and have large herds of cattle, and carry on a good trade with the colony. They are hospitable and peaceable; each wherf has its head-man, with several cattle and vieh-posts attached. Copper, lead, and iron are found in several parts, not yet worked; at some future time it will become a valuable district. The summers are hot, and in winter it is sometimes very cold; rain seldom falls, but the dense fogs from the Atlantic, over all the western portion and on the highlands, cause such a moisture to fall that it has the effect of rain. The rainy season is from the end of November to May. In the northern part rain is more frequent. The Namaqua language is similar to the Hottentot and Koranna, with innumerable clicks, which make it sound very uncouth and strange to those who have heard it for the first time. In travelling through the country I met with great hospitality amongst the Bastards. At Nisbet Barth there is a Wesleyan Society. The missionary was away in the colony when I passed through. (Here is Germany’s first attempt at colonisation.) Being anxious to go on to the copper-mines on the river, where I could obtain a few things I needed, I did not delay.The country is not a pleasant region to travel through, for several reasons—the scarcity of water, and that brackish; the want of grass; the native cattle, where it would be good, keep it short; and the wandering tribes are constantly annoying and worrying for something. On the banks of the Great Fish river, near the Brinus Mountains, I shot a black wolf, the first I had seen, and my people told me they were very rare. I had great difficulty in getting through the country—bad roads and dreadful drifts crossing the rivers.I have little to relate of my explorations of this part of Africa, my time being taken up in surveying the country, and collecting specimens. The entire coast is a barren waste, not suitable for emigrants or anything else for fifty miles at least inland.

This country occupies the western shore of the South Atlantic, from the Orange river, which is the northern boundary of the Cape Colony, to Walfish Bay, a distance of 420 miles. The southern boundary follows up the Orange river for ninety miles, where the Great Fish river falls into it from the north. The native name of this river is the Garip. The breadth at its mouth is nearly four miles; the sand in its bed and the many shoals and sand-banks prevent its being navigable. Higher up there are long stretches of smooth water for miles, intersected by rapids and rocks,—some of them very beautiful, passing down between broad belts of rich vegetation, with splendid timber of many varieties: the willow, with its drooping branches kissing the water, adds greatly to the beauty of the scene.

It was on this river, some miles above, that I spent many delightful months, with my canoe, sailing on its placid waters,—some of the most pleasant of my life. Many beautiful stones, not in small quantities, but in cart-loads, can be shovelled up wherever the water has left them on the shore. The upper portion of the river I have already described.

Following the coast-line north from this river are several anchorages. The principal are Angra Juntas, Whale Bay, Possession Island, which is nearly three miles in length, and over one in breadth—once famous for guano; and if time be permitted will be again a valuable island for that manure. Seals frequent this coast at certain seasons of the year, and penguins are also abundant. Cape Voltas lies on the mainland. North of Possession Island is Angra Pequena (now German) Island and Bay, where the mouth of the little Orange river enters it, which rises in the highlands at the back. At Pedestal Point, Bartholomew Diaz in 1486 erected a marble pedestal, which has long since disappeared. It is a trading-station for supplying the natives of the interior, who trade in feathers, skins, karosses, cattle, and other products, and receive goods from the Cape in exchange. A road from the bay is over a dismal, barren, and heavy road for fifty miles, when it becomes better, with some herbage. In the bay there are several islands, viz. Penguin, Seal, Shark, and others, which give good shelter for ships visiting it. Copper has been found on the neighbouring coast. North of this bay is the Island of Ichaboe, which, although very small, is famous for once being noted for its superior guano, supplying England with thousands of tons annually. North of this island is Hottentot Bay, and beyond Spencer’s Bay, the cliffs rising 500 feet nearly perpendicular; and in the bay is Mercury Island, nearly a mile in circumference, rising to a height of 250 feet, in which is an immense cavern, divided into several lesser ones, through which the waves rush with fearful force and noise. This rock is bare of vegetation, many sea-birds find shelter upon it—gannet, penguin, gulls, and others. Seals and whales frequent it at certain seasons.

In latitude 24 degrees 30 minutes South is Hollam Bird Island, about half a mile in circumference. Seals and birds frequent it in large numbers; many turtles have been caught on the shore. In 24 degrees South latitude is Conception Bay, and to the northward is Sandwich Harbour, which is situated thirty miles south of Walfish Bay. Sandwich Harbour has a coast-line of sand-hills beyond; inland is pasturage for cattle, and on the beach is a spring of fresh water. A fishery was once established here by a Cape merchant. The River Kusip used to fall into this bay, but now flows into Walfish Bay. It rises in the uplands, near the Tans Mountains, but has no water in it, except when it happens to rain, which is very seldom. Great Namaqualand terminates about this point, and Damaraland begins.

From the sea-coast for many miles inland the country is barren and poor; as the highlands are reached vegetation improves. The Desert of Tans extends a long distance inland, nearly to Mitchell’s Mount, which is a lofty hill of 6000 feet, commanding most extensive views in every direction. On the tributaries of the Great Fish river, and the river itself, most of the natives live in small wherfs, at the mission stations belonging to the Rhenish Mission Society, Bethany, Bethesda, Reheboth, and others. The Isabella mines and Nabos copper-mines are on the Orange river. Some of the principal wherfs are Reheboth, Ames, Haochannas, Nababis, Kachasa, Amhup, Reems, Hudenass, Brokhout, Robaclip, and others, on the various branches.

As I have previously stated, the natives are greatly mixed; many of the women daub their faces and bodies with black stripes, and also dye their teeth black; they use a red berry that grows in the bush veldt. Jonga Africander, the head of the Hottentot tribe, living in the northern part of this region, has been constantly thieving from the Damaras, causing many petty wars between them. They are a lawless set. They drove out and threatened to kill the magistrate there lately.

Wood is plentiful in the kloofs and on the river-banks, where the water is procured. The larger game is found in the north-east corner, but has become very wild from constant hunting by the various tribes. The lofty hills are of granite formation and sand. The Bastards cultivate the land in favourable localities, plough, and have large herds of cattle, and carry on a good trade with the colony. They are hospitable and peaceable; each wherf has its head-man, with several cattle and vieh-posts attached. Copper, lead, and iron are found in several parts, not yet worked; at some future time it will become a valuable district. The summers are hot, and in winter it is sometimes very cold; rain seldom falls, but the dense fogs from the Atlantic, over all the western portion and on the highlands, cause such a moisture to fall that it has the effect of rain. The rainy season is from the end of November to May. In the northern part rain is more frequent. The Namaqua language is similar to the Hottentot and Koranna, with innumerable clicks, which make it sound very uncouth and strange to those who have heard it for the first time. In travelling through the country I met with great hospitality amongst the Bastards. At Nisbet Barth there is a Wesleyan Society. The missionary was away in the colony when I passed through. (Here is Germany’s first attempt at colonisation.) Being anxious to go on to the copper-mines on the river, where I could obtain a few things I needed, I did not delay.

The country is not a pleasant region to travel through, for several reasons—the scarcity of water, and that brackish; the want of grass; the native cattle, where it would be good, keep it short; and the wandering tribes are constantly annoying and worrying for something. On the banks of the Great Fish river, near the Brinus Mountains, I shot a black wolf, the first I had seen, and my people told me they were very rare. I had great difficulty in getting through the country—bad roads and dreadful drifts crossing the rivers.

I have little to relate of my explorations of this part of Africa, my time being taken up in surveying the country, and collecting specimens. The entire coast is a barren waste, not suitable for emigrants or anything else for fifty miles at least inland.

Chapter Fourteen.Damaraland. South Central Africa.The boundary of this region, adjoining Great Namaqualand, Kalahara, and Ovampo, is very undefined. The natives are unacquainted with the true divisions, and as each nationality is not confined to any particular line, living in a kind of mixed community, it is difficult to say where one country begins and the other ends; but from accounts of the people, it appears that the extinct river Kuisip, which enters Walfish Bay, is the correct boundary, and the coast-line to the north reaches to the Cunene river, which is also the Portuguese boundary of Bengulo, the distance being nearly 400 miles.The first and only harbour is Walfish Bay, being an important trading-station, belonging to the Cape Colony. This port, where there are two trading establishments, supplies the whole of the northern part of Great Namaqualand, and also all Damara and Ovampolands, the central and northern Kalahara, as far as Lake N’gami. The great drawback to its prosperity is want of fresh water. In many cases the people are supplied with water in casks from Cape Town, but I believe if proper means are taken by sinking wells, a good supply can be procured. At present a considerable trade is carried on with the natives, and is on the increase. On the north of this bay the river Swakop enters the Atlantic, which is the main and principal stream that drains the eastern division of Damaraland, upon which are situated many natives’ wherfs. Some of the principal are Oekiep, thirty-six miles up the river, then Tineos, Oijimbinque, Otjimonjebba, Okandu, Little Barmen, Great Barmen, Otjithebba, Gous, Eikham Hot Springs, and Thames Mission Station. The distance of this last station by road to Walfish Bay is about 231 miles, which is one of the roads to Lake N’gami, and is on the north of Awas mountain, that attains an elevation of 6400 feet. The scenery in this region is wild and grand, and eastward of these points the Ealahara comes in, and is drained by the Black and White Nosops, Elephant river and branches. South of Swakop are several native kraals and wherfs; Wittwater, Reed Fontain, Tjobis, Platklip, Onanis Mission Station on the Kuisip, and others. The country is fearfully sandy and dry. The Canna river, a tributary of the Swakop, branches off thirty miles from the coast. It rises in the spurs of the Ketje mountains and flows south-west through a deep valley between some picturesque scenery. Upon and near this river are several Damara wherfs: Omaruru, Omapyu, and Evonga. A few miles inland from the junction of these rivers is the Canrans Quanwas, or Colquhoun Mount, 3100 feet above sea-level, a conspicuous object from the sea. Copper is found in its vicinity.Forty miles along the coast, to the north of Swakop river, is the mouth of the Omaruru river, which evidently at some seasons must have a powerful current; the washing away of the banks of sand, and large timber trees brought down and left on the bank, is a good proof. Extensive copper works have been worked here for some time, but they do not seem to pay the company, long since abandoned. Twenty miles inland the lofty and barren hills give a desolate appearance to the country. The sea-coast to the north is bold, and has many projecting headlands. Inland, from Cape Cross, the land rises to an elevation of 3700 feet. All this hilly district is inhabited by Berg Damaras, who are rather scantily dressed. The women have a band round the head with lappets falling behind, a profusion of beads round their necks, with a band and large square apron folded round their loins, and bracelets. The men have a broad belt, leather apron, with parts of tails suspended behind; they have large bows five feet in length, and long arrows tipped with iron. Few iron utensils; wooden bowls are mostly used.The upper source of the Amaruru rises in the Eshuamen mountains, which is a dense bush, and separates Damaraland from the Ovampo region. The river Omuramba, already described in the Kalahara, rises in the same mountain, Eshuamen, and also Mount Ketje, taking a north-east course, then flowing east, leaving the lofty range of the Omureraoom on the west. The upper part of the Swakop has many stations, and is thickly populated.Limestone prevails over an extensive area; the peaks, which are composed of this rock, are 4444 feet high. The region to the east is the Kalahara desert and a thick bush country.The principal road from Barmen Mission Station to Ovampoland runs along by the Omuramba river, between which and Damara the country is divided by an immense thorn district. Beautiful and picturesque scenery is to be found in Damaraland, where the granite hills stand out in bold and massive peaks. The mineral wealth of this region is little-known; copper, lead, and silver, also iron, abound in the mountains. The natives speak the Otjiherero language. There are many mixed races spread over the country, and great numbers of cattle, sheep, and goats are kept by them. Several mission stations are established in the country: Barmen, Otjimbinque, Schmelin’s Hope and others. The climate is very healthy. All the large game are found in these regions. The Damaras hunt them with the bow and arrow, but of late years guns have been introduced into the country. They are a stout and powerful people, very dirty in their habits, and seldom remain long in one locality, being pastoral, cultivating no corn, and always at war with the Berg Damaras, being of a different tribe, using the Hottentot language.The Rhenish Missionary Society hold most of the stations, and have been great sufferers by these lawless tribes, being plundered, and several of them ruined, which has destroyed the trade of the country. (Illustrative of which, one of the missionary’s goats was being constantly milked. One Sunday evening he caught a man at it, who ran away, and he threw a piece of wood at him; and complained to the chief, who decided that the man was sufficiently punished by that, and the missionary was fined a goat for breaking the Sabbath.) Many English traders were robbed and some wounded. The mission stations were established about 1830, but scarcely anything has been done in civilising the people. The Namaquas live by plundering their neighbours, the Damaras. This was the state of affairs when I first visited that region. Since then they have been robbing the Damaras of their cattle. Several mission stations have been destroyed. Their store at Walfish Bay was broken open and everything stolen, and the manager, Mr Toerson, murdered. The Europeans in the country, numbering about thirty, made application for assistance at Cape Town. The governor sent a man-of-war to Walfish Bay, which returned without landing. Since then several British subjects have been murdered, and so things have gone on from bad to worse, and not until 1875 were any steps taken; then a commissioner was despatched to endeavour to settle matters, but his influence had little effect in restoring order, and eventually he returned to Cape Town. It is of the highest importance to the Cape Colony that Walfish Bay and the coast-line for fifty miles north and south of it should be annexed to that colony as being the principal outlet for the native trade of the interior. If it should fall into foreign hands an immense injury would accrue by the taking away the greater portion of that trade which rightly belongs to the Cape Colony. The chief, Kamaherero, is almost paramount in the country. The population of the Hereros is estimated at about 40,000, and the Berg Damaras nearly 30,000.The importance of Walfish Bay is its having the command of all the interior trade of Ovampoland, the Kalahara desert, and also that extensive region at Lake N’gami, a great portion of which is brought across the desert, therefore its importance as a British port cannot be overrated. There is no field for emigration, as the country is too dry for agricultural purposes, and the natives at present are too lawless for any settled community to remain there; but as a trading-station to collect the produce of the interior, and barter with the natives, it is all important that it should be retained.In the latter part of 1879 the country was in a lawless state. The Gobabis have been robbing waggons; the Gobabis are Hottentots. They robbed a Boer, one Van Zyl, of all he had, and he had to fly with one of his sons, leaving his wife and another woman with seven waggons, with horses, oxen, guns and ammunition in the hands of the Gobabis, who had taken all except the two women. Van Zyl went to Mr Palgrave, the Commissioner, for help, to get his wife and waggons from the Gobabis Hottentots, but Mr Palgrave did not assist him, which has caused some comment, and Mr Palgrave started away from Walfish Bay. The Hottentots released the two women who were prisoners, and kept everything. Nothing has been done to bring peace to the country, as where so many petty chiefs have separate rule in a country like this, it is impossible to have law and order. Mr Van Zyl was afterwards shot, and also his son some time later.

