202 Progress andpresent State of Geographical 



the force of the waters passing through the Mosambique 

 Channel expends itself at this part of the coast, or, to use the 

 more significant phrase I find in the notes from which I partly 

 make this compilation, that this is the tail of ihc great Mo- 

 sambique current. 



V. The TEraiA de Natal, the next division, commences at the 

 Omtavoomoo river, and is bounded on the east by the Oniton- 

 gala or Fisher's River of the charts. Its superficial contents are 

 about 9,000 square miles. It is a natural division, possessing 

 similar productions and the same climate, and distinguished 

 from the north-eastern country, which is hotter, less healthy, 

 and more arid, and from the south-western, which is cold, 

 damp, and variable. 



The chief rivers which water this delightful region are the 

 Omzimvooboo, the Omcoomas, the streams which fall into 

 Natal Bay, the Omganie, aiid lastly the Omtongala. 



The Omzimvooboo, or Great River, which its native name 

 imports, is a large stream, emptying its constantly replenished ' 

 reservoir into the ocean in about'lat. 30. 30. Ion. 30. 25. Its 

 estuary appears to be accessible to shipping ; it has a course of 

 above 90 miles, is full of fish, especially eels ; haunted by a 

 number of hippopotami; and its wooded and picturesque 

 banks are thickly populated by that real monarch of the forest, 

 the stately and sagacious elephant. 



The Omcoomas, or Cow River, is a very large stream, and 

 open at the mouth. Its first drift or ford "is about four miles 

 from its estuary, at which place the river is 150 yards wide, 

 and three feet deep. Like all the other streams along the 

 coast, it is remarkable for the translucency and sweetness of 

 Its waters. ^Vild fruit of some very fine and large kinds, 

 worth, it is imagined, to be introduced into our gardens, are 

 said to be abundant in the neighbourhood. Alligators begia 

 to be found here, and a species of the Boa is said to infest the 

 woods. 



The harbour of Natal is situated in lat 29. 53. and Ion. 

 30. 55. ; is about 3 miles in depth by 2| in breadth, containing 

 three small islands, easy of access from the shore at low water. 

 The eastern side is a low sandy flat covered with wood, reach- 

 ing to the margin of the sea, and at high tide presents the 

 singular appearance of an inundated forest. At the head oif 

 the bay is a large plain covered with trees, bamboo, and long 

 grass, but swampy near the water. Three small rivers dis- 

 charge themselves through this plain. The Mestern side is 

 protected by a bluft' point of land, covered M'ith bush, which 

 has inside of it fine anchorage and careening ground. The 

 entrance is about 300 yards wide at high water, and the depth 

 at this time 12 feet, which at the equinoctial tides exceed 14. 



