60 Messrs. Cowic at;d Green's Expedition, 



the Bichuana or Sichuana country, for the purpose of laying 

 down the numerous sources of the Orange river or Gariep, and 

 returning to the Colony by the Bichuan town of Litakun. 



Having culled all of interest in the neighbourhood of this 

 strangely-neglected yet valuable little harbour, they continued 

 their journey, passing Chaka's sepulchre, which is built of 

 stone, and protected by a Mimosa fence, renewed monthly, 

 and several fine streams, until on the 18th of February they 

 crossed the Omtongala, or Fishers'-river of the Charts, about 

 six miles from the sea. From this point they took an inland 

 or north-east direction., fording a number of rivers, penetrating' 

 a rich and undulating tract of country, and reached Nobanilie, 

 on the Zimtlanga river, the metropolis of Chaka's successor, 

 Dingaan. This kraal, situated about 120 miles northward of 

 Port Natal,* and its whole neighbourhood, is described as 

 very populous, and situated in a fertile country ; the huts arc 

 built after the manner of the CalFers Proper, but are cleaner, 

 and more commodiously fitted in the inside. Dingann is a 

 very popular chief, and showed great attention to the party, 

 sending them, at different times, twelve fat slaughter cattle; his 

 power reaches nearly as far as that of his late brother. 



Cultivation is very extensively practised, and two kinds of 

 Impjie or Sugar-cane are mentioned by the travellers; o;ie as 

 thick as the little finger, and the other as thick as the wrist: the 

 latter is stated to be the Saccharum Officinarum, or true cane, 

 and was found all the way to De la Goa. Shortly after their 

 arrival at this place, a party of about forty bastard Portuguese 

 visited the Zoola chief, one of them was copper-colouivd, and 

 had straight hair ; all were dressed in long chintz gowns, tied 

 at the waist; the object of their coming down they stated to be 

 want of food; their nation resided near the Portuguese Fort, 

 and had been despoiled by the armies of Chaka ; they also 

 communicated the death of Mr. Mackoy, captain of the Buck- 

 bay packet, a colonial vessel, in the Mapoota-river, which had 

 been lost some months before. 



Messrs. Cowie and Green, from the representations of these 

 people, that it was only five days' journey to De la Goa, now 

 formed the resolution of penetrating to that place, and, leaving 

 the wa^on they had brought thus far, and most of their suite, 

 commenced their arduous and fatal enterprise on the 6th of 

 March. Near Nobambe are several pieces of ordnance, said by 

 the natives to have been left by the Dutch, above forty years 

 ago, when they attempted a Settlement; the point where they 

 ■were described to remain must be nearly thirty miles from the 

 ■ea. 



• Aboul lal.28. 15, long. 31. 57. 