The boundary of this region, adjoining Great Namaqualand, Kalahara, and Ovampo, is very undefined. The natives are unacquainted with the true divisions, and as each nationality is not confined to any particular line, living in a kind of mixed community, it is difficult to say where one country begins and the other ends; but from accounts of the people, it appears that the extinct river Kuisip, which enters Walfish Bay, is the correct boundary, and the coast-line to the north reaches to the Cunene river, which is also the Portuguese boundary of Bengulo, the distance being nearly 400 miles.

The first and only harbour is Walfish Bay, being an important trading-station, belonging to the Cape Colony. This port, where there are two trading establishments, supplies the whole of the northern part of Great Namaqualand, and also all Damara and Ovampolands, the central and northern Kalahara, as far as Lake N’gami. The great drawback to its prosperity is want of fresh water. In many cases the people are supplied with water in casks from Cape Town, but I believe if proper means are taken by sinking wells, a good supply can be procured. At present a considerable trade is carried on with the natives, and is on the increase. On the north of this bay the river Swakop enters the Atlantic, which is the main and principal stream that drains the eastern division of Damaraland, upon which are situated many natives’ wherfs. Some of the principal are Oekiep, thirty-six miles up the river, then Tineos, Oijimbinque, Otjimonjebba, Okandu, Little Barmen, Great Barmen, Otjithebba, Gous, Eikham Hot Springs, and Thames Mission Station. The distance of this last station by road to Walfish Bay is about 231 miles, which is one of the roads to Lake N’gami, and is on the north of Awas mountain, that attains an elevation of 6400 feet. The scenery in this region is wild and grand, and eastward of these points the Ealahara comes in, and is drained by the Black and White Nosops, Elephant river and branches. South of Swakop are several native kraals and wherfs; Wittwater, Reed Fontain, Tjobis, Platklip, Onanis Mission Station on the Kuisip, and others. The country is fearfully sandy and dry. The Canna river, a tributary of the Swakop, branches off thirty miles from the coast. It rises in the spurs of the Ketje mountains and flows south-west through a deep valley between some picturesque scenery. Upon and near this river are several Damara wherfs: Omaruru, Omapyu, and Evonga. A few miles inland from the junction of these rivers is the Canrans Quanwas, or Colquhoun Mount, 3100 feet above sea-level, a conspicuous object from the sea. Copper is found in its vicinity.

Forty miles along the coast, to the north of Swakop river, is the mouth of the Omaruru river, which evidently at some seasons must have a powerful current; the washing away of the banks of sand, and large timber trees brought down and left on the bank, is a good proof. Extensive copper works have been worked here for some time, but they do not seem to pay the company, long since abandoned. Twenty miles inland the lofty and barren hills give a desolate appearance to the country. The sea-coast to the north is bold, and has many projecting headlands. Inland, from Cape Cross, the land rises to an elevation of 3700 feet. All this hilly district is inhabited by Berg Damaras, who are rather scantily dressed. The women have a band round the head with lappets falling behind, a profusion of beads round their necks, with a band and large square apron folded round their loins, and bracelets. The men have a broad belt, leather apron, with parts of tails suspended behind; they have large bows five feet in length, and long arrows tipped with iron. Few iron utensils; wooden bowls are mostly used.

The upper source of the Amaruru rises in the Eshuamen mountains, which is a dense bush, and separates Damaraland from the Ovampo region. The river Omuramba, already described in the Kalahara, rises in the same mountain, Eshuamen, and also Mount Ketje, taking a north-east course, then flowing east, leaving the lofty range of the Omureraoom on the west. The upper part of the Swakop has many stations, and is thickly populated.

Limestone prevails over an extensive area; the peaks, which are composed of this rock, are 4444 feet high. The region to the east is the Kalahara desert and a thick bush country.

The principal road from Barmen Mission Station to Ovampoland runs along by the Omuramba river, between which and Damara the country is divided by an immense thorn district. Beautiful and picturesque scenery is to be found in Damaraland, where the granite hills stand out in bold and massive peaks. The mineral wealth of this region is little-known; copper, lead, and silver, also iron, abound in the mountains. The natives speak the Otjiherero language. There are many mixed races spread over the country, and great numbers of cattle, sheep, and goats are kept by them. Several mission stations are established in the country: Barmen, Otjimbinque, Schmelin’s Hope and others. The climate is very healthy. All the large game are found in these regions. The Damaras hunt them with the bow and arrow, but of late years guns have been introduced into the country. They are a stout and powerful people, very dirty in their habits, and seldom remain long in one locality, being pastoral, cultivating no corn, and always at war with the Berg Damaras, being of a different tribe, using the Hottentot language.

The Rhenish Missionary Society hold most of the stations, and have been great sufferers by these lawless tribes, being plundered, and several of them ruined, which has destroyed the trade of the country. (Illustrative of which, one of the missionary’s goats was being constantly milked. One Sunday evening he caught a man at it, who ran away, and he threw a piece of wood at him; and complained to the chief, who decided that the man was sufficiently punished by that, and the missionary was fined a goat for breaking the Sabbath.) Many English traders were robbed and some wounded. The mission stations were established about 1830, but scarcely anything has been done in civilising the people. The Namaquas live by plundering their neighbours, the Damaras. This was the state of affairs when I first visited that region. Since then they have been robbing the Damaras of their cattle. Several mission stations have been destroyed. Their store at Walfish Bay was broken open and everything stolen, and the manager, Mr Toerson, murdered. The Europeans in the country, numbering about thirty, made application for assistance at Cape Town. The governor sent a man-of-war to Walfish Bay, which returned without landing. Since then several British subjects have been murdered, and so things have gone on from bad to worse, and not until 1875 were any steps taken; then a commissioner was despatched to endeavour to settle matters, but his influence had little effect in restoring order, and eventually he returned to Cape Town. It is of the highest importance to the Cape Colony that Walfish Bay and the coast-line for fifty miles north and south of it should be annexed to that colony as being the principal outlet for the native trade of the interior. If it should fall into foreign hands an immense injury would accrue by the taking away the greater portion of that trade which rightly belongs to the Cape Colony. The chief, Kamaherero, is almost paramount in the country. The population of the Hereros is estimated at about 40,000, and the Berg Damaras nearly 30,000.

The importance of Walfish Bay is its having the command of all the interior trade of Ovampoland, the Kalahara desert, and also that extensive region at Lake N’gami, a great portion of which is brought across the desert, therefore its importance as a British port cannot be overrated. There is no field for emigration, as the country is too dry for agricultural purposes, and the natives at present are too lawless for any settled community to remain there; but as a trading-station to collect the produce of the interior, and barter with the natives, it is all important that it should be retained.

In the latter part of 1879 the country was in a lawless state. The Gobabis have been robbing waggons; the Gobabis are Hottentots. They robbed a Boer, one Van Zyl, of all he had, and he had to fly with one of his sons, leaving his wife and another woman with seven waggons, with horses, oxen, guns and ammunition in the hands of the Gobabis, who had taken all except the two women. Van Zyl went to Mr Palgrave, the Commissioner, for help, to get his wife and waggons from the Gobabis Hottentots, but Mr Palgrave did not assist him, which has caused some comment, and Mr Palgrave started away from Walfish Bay. The Hottentots released the two women who were prisoners, and kept everything. Nothing has been done to bring peace to the country, as where so many petty chiefs have separate rule in a country like this, it is impossible to have law and order. Mr Van Zyl was afterwards shot, and also his son some time later.

