Second Journey (MS 107/1/1-2)
13th December 1777
transcription
[13th December 1777]
13
mooy weer z: ooste lyke wind
kwamen ons een grote swerm caffers met drie capiteins bezoeken, vereerde hun vier schapen, zy waren zeer vrolyk en nadat een lange conferentie met hunne capteins gehad had, liet ik hen het effect van onse brieven zien, zond de presenten door een Caffer van gagabe en captein Coba, na gagabe en nam afscheid, zynde de Caffers ten uitersten in hun schik.
vertrok west half noord drie uren en quam op de plaats over de visrivier, en ook eene rivier die zuid in de visrivier loopt makende een zuid en noord scheiding met dezelve, hiete dese rivier phrens rivier, vond hier de wagen en zond dezelve noordwest op langs de linker oever der grote visrivier, en reed noordwaards phrens rivier op om te sien waar hy eindigde, beklom na twe uren rydens n: ten o: een hoog gebergte, en zag dat deselve in twe spruiten n o ten n en n n o van de visrivier vier a vyf uren in het gebergte dat daar een kom maakt ontspringt. trok west het gebergte af toen n:w: aan en troffen met sons ondergang de wagen spanden uit by een klein riviertje ḱa∙u∙ḱera door onse hottentots gids genaamt en sliepen in de open lugt zonder tent.
onse gecop: cours vandaag n w seven uuren, mooy weer z:o: en tegen avond n:w:, het terrein berg en heuvelagtig deselve grond veel gras en doornbossen, zag vele euphorbia bomen omtrent tien duim diameter. 20 voet hoog met vierkante vlesige blaren met doorn op de kanten stak er met myn jagtmes in en de melk liep er tappelings uit, kon het sap naawlyks van myn jagtmes schuren sy stonden op en tegen de bergen.
zagen spring bokken enige elanden en drie bos verkens, dog schoon hier overal buffels in de bossen zyn heb er gene gesien. weinig bloemen.
translation
[13th December 1777]
13
Fine weather, south-easterly wind.
A great host of Caffres with three chieftans came to visit us. Made them a present of four sheep. They were very merry. and when we had had a long conference with their chieftans, I let them see how effectual our letters were. Sent presents to Gagabe with one of Gagabe's and Coba's Caffres, and took my leave. The Caffres were utterly delighted.
Departed west half north, and in three hours came to the farm across the Fish River. Also reached a river that runs south into the Fish River and which makes north-south boundary with the same. Named this the Phrens River. Found the wagon here and sent the same north-west along the left bank of the Great Fish River and rode myself northwards up the Phrens River to see where it ended. After riding for two hours north by east I climbed a high mountain range and saw that the river has its source in two streams, north-east by north and north-north-east of the Fish River, four to five hours from the mountains that there form a basin. Went west down the mountain then north-west and at sunset came upon the wagon; we outspanned by a small stream called the Kaukera by our Hottentot guides. We slept in the open air without tents.
Our overall course today was north-west seven hours. Fine weather, south-east wind which became north-west towards evening. The terrain mountainous and hilly. The same soil, much grass and many thorn-bushes. Saw many euphorbia trees about ten inches in diameter and twenty foot high with square, fleshy leaves with thorns on the sides. I stabbed one of them with my hunting-knife and milk trickled out. Could hardly scrape the sap off my knife. They grow on the sides and on top of the mountains. We saw springbok, some eland and three bush-pigs. But although there are buffalo everywhere in the forests here, I saw none. Few flowers.