Diary of a Journey to the Amaquas. 39 



called beetling, the design of which is to loosen and thereby 

 more thoroughly separate its fibres. The beetles used for 

 this purpose are moved either by hand or by water. 



It may be observed that hemp crops afford an excellent 

 preparation for the culture of wheat, &c. 



Note.— The produce of hemp, in fibre, varies from 3 to 5 cwt. per acre ; 

 in seed, from 11 to 12 bushels. The price of St. Petersburg^ hemp in the 

 London market, by the latest Prices Current, is from £44 to £45 per ton, 

 or about 5 pence per pound. 



Diary of a Journey made by Governor Simon van der 

 Stell, to the country of the Amaquas, in the year 1685. 

 Translated from the Dutch by W. L. von Buchen- 

 roder, Esq. Member of the South African Institution. 



Saturday, 25th August. — At three o'clock, a. m. we took our 

 departure from the Castle of Good Hope, with our baggage, 

 &c. under the protection of our Lord. Amen. Our party, in 

 addition to His Honor the Commander, consisted of fifty-six 

 white men, besides two Macassars and three slaves : our equi- 

 page of a calish drawn by six horses ; of eight asses, saddle 

 horses, two field pieces, eight carts, seven waggons, one 

 boat, and two hundred and eighty-nine draught and pack oxen, 

 together with six other waggons, each drawn by eight oxen, 

 the property of the burgers, and which were to accompany us 

 as far as the Oliphants' river. Our course lay E. 5° 3' N. and 

 after travelling for one and a fifth of a mile,* we arrived at a 

 place called Hooge Kraal, in latitude 34° 9'. By a bearing 

 which we took we found the Lion's-head to be W. by N. The 

 weather was rainy. In the afternoon, about four o'clock, His 

 Honor, accompanied by Mr. A. de Man, the second government 

 authority, together with Captain J. Cruse and several other 

 functionaries, joined us, and were saluted by three vollies 

 from the troops who were under arms. 



Sunday, 26th. — On breaking up our encampment, we 

 travelled over a flat damp country with the Tiger mountains 

 on our right and Table mountain on our left. After ad- 

 vancing for two miles and eighteen minutes, we encamped at 

 a place called Stink River, in a fine valley, which was pro- 

 tected all round by high hills, and was very comfortable and 

 pleasant as a resting place, because there was good grass and 

 water, as well as a rare variety of flowers of all colours. 



Note.— The translation has been intentionally made as literal as possible, 

 and the only deviation therefrom has been the omission of the minute 

 detail ol the various courses pursued each day, and the distances in each 

 direction after the fifth of September. 



* Dutch measure, each mile of which is equal to six English miles. 