Chapter Fifteen.Ovampoland. South Central Africa.This extensive region is situated to the north of Damaraland, its eastern boundary is the Kalahara desert, already described, and on the north-west the Cunene river and the Portuguese settlement forms its boundary. The high table-land extends over the whole of this region, and is exceedingly healthy, the highest altitude being 5300 feet, as far as I have been able to take them.The Ovampos have large herds of cattle and goats, and cultivate corn extensively. The people are very black, finely proportioned for strength, and are hardworking and industrious; they speak the Otjiherero tongue, and are very jealous of strangers.The only river not yet described that drains Ovampoland is the Ovampo river, which commences on the west of the Central Watershed, at an altitude of 4200 feet, and in 19 degrees 20 minutes South latitude, 18 degrees 56 minutes East longitude, then passes north-west, through the Great Salt vlei, it falls into the Cunene river, and thence to the Atlantic.The country is said to be rich in minerals, but no time was allowed for exploring. Ovampoland is one of the most beautiful parts of South Central Africa, with picturesque mountains, lovely open glades, well-wooded districts, a rich soil for corn, and a dry and healthy climate.I left Otabengo on the 10th of September, 1869, and proceeded along the Okayanka, which passes east and enters the Tonka, already described; it rises in 17 degrees 48 minutes South latitude, 17 degrees 50 minutes East longitude. At Chambombo vlei, between this and the Ovampo river, we cross the Great Watershed, and get into the Zambese basin. Game of every kind is to be found here, the elephant, rhinoceros, giraffe, eland, sable-antelope, gemsbok, and a variety of other kinds; the ostrich, zebra, buffalo, wild boar, besides the lion, wolf, leopard, and other beasts of prey, which nightly visited our camp, causing at times great alarm. There are large open plains with palms, the mighty baobab, the giant of the forest, and other tropical trees and plants.I halted at a small village of the Kasaka Bushmen, which I named my station, and followed up the river before commencing my return journey. Ondonga wherf is where the chief Nangaro lived, and was succeeded by Chipanga. The country is divided into small chieftainships. The chief Chikongo lived on the banks of the Cubango or Okavango, which is broad, and in the rainy season forms a fine sheet of water. The population is numerous, the villages are fortified, their language is similar to the Ovaherero tongue; many of the tribes call themselves Ovambuola. The Ovaquangari are a tall, well-made race, but very ugly, smeared over with fat and yellow clay; their huts are round, the roof going up into a peak.It is a thickly populated country. Bushmen and poor Ovaheros are scattered over this region, which with the tribes have already been described. There are no mission stations, but the people are friendly, honest, and hospitable, and travelling through the country in the rainy season is not so difficult. In the dry season there are many parts which cannot be visited. The produce of Ovampoland is brought down by traders to Walfish Bay. Some few Portuguese travel through it from the Portuguese settlement, their merchandise and themselves being carried by slaves. Along the Ovampo river there are many extensive vleis; some retain their water throughout the year, others are partially dry. The Otjihero tribe have many wherfs along the river, and on the banks of the vleis, under petty chiefs, who are almost independent. Extensive open grass plains, and portions thickly wooded, fine timber trees, and beautiful flowers. The cotton-plant is indigenous, and if cultivated the country might become a valuable district. Between this and the Cubango the Batibe tribe is found. The natives hunt the leopard, panthers, and the lynx with dogs. Wild dogs or African wolves go in large droves and roam the country; they are seen in packs of 200 and upwards. In one of the low-lying swampy pans or pools I witnessed a novel sight late at night; nearly one hundred elephants came to drink, and seven giraffes. The latter have difficulty in bringing their heads down to water. To enable them to do this where the water is shallow they spread out their fore-legs as wide apart as possible, and then bring their long necks down to enable their mouths to reach the water. A full-grown bull-giraffe measures eighteen feet in height. The front legs six feet, six feet at the shoulder, and the neck six feet. When galloping, their unwieldy movements, throwing their heads on each side, give them a strange appearance. Although they seem to move slowly, they get over an immense extent of ground in a short time. I have had some difficulty when in the saddle to keep pace with them; they are as timid as lambs. I have ridden for some distance abreast of several at different times within a few yards before I could get a shot; that is the time when their size becomes apparent; and when they fall, after receiving a vital bullet, the sight is grand; but at the same time it is painful to think that such noble animals should be killed to keep the pot. Lions sometimes kill them, by springing on their back, seizing the upper part of their shoulder with their mouth, and with one of their hind legs bury their powerful claws into the flank, tearing open the side. This soon cripples them, and they fall with a crash, the lion still holding on; frequently their skeletons are found on the open plain.The man-eating lions are a great terror to the natives. When once they have tasted human flesh they will procure it whenever they have the chance. Frequently they will enter the native huts and carry off the first victim within reach. Many districts have been abandoned by the people where these man-eaters are numerous. At one of my bivouacs, where I was watching for one of these lions, near a small pool north of the Otabengo vlei, there were seven human skeletons that had been brought there by lions, and eaten by them.There are many fine euphorbia, aloes, acacias, mimosas, kameel-doorns, maparri trees, ningano, lotus, and palms, which give a novel appearance to the scenery to a northern eye. On nearing the Cubango we fell in with many herds of buffaloes. We shot two, but had a very narrow escape. A dense bush surrounded us, which enabled us to escape, with great difficulty. The next day I found a tree bearing yellow fruit similar to an orange, with a kernel in the centre, rather pleasant flavour, very similar to the marula tree in Matabeleland. Many kinds of beautiful birds, mocking-bird, swarms of the butcher-bird, namaqua-grouse. Along the banks near water thousands of butterflies are seen of many colours, particularly where the ground is moist they settle to suck.Almost daily I go in search of insects, and I made many valuable collections to be thrown away from being destroyed by worms and moths. I collected no less than five kinds of bats, some of them very large. These also fell to pieces. Although I was not molested by the Batibe tribe, I found a stay in the country would add to the suspicions they already entertained, I could see, of my presence, so I moved on, and, taking another route, passing Okayanka, crossed a desert through a bush and open country, guided by two Kasaka Bushmen, and returned to Westley Vale after a tedious and long journey. Although in the rainy season we had difficulty to find water, the soil being sandy, a heavy shower of rain soon soaks into the ground. Permanent water there is none. On our way we were caught in one of those extensive veldt fires that are so common all over Africa, and narrowly escaped. Following down along the great Salt vlei, Otjando, Otjikolo, skirting the Otjiokaka mountains, we reached the wells, and up the Omuramba, where water was plentiful, made for Barmen, where I remained a day, then to Eikham, Rhenoster vlei, Ames, to Westley Vale on the Nosop. The country through which I passed has already been described, in the Kalahara desert. On our way down we saw many herds of game, small troops of elephants, a few rhinoceros, koodoos, pallahs, wild boars and others. Lions we heard in plenty, but they did not come near. I was anxious to leave the country, as the rainy season was just past, and water was getting scarce, having great difficulty on several occasions to find water for man and beast, and it is refreshing to be able after a toilsome and hazardous journey to arrive at a safe haven, where rest and good water are procurable.As a country Ovampoland is rich in game of every description, corn and native products. Cotton, if cultivated, would be a valuable product for exportation, but at the present time it is no country for emigration, being extensively occupied by too many uncivilised natives, who are averse to whites living in that country. It is only fit to be preserved at present to the British crown for its native produce and an outlet for British merchandise.Before leaving Ovampo it will be necessary to give some short description of the ants and ant-hills which are in every conceivable form and size. First comes the lion-ant, that lives in the bottom of a little funnel-shaped hole in the sand, about four inches in depth and four inches in diameter. Any fly or small ant coming near falls down with the rolling sand, when out springs the ant, carries him under the sand where he has been watching for his prey, and, when devoured, waits for another. The largest specimen in my possession only measures half an inch in length. The smallest ant makes a little circular ring of sand formed by the ground brought out from a small hole just beneath the ground. They ate so small that when put upon a white sheet of paper they look like fine dust; and yet these little industrious insects form such beautiful and perfect nests with cells in the ground, the extent of which seldom exceeds the size of a small apple. There is a variety of ant-hills over the country, some of them seventeen feet in height and sixty feet in circumference, made by the small white ant, which is so destructive to buildings. Mosquitoes also infest the country near the swamps and lagoons. My Bushmen and Hottentots had a very ingenious method of being free from them at night by digging holes in the ground where they intended to sleep, covering themselves in their blankets in these holes, and throwing bushes over them as they disposed themselves to sleep. Sand-flies were also very annoying, and as evening closed in hundreds of fire-flies would be seen in all directions, not forgetting the crickets and frogs, which would keep up a perfect din of noises. Beetles of every description and size, particularly some very large rhinoceros-beetles, swarm all over the country. Then there is that small animal called the skunk, with black and white fur, but which gives out a most offensive smell, more pungent than the pole-cat. The swamps seem full of the water-tortoise, and the land-tortoise is also very common and grows to a great size. Tree-toads and tree-lizards may be seen in the old trees and on the branches. I have found many leaf insects in the desert of various kinds. They look very peculiar walking along; some of them are very pretty, many of a light-green colour, others like brown leaves. There are a great variety of beautiful birds, where water is not far away, and the goat-sucker is a constant visitor at the camp. But of all the most welcome birds is the turtle-dove. When we hear its call we know water is not far away. If proper means were adopted to procure water this region would be capable of supporting a large population, as the country is rich in almost everything that man requires, and is most healthy. The first step to take to open up this part of the desert is to improve the road from Walfish Bay to Lake N’gami, and open out the fountains. This would lessen the distance to our interior trade 800 miles.Of late years the game of the country has been greatly reduced in consequence of the natives having guns.

This extensive region is situated to the north of Damaraland, its eastern boundary is the Kalahara desert, already described, and on the north-west the Cunene river and the Portuguese settlement forms its boundary. The high table-land extends over the whole of this region, and is exceedingly healthy, the highest altitude being 5300 feet, as far as I have been able to take them.

The Ovampos have large herds of cattle and goats, and cultivate corn extensively. The people are very black, finely proportioned for strength, and are hardworking and industrious; they speak the Otjiherero tongue, and are very jealous of strangers.

The only river not yet described that drains Ovampoland is the Ovampo river, which commences on the west of the Central Watershed, at an altitude of 4200 feet, and in 19 degrees 20 minutes South latitude, 18 degrees 56 minutes East longitude, then passes north-west, through the Great Salt vlei, it falls into the Cunene river, and thence to the Atlantic.

The country is said to be rich in minerals, but no time was allowed for exploring. Ovampoland is one of the most beautiful parts of South Central Africa, with picturesque mountains, lovely open glades, well-wooded districts, a rich soil for corn, and a dry and healthy climate.

I left Otabengo on the 10th of September, 1869, and proceeded along the Okayanka, which passes east and enters the Tonka, already described; it rises in 17 degrees 48 minutes South latitude, 17 degrees 50 minutes East longitude. At Chambombo vlei, between this and the Ovampo river, we cross the Great Watershed, and get into the Zambese basin. Game of every kind is to be found here, the elephant, rhinoceros, giraffe, eland, sable-antelope, gemsbok, and a variety of other kinds; the ostrich, zebra, buffalo, wild boar, besides the lion, wolf, leopard, and other beasts of prey, which nightly visited our camp, causing at times great alarm. There are large open plains with palms, the mighty baobab, the giant of the forest, and other tropical trees and plants.

