27th October 1778

transcription

[27th October 1778]
27

vertrok met de grootste spyt van de waareld, gene medicynen hebbende en niet wetende of erger soude worden, also ver weg was dat, na myne schuit en andere saken tot hier gebragt hadde myne gesontheid en die myner wilden niet toeliet myne voorgenomen reise over de oranjes rivier noord en dan west voort te zetten,

nam afscheid van myne vriendelyke hospes, vrouw en familie en trok langs opperman het reusen Casteel regterhand om na de Clerq, daar ten 4 uur arriveerde. na 6 uren met de ossewagen
peilde de beer n:n:o agter de tak bergen die ik het reusen Casteel genoemt heb alles cos en met etages, de lagen seer breed als ene massa, en als door water, geglieft perpend: op den horisont. de bovenste ook geheel bloot, als door wegwassing. peilde als in de caart gemeld. de bergen over Camdeboos riviertje maken met de spitse punt van opperman een halve maan, leggen verder oost als de punt, omtrent drie mylen van de punt. betrokken regen lugt soel donderagtig wind Z:o: koeltje.
term rees met son 59 tot 75 sm het heetste als ordinair tussen 2 en 3 80. en daalde tot 75. met den avond wat regen.
myn hotten: mallegaas die myn losse ossen voortuitjoeg sag desen morgen een leeuw en leeuwin die voor hem wegliepen, sag desen avond by de clerq de madagascar jonge genaamt goliat die de leeuw, dewelke een hotten. valentyn voor omtrent een maand doodt gebeten had, met een lange assagaay doodt gestoken had, dit was zyn vierde. gaf hem enige presenten. zag spring bokken en bubalissen.

translation

[27th October 1778]
27

Having no medicines and not knowing whether I would get worse, I departed with the greatest regret in the world that, after having come so far and having brought my boat and other equipment here, my health and that of my bearers did not allow me to pursue my intended journey over the Orange River, north and then further west.

Took leave of my kindly host, his wife and family, and went past Opperman’s with the Reusen Casteel on my right to De Clerk’s, where I arrived at 4 o’clock after six hours' travel with ox wagons.

Took bearings: De Beer, north-north-east behind the mountain range I have called Reusen Casteel.

Cos-sandstone everywhere with stata, the layers very thick as if one mass and as though split by water at right angles to the horizon. The uppermost parts were also completely exposed as if through erosion.
Took bearings as recorded on the map.
The mountains across the Little Camdeboo River form a half moon with the sharp peak at Opperman’s, and they lie further to the east of the peak, about 3 miles from the peak.
Overcast, rainy sky, sultry, thunder about. A rather cool south-east wind. The thermometer rose with the sun from 59 degrees, to 75 degrees and at the hottest time of day (usually between two and three) it rose to 80 degrees and then fell to 75 degrees Some rain in the evening.

My Hottentot Mallegaas, who went ahead with my unyoked oxen, saw a lion and a lioness this morning which ran away from him.
This evening at De Clerk’s I saw the Madagascan boy called Goliath, who had stabbed to death with a long assegai the lion that had killed the Hottentot Valentyn about a month ago. It was his fourth. Gave him some gifts. Saw springbok and bubalis.