KNYSNA 115 



be hurled on to the rocks and quickly despatched. 

 Once safely through the troubled waters of the Heads, 

 a broad tidal estuary lies in front, covering many miles 

 of ground, and dotted here and there with islands, while 

 in the distance, as one looks across the water, a chain 

 of low hills may be seen, clothed in places with dense 

 woods ; these woods are the outskirts of the great 

 Knysna Forest. 



The town of Knysna lies at the foot of these hills, 

 and is situated but little above the level of the estuary, 

 which separates it from the Heads by two miles or 

 so of tidal water. Knysna is not a large town, perhaps 

 a thousand people being gathered beneath the corru- 

 gated iron roofs of its houses. For many years it has 

 done a steady trade in timber, but when gold was found 

 in the forest at a little place called Millwood, it began to 

 look around and increase its accommodation, for if the 

 mines at Millwood were a success Knysna would rapidly 

 develop, and could perhaps afford to make its splendid 

 natural harbour into one of the best in South Africa. 



The mines at Millwood unfortunately did no more 

 than keep themselves going, so Knysna waited, at first 

 with anticipation, then with impatience, and lastly with 

 apathy. It was a case of settling down to its old timber 

 trade again, but with an additional mouth to feed in 

 the shape of a new hotel which had been built in 

 expectation of better times. 



I do not think that Knysna has much to thank 

 Millwood for nowadays, though to be sure at intervals 

 mysterious-looking persons carrying handbags will even 

 now occasionally pass through Knysna, hire a Cape cart 

 and drive up to Millwood. They view the mines, and 