I halted at a small village of the Kasaka Bushmen, which I named my station, and followed up the river before commencing my return journey. Ondonga wherf is where the chief Nangaro lived, and was succeeded by Chipanga. The country is divided into small chieftainships. The chief Chikongo lived on the banks of the Cubango or Okavango, which is broad, and in the rainy season forms a fine sheet of water. The population is numerous, the villages are fortified, their language is similar to the Ovaherero tongue; many of the tribes call themselves Ovambuola. The Ovaquangari are a tall, well-made race, but very ugly, smeared over with fat and yellow clay; their huts are round, the roof going up into a peak.

It is a thickly populated country. Bushmen and poor Ovaheros are scattered over this region, which with the tribes have already been described. There are no mission stations, but the people are friendly, honest, and hospitable, and travelling through the country in the rainy season is not so difficult. In the dry season there are many parts which cannot be visited. The produce of Ovampoland is brought down by traders to Walfish Bay. Some few Portuguese travel through it from the Portuguese settlement, their merchandise and themselves being carried by slaves. Along the Ovampo river there are many extensive vleis; some retain their water throughout the year, others are partially dry. The Otjihero tribe have many wherfs along the river, and on the banks of the vleis, under petty chiefs, who are almost independent. Extensive open grass plains, and portions thickly wooded, fine timber trees, and beautiful flowers. The cotton-plant is indigenous, and if cultivated the country might become a valuable district. Between this and the Cubango the Batibe tribe is found. The natives hunt the leopard, panthers, and the lynx with dogs. Wild dogs or African wolves go in large droves and roam the country; they are seen in packs of 200 and upwards. In one of the low-lying swampy pans or pools I witnessed a novel sight late at night; nearly one hundred elephants came to drink, and seven giraffes. The latter have difficulty in bringing their heads down to water. To enable them to do this where the water is shallow they spread out their fore-legs as wide apart as possible, and then bring their long necks down to enable their mouths to reach the water. A full-grown bull-giraffe measures eighteen feet in height. The front legs six feet, six feet at the shoulder, and the neck six feet. When galloping, their unwieldy movements, throwing their heads on each side, give them a strange appearance. Although they seem to move slowly, they get over an immense extent of ground in a short time. I have had some difficulty when in the saddle to keep pace with them; they are as timid as lambs. I have ridden for some distance abreast of several at different times within a few yards before I could get a shot; that is the time when their size becomes apparent; and when they fall, after receiving a vital bullet, the sight is grand; but at the same time it is painful to think that such noble animals should be killed to keep the pot. Lions sometimes kill them, by springing on their back, seizing the upper part of their shoulder with their mouth, and with one of their hind legs bury their powerful claws into the flank, tearing open the side. This soon cripples them, and they fall with a crash, the lion still holding on; frequently their skeletons are found on the open plain.

The man-eating lions are a great terror to the natives. When once they have tasted human flesh they will procure it whenever they have the chance. Frequently they will enter the native huts and carry off the first victim within reach. Many districts have been abandoned by the people where these man-eaters are numerous. At one of my bivouacs, where I was watching for one of these lions, near a small pool north of the Otabengo vlei, there were seven human skeletons that had been brought there by lions, and eaten by them.

There are many fine euphorbia, aloes, acacias, mimosas, kameel-doorns, maparri trees, ningano, lotus, and palms, which give a novel appearance to the scenery to a northern eye. On nearing the Cubango we fell in with many herds of buffaloes. We shot two, but had a very narrow escape. A dense bush surrounded us, which enabled us to escape, with great difficulty. The next day I found a tree bearing yellow fruit similar to an orange, with a kernel in the centre, rather pleasant flavour, very similar to the marula tree in Matabeleland. Many kinds of beautiful birds, mocking-bird, swarms of the butcher-bird, namaqua-grouse. Along the banks near water thousands of butterflies are seen of many colours, particularly where the ground is moist they settle to suck.

Almost daily I go in search of insects, and I made many valuable collections to be thrown away from being destroyed by worms and moths. I collected no less than five kinds of bats, some of them very large. These also fell to pieces. Although I was not molested by the Batibe tribe, I found a stay in the country would add to the suspicions they already entertained, I could see, of my presence, so I moved on, and, taking another route, passing Okayanka, crossed a desert through a bush and open country, guided by two Kasaka Bushmen, and returned to Westley Vale after a tedious and long journey. Although in the rainy season we had difficulty to find water, the soil being sandy, a heavy shower of rain soon soaks into the ground. Permanent water there is none. On our way we were caught in one of those extensive veldt fires that are so common all over Africa, and narrowly escaped. Following down along the great Salt vlei, Otjando, Otjikolo, skirting the Otjiokaka mountains, we reached the wells, and up the Omuramba, where water was plentiful, made for Barmen, where I remained a day, then to Eikham, Rhenoster vlei, Ames, to Westley Vale on the Nosop. The country through which I passed has already been described, in the Kalahara desert. On our way down we saw many herds of game, small troops of elephants, a few rhinoceros, koodoos, pallahs, wild boars and others. Lions we heard in plenty, but they did not come near. I was anxious to leave the country, as the rainy season was just past, and water was getting scarce, having great difficulty on several occasions to find water for man and beast, and it is refreshing to be able after a toilsome and hazardous journey to arrive at a safe haven, where rest and good water are procurable.

As a country Ovampoland is rich in game of every description, corn and native products. Cotton, if cultivated, would be a valuable product for exportation, but at the present time it is no country for emigration, being extensively occupied by too many uncivilised natives, who are averse to whites living in that country. It is only fit to be preserved at present to the British crown for its native produce and an outlet for British merchandise.

Before leaving Ovampo it will be necessary to give some short description of the ants and ant-hills which are in every conceivable form and size. First comes the lion-ant, that lives in the bottom of a little funnel-shaped hole in the sand, about four inches in depth and four inches in diameter. Any fly or small ant coming near falls down with the rolling sand, when out springs the ant, carries him under the sand where he has been watching for his prey, and, when devoured, waits for another. The largest specimen in my possession only measures half an inch in length. The smallest ant makes a little circular ring of sand formed by the ground brought out from a small hole just beneath the ground. They ate so small that when put upon a white sheet of paper they look like fine dust; and yet these little industrious insects form such beautiful and perfect nests with cells in the ground, the extent of which seldom exceeds the size of a small apple. There is a variety of ant-hills over the country, some of them seventeen feet in height and sixty feet in circumference, made by the small white ant, which is so destructive to buildings. Mosquitoes also infest the country near the swamps and lagoons. My Bushmen and Hottentots had a very ingenious method of being free from them at night by digging holes in the ground where they intended to sleep, covering themselves in their blankets in these holes, and throwing bushes over them as they disposed themselves to sleep. Sand-flies were also very annoying, and as evening closed in hundreds of fire-flies would be seen in all directions, not forgetting the crickets and frogs, which would keep up a perfect din of noises. Beetles of every description and size, particularly some very large rhinoceros-beetles, swarm all over the country. Then there is that small animal called the skunk, with black and white fur, but which gives out a most offensive smell, more pungent than the pole-cat. The swamps seem full of the water-tortoise, and the land-tortoise is also very common and grows to a great size. Tree-toads and tree-lizards may be seen in the old trees and on the branches. I have found many leaf insects in the desert of various kinds. They look very peculiar walking along; some of them are very pretty, many of a light-green colour, others like brown leaves. There are a great variety of beautiful birds, where water is not far away, and the goat-sucker is a constant visitor at the camp. But of all the most welcome birds is the turtle-dove. When we hear its call we know water is not far away. If proper means were adopted to procure water this region would be capable of supporting a large population, as the country is rich in almost everything that man requires, and is most healthy. The first step to take to open up this part of the desert is to improve the road from Walfish Bay to Lake N’gami, and open out the fountains. This would lessen the distance to our interior trade 800 miles.

Of late years the game of the country has been greatly reduced in consequence of the natives having guns.

