LEAVE THE ORANGE RIVER KOMAGGAS. 325 



shape and size the Namaqua cattle approach nearer the Eu- 

 ropean breed than to that indigenous to the countries north 

 of them. They are of moderate size, very compact, and 

 have short but stout horns (usually curved inward), with 

 rather large hoofs. 



CHAPTER XXVIL 



Leave the Orange Eiver. — Arrival at Komaggas. — Gardening Jtnd 

 Agriculture. — The Author starts alone for the Cape. — Colony 

 Horses. — Enmity of the Boers to "Britishers." — Dutch Salutation. 

 — The Author must have been at Timbuctoo, whether or no. — He 

 arrives at Cape-Town. — Cuts a sorry figure. — Is run away with. — 

 A Feast of Oranges. — Ghost Stories. — Cattle Auction. — Hans and 

 John Allen proceed to Australia. — Preparations for Journey to the 

 Ngami. — Departure from the Cape. 



On the 25th of August we left the inhospitable banks of 

 the Orange River. After rather more than a week's slow 

 travel through dreary and uninteresting tracts of land, covered 

 by a deep, yielding sandy soil, bearing a dwarfish vegetation, 

 we arrived at Komaggas, also a Rhenish missionary station. 

 The Rev. Mr. Welch now officiated here.* The congrega- 

 tion consists of a promiscuous collection of Hottentots and 

 the offspring of other dark-colored natives. 



Komaggas is picturesquely situated, and well supplied with 

 water. Gardening is brought almost to perfection ; and, not- 

 withstanding the dryness of the atmosphere, corn is cultivated 

 with success in the neighborhood. Indeed, the best wheat 

 in the west part of the colony, I am informed, is grown here ; 

 but its cultivation is attended with much labor, since it can 



* This institution was founded by the Rev. Mr. Schmelen. In 

 1830, during the administration of Sir Lowry Cole, it received by 

 charter an extensive grant of territory from the British government at 

 the Cape. On that memorable occasion the zealous missionary pre- 

 sented to the governor a translation of the four Gospels in the Nama- 

 qua tongue. 



