Second Journey (MS 107/1/1-2)
25th December 1777
transcription
[25th December 1777]
25
vannagt niets gewaar geworden, schoon weer iets bewolkte lugt met styve z:o: passaat en lugt. tegen den middag so als de oever der rivier na het westen opnam, schoot de wind na het noorden en liep met styve donderbuyen met regen door het westen na het z:o:, vond de oever der rivier hier even breed en van deselve gedaante, zag enige rivierkoeyen en versche tekenen van wilden, dewelke na alle gedagten in de bosjes weggekropen waren, of over de rivier gevlugt. zag dat de rivier hier op twe uren distantie west van de oranje poort na het z:w: loopt dog na een quartier loopt hy weer n:w: en dan weer regt west zo ver sien kon. keerde te rug. het donderweer kontinueerde tot den avond dog niet zo sterk; hebben de geschote rivierkoei nog niet gevonden zal zekerlyk met de stroom weggedreven zyn
translation
[25th December 1777]
25
Saw and heard nothing tonight. Fine weather, a somewhat overcast sky with a stiff south-east trade wind and sky. Towards noon, while I was surveying the bank of the river towards the west, the wind changed to the north and went through the west to the south-east with heavy thundershowers of rain. Found the bank of the river at this point just as wide and of the same formation. Saw some river-cows and recent signs of the savages, who had presumably crept away into the bushes or fled across the river. Saw that the river here flows to the south-west two hours distance west of the Oranjepoort, though after a quarter hour's distance it again flows north-west and then due west again, as far as I could see. I turned back. The thunderstorm continued till evening though not as heavily. We have still not found the shot river-cow; it has certainly been carried away by the current.