Chapter Sixteen.The Transvaal Republic.In describing the geographical position of this Republic in relation to the adjoining colonies, Free State, and native territories, it will be necessary, before entering upon its physical formation, to give an outline of its boundaries, and the important position it holds in the future commerce of the country with the interior trade of South Central Africa. All the northern portion is situated in the Limpopo river basin, the southern in the basin of the Orange and Vaal rivers. The central watershed being the division which runs east and west from New Scotland, passing half-way between Potchefstroom and Pretoria, on to the western boundary near the village of Lichtenburg. The boundary from Griqualand West, east of “Fourteen-streams” on the Vaal river, up that river to Klip river (a tributary of the Vaal, up which it runs to Gans Spruit, to where it joins the northern point of Natal), is the division between this Republic and the Orange Free State. From thence along the Drakensberg for a few miles in an easterly direction to the Buffalo river, down that river south to the Blood river, a tributary of the Buffalo, which is the division between this Republic and Natal. From the Buffalo up the Blood river to its source in the Magidila mountain, from thence to the conical hill between the Pongola river and the Drakensberg mountain, is the Zulu boundary. The eastern boundary is separated from the Portuguese possessions by the Lobombo range, the Umzila country, and the Amatonga Kaffirs. The Limpopo river is the northern boundary, and the western and north-western by the chiefs Khama, Sechele, Gaseitsive, Montsoia, and Monkuruan territories, and Griqualand West, down to Fourteen-streams, on the Vaal river, before named. The Republic is situated between 22 degrees 15 minutes and 28 degrees 20 minutes South latitude, and 25 degrees 20 minutes and 32 degrees 10 minutes East longitude, and contains about 122,000 square miles.The principal rivers are the Limpopo and the Vaal; the former rises in the high watershed, south of Pretoria, at an altitude of 6300 feet above sea-level, flowing in a north-north-west direction through a very pretty and picturesque part in the Magalisberg range of mountains, which run east and west, on to where the Great Marico river falls into it, in 24 degrees 15 minutes South latitude, 27 degrees 7 minutes East longitude, at an altitude of 2690 feet, passing through a thickly wooded country with many native kraals, skirting Dwaasberg and other lofty hills that add much to the beauty of the landscape. From the junction of the Marico, the river turns in a northerly direction for about forty miles, where the Notuane river joins it; from this point the Limpopo turns with many bends and curves in a north-easterly and easterly direction for some 400 miles, forming the boundary between the Transvaal and the chief Khama, and the Matabele nation, down to 31 degrees 54 minutes East longitude, being the north-east corner of the Transvaal, and where the chief Umzelas territory joins up; from this point, after flowing east for some twenty miles, it takes a south-south-east direction, through Umzelas country to the Indian Ocean. It is a fine, broad stream, increasing in width from the junction of the Great Marico, where it is about 150 yards; at the Mokalapsie river, it is 200 yards; at the junction of the Shasha, 220 yards; and increases in size as it passes on through the low, flat country to the sea, where it is three miles wide. It can be made without any difficulty navigable up to the Rubie river distant from its mouth nearly 300 miles, taking into consideration the sinuosity of its course, whence a good road could be made to the interior; above this point there are many falls and rapids, the two most important are the Impopomene and the Tolo, above-named, both beautifully situated between thickly wooded banks; and over the granite rocks in its bed the water falls, and where some of the bed rocks are exposed, in the dry season may be seen hundreds of deep circular holes from one foot to six feet in depth, and from one to three feet in diameter, that have been worn by loose stones in the first instance being revolved round in a depression in the rock, and in time, by the rushing of the waters upon them, have increased them to the present size; they are similar in shape to those on the banks of the Vaal, Orange, and Zambese rivers. The immensity of time it must have taken to wear away such deep and large holes in a granite rock, makes one pause to think of the period when this river was first formed, because it is only a portion of the year, when the floods come down, that the water acts upon the stones in these holes. The principal tributaries of the Limpopo that rise in the Transvaal are the Apies at Pretoria, Sand, Pinaars, Plat, Matlabatse, Pongola, Palala, Nylstroom, Houdt, Limvubu, and the Olifants river with its many tributaries, all flowing into the Limpopo on its right bank. The greater portion of the country which these branches pass through is called the Bush Veldt, Waterburg, Zoutpansberg, and is principally occupied by native tribes under their respective chiefs. Extensive districts are infested with the tsetse-fly, where a traveller cannot go in with horses or oxen, for one single bite is death.Many parts of this bush country, now unoccupied, must at some remote time have been thickly inhabited, as many remains of cultivated ground are seen in all directions—and large heaps of stones thrown up when the ground was cleared for corn, as is the custom with all the natives when they prepare the land for cultivation—but it has long since been overgrown with timber and thick bush.Nearly the whole of Waterberg and Zoutpansberg districts, up to the Limpopo, and down to the Magalisberg range, a little north of Pretoria, is a mountainous region; the latter mountains run in an easterly and westerly direction to the Marico district, the south face having perpendicular and rocky sides, the northern face slopes gradually, and this is the case with most of the mountains in this part of Africa. The Dwaasberg, through which the Great Marico river has forced a passage, joins on to Wittfontainberg. Pilandsberg is more to the east, north of which is the Karroo desert, where is the Marikele mountain, a long range running in an east-north-east direction to Hangklip mountain, with detached hills up to Marabas town, where gold has been found and a company has long been established, with quartz-crushing machines to extract it. A gold-mining company has been established at Nylstroom; copper has been found in many localities.The Mural mountain range on the western border runs in a north-east direction for seventy miles, and terminates at the northern point of the Pongola river, and can be seen at Mongwato, nearly 100 miles distant. Makapan’s poort is a lofty mountain, a complete honeycomb of caves, where much fighting has taken place between the Boers and the chief Makapan. The Marico district is a continuation of hills and fine rich valleys, the Quaka, Kolobekatseberg, and to the north, Blaauwberg and many isolated hills, north of Marabas stad, in the Zoutpansberg district, with the mountain of the same name, reaches as far as the Limpopo, with the Pweede and Derdebergs. To the east of Marabas Stad are many detached ranges, the Matyatyeberg, Spelunken, and Murchisonsberg, situated on the north of the Olifants river; north and south-west of Lydenburg are the Magnet heights and Lolu mountains range—well known from the Secocoenes stronghold, stormed by Lord Wolseley when Secocoene was taken prisoner.To the east of Lydenburg is the continuation of the Drakensberg or Quathlamba range, broken up into lofty mountains attaining a height of 7000 feet; some of the highest are Steen Kamps, Komati, Slangapies, Rands, and Verzamelberg. The whole of this part of the Transvaal is rich in minerals, wood, and water.The climate is mild, mostly very healthy; some parts are fever districts. The native population exceeds 300,000, divided into various tribes, that are located to the north of Pretoria and Lydenburg, to the Limpopo, and are composed mostly of Mantatees or Makatees, and also are known as Mahowas, and are divided into several kraals under petty chiefs. These are the origin of the Basutus. Their queen was called Mantantezi, and Mosesh, her head-man, deposed and drove her out, and formed the Basutu nation, once so powerful that they endangered a large force of ours under Sir G. Cathcart. There are also what are termed Knobnoses, Basutos, Zulus, Pula Pula or goat tribe, Vaalpans or slaves, that have no resting-place, but roam the country. Then there are the two queens, Majaji and Maselaroon, also Albasini, a Portuguese at Zoutpansberg. Polygamy is common amongst all the tribes; a man may have as many wives as he can purchase and keep; they do the greater portion of the work, till the ground, gather in the corn, fetch wood and water, cook, and such other labour as is required.The principal towns in the northern division are, Nylstroom, in Waterberg; Marabas Stad, in Zoutpansberg, with small villages of Upsal, Eersteling, and Hantbosch; Lydenburg, with the gold-diggers’ camps, in the Lydenburg district; Rustenberg, in the Rustenberg district; Middleburg, in the Middleburg district; and Pretoria, which is the capital of the Republic and a bishop’s see, is situated in 25 degrees 40 minutes South latitude, and 28 degrees 32 minutes East longitude.The other rivers in the northern division, and within the Limpopo basin, are the Crocodile, with its many tributaries, rising in the Drakensberg or Quathlamba range, and, passing through the Lobombo mountain, receives the Umcomasi, Sabie, and other small streams, and enters the northern part of Delagoa Bay. The Umbelosi drains the country south of the Komati, and passing through the Lobombo range, enters Delagoa Bay, or inner harbour at Lozrenzo Marques; it is navigable from the bay some few miles from its mouth. South of this river is the Tembe, which rising in the Lobombo mountains, with its small tributaries, enters the inner harbour. The last of the rivers that drain the south-eastern portion of the Transvaal is the important Maputa or Usutu river, which rises in the New Scotland district, at an altitude of 5780 feet above sea-level, receiving the following tributaries—Impeloosi, Little Usutu, Umkompies, Umkonto, Umtaloos, and other small streams; flowing through the Lobombo it receives the Pongola river, which rises a few miles to the east of Wakkerstroom, and receiving (in its course down) many tributaries flowing east and north, joins the Usutu, where it turns in a north-east and north direction for fifty miles; when a broad and navigable river it enters the southern part of Delagoa Bay. The lower portion for twenty miles passes through the Portuguese possessions, and after crossing the Lobombo mountains, it leaves the Transvaal and Amaswasiland, and enters the northern part of Zululand or Amatonga country. This completes the river system on the east of the Limpopo basin. On the west there are a few branches of the Limpopo on the left bank, that will complete this western division, viz. the Great and Little Marico rivers, the Molmane, the upper portion of the Notuane, and the Franks and Elands rivers, that drain the Marico and Rustenburg districts; the Orange and Vaal river basin, which is separated from the Limpopo by the central watershed, already described, which is also called the Hooge or High Veldt. The Vaal river rises in the Quathlambe mountains on the eastern border of the Transvaal, called the New Scotland district, at an altitude of 5813 feet, near Lake Crissie, flowing south-west past the town of Stamlerton, which is on the main transport road from Natal to Pretoria, passing through an open country, receiving in its course many small feeders; from this town the river turns westerly to Klip river, which is the boundary between the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. From this point the Vaal forms the boundary between the two Republics, down to Griqualand West, taking many turns and twists in a westerly, then south-westerly direction, receiving in its course many streams on the right bank, within the Transvaal boundary, as under—Klip, Gans, Sand, Bushman, Kapok, Rand, Waterfal, Klite, Kalk, Eland, Ensel, all spruits, to the Moi river, upon which Potchefstroom is built. Following the river down we next come to Loop, Baken, Machave, and Kockemere spruits; Scoon spruit, upon which Klerksdarp is built. Crossing several other small spruits we come to Klip spruit, Lion, Wolf, Maquassie, and Bamber spruits. The Harts river, which is a tributary of the Vaal, enters it within the boundary of Griqualand West, rises on the central watershed at Lichtenburg village, in the Transvaal, at an elevation of 6100 feet above sea-level, and flows in a south-west direction, passing the Koranna kraal, Maamousa, and the Bechuana territory, under the chief Monkuruan, where it leaves the Transvaal Republic and enters Griqualand West. The boundary of this chief is now being arranged by General Sir Charles Warren. This completes the river system of the Transvaal in the Orange river basin.The towns within this area are Utrich, Darby, Lunenberg, Wakkerstroom, Standerton, Heidelburg, Fentersdorp, Potchefstroom, Klerksdarp, Lichtenburg, Bloemhof, and Christiana. There are no hills of importance in this division, only a few isolated “kopjies” at Potchefstroom, Hartebeestfontein, and at Klerksdarp, which do not call for any particular description.On the south-east boundary is a native territory called Swaziland, or the Amaswasi country, belonging to a Zulu tribe; it is situated between the Republic, Zululand, and the Portuguese possessions at Delagoa Bay. It is a very hilly and well-wooded district, thickly populated with a warlike race. The Transvaal Republic say it is within their boundary, but the natives deny it; at any rate the Boers at present have no authority over them, and the chief rules quite independent of the Transvaal. It has long been under our protection, and it was the main cause of the Zulu war, because we would not allow Cetewayo to “wash his spears” in them. Gold-fields are now there. The English and Boers havehiredlarge tracts of their country as cattle-runs, and will never be got out.There are many roads to the Transvaal from the Cape Colony and Natal; those most used are from Kimberley diamond-fields, passing up on both sides of the Vaal river; they are rough, sandy, and in places very stony; others pass through Bloemfontein in the Free State, crossing the Vaal at several drifts. From Natal there are two over the Drakensberg to Harrismith, on to Potchefstroom and Heidelburg; also two passing through Newcastle, one going to Standerton and Pretoria, the other to Wakkerstroom, Lydenburg, and the gold-fields; portions of them are very good, other parts rough and heavy travelling. It is the same with all others that traverse the country, as they are never repaired.The country on the south side of the watershed or high veldt is open and uninteresting, long stretches of rolling plains, not a bush or tree to be seen for miles; except here and there, at long intervals, a Boer farm is seen, and near it occasionally a garden surrounded by the well known tall gum trees; no Kaffir locations are seen in any portion of this part, a few huts occupied by the Kaffir servants may be located near each farm. The country is suitable for cattle, but sheep do not thrive.This country is divided into thirteen districts—seven in the Limpopo basin, and six in the Orange and Vaal basins.The first contains Pretoria, Rustenburg, Marico, Waterburg, Zontpansberg, Lydenburg, and Middleburg.The second Potchefstroom, Bloemhof, Heidelburg, Wakkerstroom, Utrecht, and Standerton.The white population, which was estimated in 1882, did not exceed 45,000 of all nationalities. Since the retrocession of the Transvaal it has greatly diminished, probably not more than 40,000 at the present time; putting five to a family, on an average, there would be 8000 families, 2000 of which would be made up of English, French, Germans, Hollanders, and other Europeans, to occupy this extensive country, which, deducting for native tribes, leaves for each white individual, great or small, 700 acres, and yet the Boers are not content with this large share, but must make war on native tribes to possess themselves of more. If they were an industrious and well-disposed people, and cultivated their lands in a proper way, the Transvaal would, and ought to be, the most prosperous and well-to-do country in South Africa, having all the advantages of a subtropical climate, plenty of water (if properly utilised) for cultivation, abundance of coal and other minerals, splendid grazing for cattle, and many other advantages; but no, they would sooner expend their energies in fighting the native tribes and stealing their cattle, because it pays them better, than devote their time to peaceful pursuits. From the time the Boers have held the Transvaal they have pursued this policy—as is well known by every colonist in the country, and nothing but a firm Government will ever bring them into a civilised state, and prevent their atrocities from being further perpetrated, as has lately occurred on their north-west border and in Zululand.The splendid position the Transvaal occupies in South Africa, with all the advantages above stated, the proximity to Natal, and the seaports of Durban and Delagoa Bay, and eventually a railroad from Newcastle to Pretoria, as also from Kimberley and Delagoa Bay, shows that this country has great facilities for supplying the native trade in the north-east of South Central Africa, where the population is great, and the country rich in all kinds of produce. The gold will soon bring all this.

