120 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



where about a thousand miles. It rises in the east, in 

 the Vitbergen mountain range, a little to the north- 

 ward of the latitude of Port Natal, and, flowing west- 

 ward, is joined by the fair Vaal River about fifty miles 

 below the spot where I had now arrived ; thence it con- 

 tinues its course westward, and falls into the South At- 

 lantic about five hundred miles to the north of the Cape 

 of Good Hope. We made the river at a place called 

 Davinar's Drift or ford, beside which was a comforta- 

 ble Dutch farm. The owner was a young Boer from 

 the Cape district, and had obtained his present envia- 

 ble position by marrying a fat old widow. Their chief 

 riches consisted of sheep and goats, of which they pos- 

 sessed enormous flocks, which were in very fine condi- 

 tion, the country being suitable for pasturing these an- 

 imals. Large herds of trekking springboks were feed- 

 ing in sight of the homestead. I had passed several 

 herds on my morning's march, and had shot three, 

 which were in good order. 



The Boers, contrary to my expectation, reported the 

 river fordable, though I had been informed that it was 

 very large. Before venturing to cross we were occu- 

 pied for upward of an hour in raising the goods liable 

 to be damaged by water, by means of a platform con- 

 sisting of green willow boughs, with which we filled 

 the bottom of the wagons, and then replaced the cargo. 

 The descent on our side was extremely steep, and we 

 found it necessary to rheim, viz., to secure, by means 

 of the drag-chains, both hind wheels of each wagon. 

 The drift was extremely rough, and jolted the wagons 

 about sadly. We, however, got safely through, and, 

 having proceeded about half a mile up the opposite 

 bank, encamped. No person who has not contempla- 

 ted a magnificent river under similar circumstances 



