Journals

Third Journey (MS 107/2)

29th October 1778


transcription

[29th October 1778]
29

snags koud geweest de Phenome: van de z:o: hier als op tafelberg na middernagt stil. so als van de morgen, helder geen wolk aan de lugt dog sterke evaporatie, verhevelingen; de barometer gaf verbeterd 26 ­ 8 dus 3030 voet engels boven de zee. termome met son 41. tot 80 daal tot 75 de wind is met de son me gelopen en ‘t sterkst op den middag geweest

vertrok eerst w en nw na een korte draay so als overal by de meeste plaatsen door een riviertje, (al het water van meintjes afloopt door Carika of berevaley rivier in gamtous rivier, trokken n en n o: door een rug van het sneeuwgebergte en arriveerden om 12 uur in z n w by pretorius, vier uur rydens met osse wagen.
na 2¼ arriveerde n n w aan by marais. tot hier klippig caro weinig bloemen enige arctot: en misenbrian, lage bosjes, in de riviertjes doorn bomen. vond de barom: by marais 26 ­ 5 verbeter:. dit is al het selvde sneeuwgebergte en is men hier op twe derde van het hoogste land. de zout rivier berg is ook het zelvde alleen de versakking of verspoeling in het selve groter

translation

[29th October 1778]
29

Was cold last night. The same phenomenon here as at Table Mountain: the wind from south-east drops after midnight so that in the morning it is clear; not a cloud in the sky, but a heavy evaporation which rises upwards. With correction the barometer showed 26 inches and ­8 tenths, thus 3030 English feet above sea level. At sunrise the thermometer was 41 degrees, went to 80 degrees and fell to 75 degrees The wind veered with the sun and was strongest at noon.

Departed west atfirst, and then north-west after a short turn through a river, as happens, on most of the farms. (All the water from Meintjes runs through the Karica or Beerevlei River into the Gamtouws River). Went north and north-east through a ridge of the Sneeuberg range and arrived in the north-west at Pretorius’s at twelve o’clock: a four-hour ride with ox wagons. After two and a quarter hours' going north-north-westerly arrived at Marais’s. Up to here it has been stony Karoo-veld, few flowers: some arctotis and mesembryanthemums; low shrubs, and, in the rivulets, thorn trees. With correction the barometer showed 26 inches and 5 tenths. We are still in the Sneeuberg range and one is here two thirds of the way up to the highest point. The Zoutivier Mountain is also of the same range but the subsidence or erosion in it is greater.