In describing the geographical position of this Republic in relation to the adjoining colonies, Free State, and native territories, it will be necessary, before entering upon its physical formation, to give an outline of its boundaries, and the important position it holds in the future commerce of the country with the interior trade of South Central Africa. All the northern portion is situated in the Limpopo river basin, the southern in the basin of the Orange and Vaal rivers. The central watershed being the division which runs east and west from New Scotland, passing half-way between Potchefstroom and Pretoria, on to the western boundary near the village of Lichtenburg. The boundary from Griqualand West, east of “Fourteen-streams” on the Vaal river, up that river to Klip river (a tributary of the Vaal, up which it runs to Gans Spruit, to where it joins the northern point of Natal), is the division between this Republic and the Orange Free State. From thence along the Drakensberg for a few miles in an easterly direction to the Buffalo river, down that river south to the Blood river, a tributary of the Buffalo, which is the division between this Republic and Natal. From the Buffalo up the Blood river to its source in the Magidila mountain, from thence to the conical hill between the Pongola river and the Drakensberg mountain, is the Zulu boundary. The eastern boundary is separated from the Portuguese possessions by the Lobombo range, the Umzila country, and the Amatonga Kaffirs. The Limpopo river is the northern boundary, and the western and north-western by the chiefs Khama, Sechele, Gaseitsive, Montsoia, and Monkuruan territories, and Griqualand West, down to Fourteen-streams, on the Vaal river, before named. The Republic is situated between 22 degrees 15 minutes and 28 degrees 20 minutes South latitude, and 25 degrees 20 minutes and 32 degrees 10 minutes East longitude, and contains about 122,000 square miles.

The principal rivers are the Limpopo and the Vaal; the former rises in the high watershed, south of Pretoria, at an altitude of 6300 feet above sea-level, flowing in a north-north-west direction through a very pretty and picturesque part in the Magalisberg range of mountains, which run east and west, on to where the Great Marico river falls into it, in 24 degrees 15 minutes South latitude, 27 degrees 7 minutes East longitude, at an altitude of 2690 feet, passing through a thickly wooded country with many native kraals, skirting Dwaasberg and other lofty hills that add much to the beauty of the landscape. From the junction of the Marico, the river turns in a northerly direction for about forty miles, where the Notuane river joins it; from this point the Limpopo turns with many bends and curves in a north-easterly and easterly direction for some 400 miles, forming the boundary between the Transvaal and the chief Khama, and the Matabele nation, down to 31 degrees 54 minutes East longitude, being the north-east corner of the Transvaal, and where the chief Umzelas territory joins up; from this point, after flowing east for some twenty miles, it takes a south-south-east direction, through Umzelas country to the Indian Ocean. It is a fine, broad stream, increasing in width from the junction of the Great Marico, where it is about 150 yards; at the Mokalapsie river, it is 200 yards; at the junction of the Shasha, 220 yards; and increases in size as it passes on through the low, flat country to the sea, where it is three miles wide. It can be made without any difficulty navigable up to the Rubie river distant from its mouth nearly 300 miles, taking into consideration the sinuosity of its course, whence a good road could be made to the interior; above this point there are many falls and rapids, the two most important are the Impopomene and the Tolo, above-named, both beautifully situated between thickly wooded banks; and over the granite rocks in its bed the water falls, and where some of the bed rocks are exposed, in the dry season may be seen hundreds of deep circular holes from one foot to six feet in depth, and from one to three feet in diameter, that have been worn by loose stones in the first instance being revolved round in a depression in the rock, and in time, by the rushing of the waters upon them, have increased them to the present size; they are similar in shape to those on the banks of the Vaal, Orange, and Zambese rivers. The immensity of time it must have taken to wear away such deep and large holes in a granite rock, makes one pause to think of the period when this river was first formed, because it is only a portion of the year, when the floods come down, that the water acts upon the stones in these holes. The principal tributaries of the Limpopo that rise in the Transvaal are the Apies at Pretoria, Sand, Pinaars, Plat, Matlabatse, Pongola, Palala, Nylstroom, Houdt, Limvubu, and the Olifants river with its many tributaries, all flowing into the Limpopo on its right bank. The greater portion of the country which these branches pass through is called the Bush Veldt, Waterburg, Zoutpansberg, and is principally occupied by native tribes under their respective chiefs. Extensive districts are infested with the tsetse-fly, where a traveller cannot go in with horses or oxen, for one single bite is death.

Many parts of this bush country, now unoccupied, must at some remote time have been thickly inhabited, as many remains of cultivated ground are seen in all directions—and large heaps of stones thrown up when the ground was cleared for corn, as is the custom with all the natives when they prepare the land for cultivation—but it has long since been overgrown with timber and thick bush.

Nearly the whole of Waterberg and Zoutpansberg districts, up to the Limpopo, and down to the Magalisberg range, a little north of Pretoria, is a mountainous region; the latter mountains run in an easterly and westerly direction to the Marico district, the south face having perpendicular and rocky sides, the northern face slopes gradually, and this is the case with most of the mountains in this part of Africa. The Dwaasberg, through which the Great Marico river has forced a passage, joins on to Wittfontainberg. Pilandsberg is more to the east, north of which is the Karroo desert, where is the Marikele mountain, a long range running in an east-north-east direction to Hangklip mountain, with detached hills up to Marabas town, where gold has been found and a company has long been established, with quartz-crushing machines to extract it. A gold-mining company has been established at Nylstroom; copper has been found in many localities.

The Mural mountain range on the western border runs in a north-east direction for seventy miles, and terminates at the northern point of the Pongola river, and can be seen at Mongwato, nearly 100 miles distant. Makapan’s poort is a lofty mountain, a complete honeycomb of caves, where much fighting has taken place between the Boers and the chief Makapan. The Marico district is a continuation of hills and fine rich valleys, the Quaka, Kolobekatseberg, and to the north, Blaauwberg and many isolated hills, north of Marabas stad, in the Zoutpansberg district, with the mountain of the same name, reaches as far as the Limpopo, with the Pweede and Derdebergs. To the east of Marabas Stad are many detached ranges, the Matyatyeberg, Spelunken, and Murchisonsberg, situated on the north of the Olifants river; north and south-west of Lydenburg are the Magnet heights and Lolu mountains range—well known from the Secocoenes stronghold, stormed by Lord Wolseley when Secocoene was taken prisoner.

To the east of Lydenburg is the continuation of the Drakensberg or Quathlamba range, broken up into lofty mountains attaining a height of 7000 feet; some of the highest are Steen Kamps, Komati, Slangapies, Rands, and Verzamelberg. The whole of this part of the Transvaal is rich in minerals, wood, and water.

The climate is mild, mostly very healthy; some parts are fever districts. The native population exceeds 300,000, divided into various tribes, that are located to the north of Pretoria and Lydenburg, to the Limpopo, and are composed mostly of Mantatees or Makatees, and also are known as Mahowas, and are divided into several kraals under petty chiefs. These are the origin of the Basutus. Their queen was called Mantantezi, and Mosesh, her head-man, deposed and drove her out, and formed the Basutu nation, once so powerful that they endangered a large force of ours under Sir G. Cathcart. There are also what are termed Knobnoses, Basutos, Zulus, Pula Pula or goat tribe, Vaalpans or slaves, that have no resting-place, but roam the country. Then there are the two queens, Majaji and Maselaroon, also Albasini, a Portuguese at Zoutpansberg. Polygamy is common amongst all the tribes; a man may have as many wives as he can purchase and keep; they do the greater portion of the work, till the ground, gather in the corn, fetch wood and water, cook, and such other labour as is required.

The principal towns in the northern division are, Nylstroom, in Waterberg; Marabas Stad, in Zoutpansberg, with small villages of Upsal, Eersteling, and Hantbosch; Lydenburg, with the gold-diggers’ camps, in the Lydenburg district; Rustenberg, in the Rustenberg district; Middleburg, in the Middleburg district; and Pretoria, which is the capital of the Republic and a bishop’s see, is situated in 25 degrees 40 minutes South latitude, and 28 degrees 32 minutes East longitude.

The other rivers in the northern division, and within the Limpopo basin, are the Crocodile, with its many tributaries, rising in the Drakensberg or Quathlamba range, and, passing through the Lobombo mountain, receives the Umcomasi, Sabie, and other small streams, and enters the northern part of Delagoa Bay. The Umbelosi drains the country south of the Komati, and passing through the Lobombo range, enters Delagoa Bay, or inner harbour at Lozrenzo Marques; it is navigable from the bay some few miles from its mouth. South of this river is the Tembe, which rising in the Lobombo mountains, with its small tributaries, enters the inner harbour. The last of the rivers that drain the south-eastern portion of the Transvaal is the important Maputa or Usutu river, which rises in the New Scotland district, at an altitude of 5780 feet above sea-level, receiving the following tributaries—Impeloosi, Little Usutu, Umkompies, Umkonto, Umtaloos, and other small streams; flowing through the Lobombo it receives the Pongola river, which rises a few miles to the east of Wakkerstroom, and receiving (in its course down) many tributaries flowing east and north, joins the Usutu, where it turns in a north-east and north direction for fifty miles; when a broad and navigable river it enters the southern part of Delagoa Bay. The lower portion for twenty miles passes through the Portuguese possessions, and after crossing the Lobombo mountains, it leaves the Transvaal and Amaswasiland, and enters the northern part of Zululand or Amatonga country. This completes the river system on the east of the Limpopo basin. On the west there are a few branches of the Limpopo on the left bank, that will complete this western division, viz. the Great and Little Marico rivers, the Molmane, the upper portion of the Notuane, and the Franks and Elands rivers, that drain the Marico and Rustenburg districts; the Orange and Vaal river basin, which is separated from the Limpopo by the central watershed, already described, which is also called the Hooge or High Veldt. The Vaal river rises in the Quathlambe mountains on the eastern border of the Transvaal, called the New Scotland district, at an altitude of 5813 feet, near Lake Crissie, flowing south-west past the town of Stamlerton, which is on the main transport road from Natal to Pretoria, passing through an open country, receiving in its course many small feeders; from this town the river turns westerly to Klip river, which is the boundary between the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. From this point the Vaal forms the boundary between the two Republics, down to Griqualand West, taking many turns and twists in a westerly, then south-westerly direction, receiving in its course many streams on the right bank, within the Transvaal boundary, as under—Klip, Gans, Sand, Bushman, Kapok, Rand, Waterfal, Klite, Kalk, Eland, Ensel, all spruits, to the Moi river, upon which Potchefstroom is built. Following the river down we next come to Loop, Baken, Machave, and Kockemere spruits; Scoon spruit, upon which Klerksdarp is built. Crossing several other small spruits we come to Klip spruit, Lion, Wolf, Maquassie, and Bamber spruits. The Harts river, which is a tributary of the Vaal, enters it within the boundary of Griqualand West, rises on the central watershed at Lichtenburg village, in the Transvaal, at an elevation of 6100 feet above sea-level, and flows in a south-west direction, passing the Koranna kraal, Maamousa, and the Bechuana territory, under the chief Monkuruan, where it leaves the Transvaal Republic and enters Griqualand West. The boundary of this chief is now being arranged by General Sir Charles Warren. This completes the river system of the Transvaal in the Orange river basin.

