Discovery in the African Continent. 203 



It is recommended in attempting- to enter this port, for vessels 

 to proceed with a westerly wind northwards to Omtongala or 

 Fisher's River, to prevent being carried to the westward by the 

 current, wlicn the usually short duration of the westerly wind 

 enables the navigator to enter, taking advantage of the tide 

 and an easterly breeze. 



The banks of the Omgaule river are described as very beau- 

 tiful, from its romantic rock scenery. It is about 150 yards 

 wide at li mile from its mouth, which is situated in about lat. 

 29. 50. and Ion. 30. 55. It offers every possible advantage as 

 a future settlement for a civilized population, having abund- 

 ance of limestone and chalk, fine timber, a rich soil, most 

 luxuriant pasturage in the world, the capability of irrigation, 

 if required, for thousands of acres, and a land-locked harbor 

 M'ithin six miles. Bananas grow spontaneously in this highly 

 favored region. 



The serpentine Omtongala, the Fisher's River of the charts, 

 bounds the rich and delightful district of Natal. It is second 

 only in size to the St. Lucia and Mapoota Rivers, and it rises in 

 a breach of the Ingale or Snowy Mountains, about 250 miles 

 from the coast, where it disembogues in about lat. 29. 20. Ion. 

 31. 25., being fed along its lengthened course by innumerable 

 tributaries. Its extreme breadth is from 1 mile to 1^, and its 

 first ford, six miles from the mouth, is 200 yards across, A 

 large salt pan exists near its source, but very difficult of access, 

 and lower down is a warm bath sufficiently hot at times to boil 

 an egg. 



The climate of this division is salubrious throughout the 

 year, suffering no great extremes. Rains generally arrive with 

 the westerly wind, but seldom last more than three or four days 

 together, when the cast wind springing up clears the atmos- 

 phere. The east and westerly winds are the most prevailing. 



The planting season commences in July, and the country corn 

 continues to ripen from the month of January to that of 

 May, so that there is a constant harvest during those 

 months. 



The soil coastwise is generally sandy, but capable of raising 

 most luxuriant crops of Millet and Maize: proceeding inland 

 it assumes a reddish hue and loamy stiflness, changing as it 

 recedes to a black and deep mould, until at the end of the 

 base of the mountains it becomes gravelly and stony. 



The country is covered at intervals by forests of considerable 

 extent, but which are difficult to explore from the impervious 

 nature of the underwood. Trees of large size are rare about 

 the port itself, although the smaller kinds are most plentiful. 

 At the distance of 50 miles, however, are extensive woods, 

 ontaining trees of the largest dimensions, and in the Lnpen- 



