1st January 1780

transcription

[1st January 1780]
1 January 1780

nog n:n:w: fors met nu en dan regenbuijen. reed na strand de rivier af vond hier en daar eenige kuilen water en de mond toe met een sandbank, by de mond een grote sloof water, waarin veel springers en harders gevisd

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worden, ook veel watervogels. de rivier strekt by van der westhuisen o en w: daarna draayt na 't z z:w: en dus in zee het strand by de mond even een sand baaytje anders laag rotsig met sterke branding hier en daar wat sanduyn anders lage ruggens. als hier overal. strand strekte ten noorden so ver peilen (sien) kon n:n:w. ten zuiden z:z:o: en by de mond n:t:w:. van 't huis van van der westhuisen legt kamies gemeten punt n:o:. de boven legplaats aan groene riv: o:n:o: mond. z:w: koegel fontein z:o: opklarend weer in den agtermiddag. reden in twe uren en een half langs de drayen der rivier weer te rug. het was een plaisier de verwondering van de kleine bosjeman Cabas. te zien op 't zien der zee. men had hem gesegt dat wy hier de wijn uit schepten, hy lei sig op een klip neer om te drinken dog scheide spoedig uit.
de honden vongen een jakhals. dese rivier loopt selden in zee uit, en sag hier nog groen koren staan also sy om de vogtigheid als hy uitgedroogt is in syn bed saayen. tussen de mond en het huis legt nog een veeplaats van Engelbregt.
peiling van brakfontein Engelbregt n. ½ o. kamies n.n:o: 2 gr. o. gedawt.

translation

[1st January 1780]
1 January 1780

Wind still north north-west, brisk with occasional rainstorms.

Rode down the river to the shore. Found some pools of water here and there and the mouth closed by a sandbank. Found a large gully of water at the mouth where many springers and harders are caught;

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also many waterfowls. The river runs east-west at Van der Westhuizen’s, then turns to the southsouth-west and so into the sea. The beach at the mouth is just a small sandy bay, elsewhere it is low and rocky with heavy breakers. There are a few sand dunes here and there, otherwise low ridges, as everywhere here. As far as I could take bearings (that is see) the shore stretches northwards to the north-north-west; southwards to the south-south-east; and at the mouth north by west.
From Van der Westhuizen’s house, the measuring point at Kamiesberg lies north-east; the upper camp on the Groen River, east-north-east; the mouth, south-west; Koegelfontein, south-east
The weather clearing up in the afternoon, we rode back in two and a half hours beside the twisting river. It was a delight to see the astonishment of the little Bushman Cabas when he saw the sea. He was told that this was where we got our wine. He laid himself down on a stone to drink but he soon stopped.
The dogs caught a jackal. This river seldom flows into the sea. I saw green wheat still standing here; thus they sow it in the riverbed for moisture when it is dry. Yet another stock farm of Engelbrecht lies between the mouth and the house. Bearings from Brakfontein: Engelbrecht, north half east; Kamies, north-north-east 2 degrees east. There was dew; there are heavy frosts at this place due to the nearness of the Kamies berg.