The towns within this area are Utrich, Darby, Lunenberg, Wakkerstroom, Standerton, Heidelburg, Fentersdorp, Potchefstroom, Klerksdarp, Lichtenburg, Bloemhof, and Christiana. There are no hills of importance in this division, only a few isolated “kopjies” at Potchefstroom, Hartebeestfontein, and at Klerksdarp, which do not call for any particular description.

On the south-east boundary is a native territory called Swaziland, or the Amaswasi country, belonging to a Zulu tribe; it is situated between the Republic, Zululand, and the Portuguese possessions at Delagoa Bay. It is a very hilly and well-wooded district, thickly populated with a warlike race. The Transvaal Republic say it is within their boundary, but the natives deny it; at any rate the Boers at present have no authority over them, and the chief rules quite independent of the Transvaal. It has long been under our protection, and it was the main cause of the Zulu war, because we would not allow Cetewayo to “wash his spears” in them. Gold-fields are now there. The English and Boers havehiredlarge tracts of their country as cattle-runs, and will never be got out.

There are many roads to the Transvaal from the Cape Colony and Natal; those most used are from Kimberley diamond-fields, passing up on both sides of the Vaal river; they are rough, sandy, and in places very stony; others pass through Bloemfontein in the Free State, crossing the Vaal at several drifts. From Natal there are two over the Drakensberg to Harrismith, on to Potchefstroom and Heidelburg; also two passing through Newcastle, one going to Standerton and Pretoria, the other to Wakkerstroom, Lydenburg, and the gold-fields; portions of them are very good, other parts rough and heavy travelling. It is the same with all others that traverse the country, as they are never repaired.

The country on the south side of the watershed or high veldt is open and uninteresting, long stretches of rolling plains, not a bush or tree to be seen for miles; except here and there, at long intervals, a Boer farm is seen, and near it occasionally a garden surrounded by the well known tall gum trees; no Kaffir locations are seen in any portion of this part, a few huts occupied by the Kaffir servants may be located near each farm. The country is suitable for cattle, but sheep do not thrive.

This country is divided into thirteen districts—seven in the Limpopo basin, and six in the Orange and Vaal basins.

The first contains Pretoria, Rustenburg, Marico, Waterburg, Zontpansberg, Lydenburg, and Middleburg.

The second Potchefstroom, Bloemhof, Heidelburg, Wakkerstroom, Utrecht, and Standerton.

The white population, which was estimated in 1882, did not exceed 45,000 of all nationalities. Since the retrocession of the Transvaal it has greatly diminished, probably not more than 40,000 at the present time; putting five to a family, on an average, there would be 8000 families, 2000 of which would be made up of English, French, Germans, Hollanders, and other Europeans, to occupy this extensive country, which, deducting for native tribes, leaves for each white individual, great or small, 700 acres, and yet the Boers are not content with this large share, but must make war on native tribes to possess themselves of more. If they were an industrious and well-disposed people, and cultivated their lands in a proper way, the Transvaal would, and ought to be, the most prosperous and well-to-do country in South Africa, having all the advantages of a subtropical climate, plenty of water (if properly utilised) for cultivation, abundance of coal and other minerals, splendid grazing for cattle, and many other advantages; but no, they would sooner expend their energies in fighting the native tribes and stealing their cattle, because it pays them better, than devote their time to peaceful pursuits. From the time the Boers have held the Transvaal they have pursued this policy—as is well known by every colonist in the country, and nothing but a firm Government will ever bring them into a civilised state, and prevent their atrocities from being further perpetrated, as has lately occurred on their north-west border and in Zululand.

The splendid position the Transvaal occupies in South Africa, with all the advantages above stated, the proximity to Natal, and the seaports of Durban and Delagoa Bay, and eventually a railroad from Newcastle to Pretoria, as also from Kimberley and Delagoa Bay, shows that this country has great facilities for supplying the native trade in the north-east of South Central Africa, where the population is great, and the country rich in all kinds of produce. The gold will soon bring all this.

Chapter Seventeen.A brief historical sketch of the Transvaal from 1825 to 1877.It will only be necessary to touch very lightly on the principal and most important events that have occurred from the commencement of the invasion of the Kaffir chief, Moselikatze (pronounced Umseligas), to the time when the country was taken over by the British Government, as it is my intention to go into the history of this Republic only so far as will throw light on its physical geography.In 1820 the powerful chief Moselikatze fled from Chaka, the king of Zululand, with all his people, and crossed the Drakensberg mountains to the north, into what is now the southern portion of the Transvaal and Free State. There he found the country thickly populated by various native tribes, living independent of each other in large kraals along the river-banks, fountains, and pans—many of these stone kraals are still in existence, but in ruins—the principal tribes being Makatees or Mahows, Bapedi, Bakala, Basutos, and some Bechuanas, Bushmen, also Hottentots, where they must have lived in peace for many generations, from the remains of extensive gardens now grown over with grass, proving, I think, they were not a wandering tribe, but a peaceful people, as the country was most suitable for agricultural purposes, being free from bush and comparatively level, with numerous streams of good water flowing in every direction. Moselikatze, with his several hundred warriors, soon cleared the country by the death and flight of these people; and eventually spreading northwards and towards the west, crossed the Vaal river, and occupied all the south part of what is now the Transvaal. Moselikatze, in 1825, pushed on his conquests where he found the country occupied by the Bahurutse tribe of Bechuanas, on the west of what is now Klein Marico, and fought a great battle with them at their station named Mosega, situated on a small branch of the Klein Marico river, above where Sindling’s post is now built, and defeated them with great slaughter, occupying the country, and taking possession of the station—situated in 25 degrees 40 minutes South latitude, 26 degrees 26 minutes East longitude, south of several picturesque hills, that appear by every indication to have been a volcano—and there he collected his forces, and there he seems to have remained until he was, in 1836, attacked by the emigrant Boers under one Potgieter, who suffered a great defeat at the hands of the Zulu chief, who nearly destroyed the Boer commando. Those who escaped fled to the Orange Free State on to Thaba Nchu, then occupied by the Barolong tribe of Bechuanas under the great chief Moroka, who died in 1880.When the Boers reached Moroka’s town, they were reduced to the greatest extremity, and were received with the greatest hospitality and kindness by the natives; they remained until the following year, getting supplies and fitting out another commando at Thaba Nchu. Again they started on an expedition to attack Moselikatze, accompanied by a large force of Moroka’s people under his own command, whilst Gert Maritz commanded the Boer contingent. The present chief Montsioa, then a young man, also aided the Boers in person with men, and a small Griqua force, under a petty chief Bloem, completed the little army. A great part of Moselikatze’s warriors were killed, and he had to fly north with the remnant of his army, and eventually settled in the country his people now occupy called Matabeleland, showing that the main success of the Boers in gaining a footing in the Transvaal was through the Barolong tribe, of which the chief Montsioa was a captain.In the same year Potgieter took possession of the south part of the Transvaal, then, as it is now, an open uninteresting country—rolling grass plains, with a few isolated hills; and he laid out the town of Potchefstroom, in 1839, which is partly called after his name and partly after the river upon which it is built, on an extensive open plain, as all towns were then built, that no enemy could advance to it without being seen, and it became the capital of the country until the seat of Government was removed to Pretoria in 1860. At that time the country was full of large game—elephants, rhinoceros, and giraffe browsed on the banks of the Vaal, down to the Orange river.Soon after, Potgieter left Potchefstroom and went north-east, and laid out the village of Origstad, now a gold-field. Other Boers in 1847 followed, and being mounted on horses with rifles, had no difficulty in destroying the natives, who had only the assagai and arrows, as they advanced into the country.Another party went south from Origstad, and built the town of Lydenburg, that district being formed into a republic, separate from the republic at Potchefstroom; but, by common consent, in 1860 they were united into one.In 1834 a party of Boers, numbering twenty-seven families, under the command of Rensburg and Trichard, endeavoured to reach the Indian Ocean. Passing down the Olifanta river, they crossed the mountains, after many hardships; where they divided. Rensburg went north, Trichard and his party travelled south-east towards Delagoa Bay. Many of them died on the road; the remainder were sent on to Natal by the Portuguese Governor. Rensburg’s party was never heard of again, showing the restless nature of these discontented Boers. They were all killed, or died of fever.Although they had secured the fertile plains of the Transvaal, where there was more land than they could hope to occupy, their thirst for more land was still unsated.After the battle of Boomplaats the rebel Boers crossed the Vaal, treked to Marico in 1850, where some of them are now occupying the land they laid out for themselves; and they still foster hatred against the English, and since this last rebellion it has greatly increased in intensity, and nothing but a strong Government and an influx of British emigrants will allay, or partly extinguish, that feeling, which their present isolated position is conducive to foster, and teach them to understand, as General Warren is now doing, that there must be a limit to their lawless acts.From 1850 many Free State Boers and others from the Cape Colony, as also many English, Germans, Swedes, and other nationalities, came in and settled down in different parts of the country, making small villages and occupying farms over the whole of the more southern portion of the republic, leaving the northern part, which is thickly populated by the native tribes already described.On the diamond-fields being discovered, diggers came flocking on to the banks of the Vaal, to open up the mines at Hebron and Klip Drift. In 1869 there was great demand for all kinds of produce, consequently prices went up quickly to 200 per cent., which brought money into the Transvaal, as the greater portion of the food supply was obtained from thence.Pretorius was president, and made an attempt to annex all the country on the north side of the Vaal, but was opposed by the Cape Government and by the diamond-diggers, which led to the dispute as to the western boundary of the republic. A commission was formed, which ended in the Keats award; the map I made in 1864 was used for the occasion by the Colonial Government.Soon after, in 1871, President Pretorius resigned, and Erasmus acted until Mr Burgers was elected by the people. The State all this time was getting into such confusion that people would not pay their taxes, and there was no law to make them.The Secocoene war was going on, “commandeering” was at its height, general discontent prevailed, and matters arrived at such an unsatisfactory state in 1876 that hundreds of Boers sold their farms with the intention of leaving the country, as they could not live under their own Government.I was constantly passing through the Transvaal with my waggon to distant parts, and every Boer who had not tied from the colony for misdeeds, hoped the British Government would take over the Transvaal under British rule. Hundreds expressed this wish; the rebels from the colony and their sons did not say a word.Those Boers who sold their farms agreed to trek together, and make for Damaraland on the west coast.One of the Boer’s statements for leaving his Transvaal home may give some idea of the feeling that pervaded these trek Boers at the time:—“I found myself among the commandeered. On my farm nothing had as yet been put in the ground, and as no one could be got to go as my substitute, there was nothing for me but to go on the commando. My waggons and cattle had also to be given up for the use of the commando. In my absence my wife had to plough, in order to obtain sufficient food for the year. I returned from the commando, having lost several of my cattle on the way. I went to the field-cornet of Moi river, in whose district I lived, with the view of obtaining compensation, but I was informed that nothing could be done in the matter. Under the old law compensation could be obtained for damage to what had been lent, but there was nothing mentioned about this in the new commando laws. It appeared the waggons and oxen were commandeered at the owner’s own risk. I was so struck with the unrighteousness of this mode of proceeding that I felt myself compelled, with all my belongings, to join the trek for which a party of Boers were already prepared, and with them I then threw in my lot; and on the 2nd of March, 1877, we left the Transvaal. Our party consisted of 600 souls, large and small, with 100 waggons, under the command of Du Plessis, and arrived at the Crocodile river or Limpopo, where we remained a fortnight, and then went forward into the wilderness.”Very few ever reached their destination. They were attacked by the natives, and had constantly to form themselves into laager to defend themselves. Their cattle died of lung-sickness and thirst, many of them were stolen, some lost in the bush; waggons and property had to be abandoned; women had to inspan the waggons and drive them; to lighten them their household goods had to be thrown from the waggons. Some few reached Damaraland, and a few went more north into the Portuguese possessions, where small plots of land were given to them; those in Damaraland were taken to Cape Town from Walfish Bay, and sent back to the Transvaal at the Cape Government expense; and this occurred during the time the Boers had the Transvaal, and their own chosen president was at the head of the republic.In a few months after I followed them up, and saw the graves of those who had died of fever; and a Kaffir told me one of the Boers had given him a good gun for a small bucket of water. Chairs, tables, cooking utensils, and other articles strewed the path through the desert; and the bones of the dead oxen, that the vultures, wolves, and jackals had picked clean, covered the ground where they fell—a melancholy sight; and all this suffering was caused because these Boers found their own republican Government unbearable to live under. And this is the best answer to be given as to why the British Government found it imperative to step in, and put an end to such a wretched state of affairs, which act was accomplished on the 12th of April, 1877.The remnant of these trek Boers were in the Portuguese territory, at the back of Mossamedes on the west coast, perishing from starvation and misery, when a subscription was raised at Cape Town for them, and a ship-load of supplies and a man-of-war were sent down. They tried to land some hundreds of miles up the coast beyond Walfish Bay, so as to be nearer to the Boers, but were prevented by the surf; they returned, and the supplies were sent up with great difficulty, and many of the Boers came down, as stated, and went back by sea.

