134 Progress and present State of Geographical 



of tlie old line through the Karroo, and by the Sak-river, 

 In his way to Graaft'Reinet he discovered a river called by him 

 the New, but now denominated the Brakke, passed through 

 several kraals of Bushmen, whom he found friendly disposed, and 

 much interesting country, and he arrived at Graail' Reinet in 

 about 30 days. This place, and the whole surrounding country, 

 was thrown into a state of the most extraordinary alarm at his 

 approach from such a direction, and the most exaggerated 

 stories became current among the simple farmers of this wild 

 frontier. Reports of the approach of a wlute officer, at the head 

 of a force of several hundreds of Bastards, a French army, and 

 innumerable other absurdities, were propagated, and as readily 

 believed, and they infused the more fright from the circum- 

 stance of the greater pait of the male population of the frontier 

 being at that time absent on the grand commando, or military 

 expedition, to drive the Caffers out of the Zuureveldt on the 

 south eastern part of the Colony, and 200 miles from the scene 

 of the exploit of this peaceable visitant. — Having re-inforced 

 his party he returned to Griqua Town by a new course, a little 

 more to the eastwai'd of his former route, along the Zekoe- 

 river, and the Nu-Gariep, or Black-river, and in which he 

 visited the remarkable passage of the stream named by him the 

 Narrows, where that magnificent river is at once straitened by 

 rocky promontories to a width of a few yards, through which 

 it foams impatient of the unaccustomed obstruction, and 

 bounds from it with a fury and grandeur the splendid and terrific 

 scene of which requires to be seen to be adequately appreciated. 



The importance of this hazardous exploration of Burchell is 

 evident, from the fact that the remotest Boers' or Farmers' 

 residence behind Graaft' Reinet were then at the Groote Tafel- 

 berg, only 70 miles beyond it, and that now the whole country 

 to the Great-river itself is occupied by them. 



From Klaarwater, or Griqua Town, Burchell set out on his 

 journey to the interior, visiting the beautiful s<:)urce of the 

 Kuruman, which leaps at once from its rocky fount a perfect 

 river. — The city of Litakun or Leettakkoo, of which and its 

 inhabitants, whose manners and habits are a perfect type of 

 the race inhabiting the interior to that yet to be discovered, 

 and probably remote line which separates them from the 

 negroes, he has given by far the best and most complete account 

 yet penned. — The Moshowa-river, a stream joining the Kuru- 

 man and afterwards along with the latter, reaching the Orange 

 ox Gariep, and he terminated his researches at the Chue lake, 

 laid down by him in lat. 27- I-t- and long. 24, where his 

 people refused to proceed farther, A ridge of mountains, 

 originating in a low chain of sand-stone hills at Klaarwater, 

 and attaining a considerable elevation at the Kuniman, under 