It will only be necessary to touch very lightly on the principal and most important events that have occurred from the commencement of the invasion of the Kaffir chief, Moselikatze (pronounced Umseligas), to the time when the country was taken over by the British Government, as it is my intention to go into the history of this Republic only so far as will throw light on its physical geography.

In 1820 the powerful chief Moselikatze fled from Chaka, the king of Zululand, with all his people, and crossed the Drakensberg mountains to the north, into what is now the southern portion of the Transvaal and Free State. There he found the country thickly populated by various native tribes, living independent of each other in large kraals along the river-banks, fountains, and pans—many of these stone kraals are still in existence, but in ruins—the principal tribes being Makatees or Mahows, Bapedi, Bakala, Basutos, and some Bechuanas, Bushmen, also Hottentots, where they must have lived in peace for many generations, from the remains of extensive gardens now grown over with grass, proving, I think, they were not a wandering tribe, but a peaceful people, as the country was most suitable for agricultural purposes, being free from bush and comparatively level, with numerous streams of good water flowing in every direction. Moselikatze, with his several hundred warriors, soon cleared the country by the death and flight of these people; and eventually spreading northwards and towards the west, crossed the Vaal river, and occupied all the south part of what is now the Transvaal. Moselikatze, in 1825, pushed on his conquests where he found the country occupied by the Bahurutse tribe of Bechuanas, on the west of what is now Klein Marico, and fought a great battle with them at their station named Mosega, situated on a small branch of the Klein Marico river, above where Sindling’s post is now built, and defeated them with great slaughter, occupying the country, and taking possession of the station—situated in 25 degrees 40 minutes South latitude, 26 degrees 26 minutes East longitude, south of several picturesque hills, that appear by every indication to have been a volcano—and there he collected his forces, and there he seems to have remained until he was, in 1836, attacked by the emigrant Boers under one Potgieter, who suffered a great defeat at the hands of the Zulu chief, who nearly destroyed the Boer commando. Those who escaped fled to the Orange Free State on to Thaba Nchu, then occupied by the Barolong tribe of Bechuanas under the great chief Moroka, who died in 1880.

When the Boers reached Moroka’s town, they were reduced to the greatest extremity, and were received with the greatest hospitality and kindness by the natives; they remained until the following year, getting supplies and fitting out another commando at Thaba Nchu. Again they started on an expedition to attack Moselikatze, accompanied by a large force of Moroka’s people under his own command, whilst Gert Maritz commanded the Boer contingent. The present chief Montsioa, then a young man, also aided the Boers in person with men, and a small Griqua force, under a petty chief Bloem, completed the little army. A great part of Moselikatze’s warriors were killed, and he had to fly north with the remnant of his army, and eventually settled in the country his people now occupy called Matabeleland, showing that the main success of the Boers in gaining a footing in the Transvaal was through the Barolong tribe, of which the chief Montsioa was a captain.

In the same year Potgieter took possession of the south part of the Transvaal, then, as it is now, an open uninteresting country—rolling grass plains, with a few isolated hills; and he laid out the town of Potchefstroom, in 1839, which is partly called after his name and partly after the river upon which it is built, on an extensive open plain, as all towns were then built, that no enemy could advance to it without being seen, and it became the capital of the country until the seat of Government was removed to Pretoria in 1860. At that time the country was full of large game—elephants, rhinoceros, and giraffe browsed on the banks of the Vaal, down to the Orange river.

Soon after, Potgieter left Potchefstroom and went north-east, and laid out the village of Origstad, now a gold-field. Other Boers in 1847 followed, and being mounted on horses with rifles, had no difficulty in destroying the natives, who had only the assagai and arrows, as they advanced into the country.

Another party went south from Origstad, and built the town of Lydenburg, that district being formed into a republic, separate from the republic at Potchefstroom; but, by common consent, in 1860 they were united into one.

In 1834 a party of Boers, numbering twenty-seven families, under the command of Rensburg and Trichard, endeavoured to reach the Indian Ocean. Passing down the Olifanta river, they crossed the mountains, after many hardships; where they divided. Rensburg went north, Trichard and his party travelled south-east towards Delagoa Bay. Many of them died on the road; the remainder were sent on to Natal by the Portuguese Governor. Rensburg’s party was never heard of again, showing the restless nature of these discontented Boers. They were all killed, or died of fever.

Although they had secured the fertile plains of the Transvaal, where there was more land than they could hope to occupy, their thirst for more land was still unsated.

After the battle of Boomplaats the rebel Boers crossed the Vaal, treked to Marico in 1850, where some of them are now occupying the land they laid out for themselves; and they still foster hatred against the English, and since this last rebellion it has greatly increased in intensity, and nothing but a strong Government and an influx of British emigrants will allay, or partly extinguish, that feeling, which their present isolated position is conducive to foster, and teach them to understand, as General Warren is now doing, that there must be a limit to their lawless acts.

From 1850 many Free State Boers and others from the Cape Colony, as also many English, Germans, Swedes, and other nationalities, came in and settled down in different parts of the country, making small villages and occupying farms over the whole of the more southern portion of the republic, leaving the northern part, which is thickly populated by the native tribes already described.

On the diamond-fields being discovered, diggers came flocking on to the banks of the Vaal, to open up the mines at Hebron and Klip Drift. In 1869 there was great demand for all kinds of produce, consequently prices went up quickly to 200 per cent., which brought money into the Transvaal, as the greater portion of the food supply was obtained from thence.

Pretorius was president, and made an attempt to annex all the country on the north side of the Vaal, but was opposed by the Cape Government and by the diamond-diggers, which led to the dispute as to the western boundary of the republic. A commission was formed, which ended in the Keats award; the map I made in 1864 was used for the occasion by the Colonial Government.

Soon after, in 1871, President Pretorius resigned, and Erasmus acted until Mr Burgers was elected by the people. The State all this time was getting into such confusion that people would not pay their taxes, and there was no law to make them.

The Secocoene war was going on, “commandeering” was at its height, general discontent prevailed, and matters arrived at such an unsatisfactory state in 1876 that hundreds of Boers sold their farms with the intention of leaving the country, as they could not live under their own Government.

I was constantly passing through the Transvaal with my waggon to distant parts, and every Boer who had not tied from the colony for misdeeds, hoped the British Government would take over the Transvaal under British rule. Hundreds expressed this wish; the rebels from the colony and their sons did not say a word.

Those Boers who sold their farms agreed to trek together, and make for Damaraland on the west coast.

One of the Boer’s statements for leaving his Transvaal home may give some idea of the feeling that pervaded these trek Boers at the time:—“I found myself among the commandeered. On my farm nothing had as yet been put in the ground, and as no one could be got to go as my substitute, there was nothing for me but to go on the commando. My waggons and cattle had also to be given up for the use of the commando. In my absence my wife had to plough, in order to obtain sufficient food for the year. I returned from the commando, having lost several of my cattle on the way. I went to the field-cornet of Moi river, in whose district I lived, with the view of obtaining compensation, but I was informed that nothing could be done in the matter. Under the old law compensation could be obtained for damage to what had been lent, but there was nothing mentioned about this in the new commando laws. It appeared the waggons and oxen were commandeered at the owner’s own risk. I was so struck with the unrighteousness of this mode of proceeding that I felt myself compelled, with all my belongings, to join the trek for which a party of Boers were already prepared, and with them I then threw in my lot; and on the 2nd of March, 1877, we left the Transvaal. Our party consisted of 600 souls, large and small, with 100 waggons, under the command of Du Plessis, and arrived at the Crocodile river or Limpopo, where we remained a fortnight, and then went forward into the wilderness.”

Very few ever reached their destination. They were attacked by the natives, and had constantly to form themselves into laager to defend themselves. Their cattle died of lung-sickness and thirst, many of them were stolen, some lost in the bush; waggons and property had to be abandoned; women had to inspan the waggons and drive them; to lighten them their household goods had to be thrown from the waggons. Some few reached Damaraland, and a few went more north into the Portuguese possessions, where small plots of land were given to them; those in Damaraland were taken to Cape Town from Walfish Bay, and sent back to the Transvaal at the Cape Government expense; and this occurred during the time the Boers had the Transvaal, and their own chosen president was at the head of the republic.

In a few months after I followed them up, and saw the graves of those who had died of fever; and a Kaffir told me one of the Boers had given him a good gun for a small bucket of water. Chairs, tables, cooking utensils, and other articles strewed the path through the desert; and the bones of the dead oxen, that the vultures, wolves, and jackals had picked clean, covered the ground where they fell—a melancholy sight; and all this suffering was caused because these Boers found their own republican Government unbearable to live under. And this is the best answer to be given as to why the British Government found it imperative to step in, and put an end to such a wretched state of affairs, which act was accomplished on the 12th of April, 1877.

The remnant of these trek Boers were in the Portuguese territory, at the back of Mossamedes on the west coast, perishing from starvation and misery, when a subscription was raised at Cape Town for them, and a ship-load of supplies and a man-of-war were sent down. They tried to land some hundreds of miles up the coast beyond Walfish Bay, so as to be nearer to the Boers, but were prevented by the surf; they returned, and the supplies were sent up with great difficulty, and many of the Boers came down, as stated, and went back by sea.

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