154 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



with milk. In the height of the day we all bathed in 

 the Riet River, and in the afternoon I continued my 

 journey eastward. The breadth of the Riet River "Sere 

 is about thirty yards. It rises about one hundred miles 

 to the eastward, and, flowing westerly, joins the Vaal 

 River opposite Campbellsdorp. ^ 



On the third day after making the Riet River we 

 crossed below a very picturesque waterfall, and resumed 

 our march along its northern bank. The day was cool 

 and pleasant, the sky overcast ; the hot days of sum- 

 mer were now past, and the weather was most enjoy- 

 able. Continuing my march in the afternoon, I left 

 the Riet River on my right, and held on through an 

 open, sandy country richly covered with abundance of 

 sweet grass, and intersected by mountain ranges of 

 very considerable extent. At sunset I encamped be- 

 side a Boer's farm, who received me hospitably, and 

 asked me to dine with him. During dinner, according 

 to the custom of the Boers, he pestered me with a thou- 

 sand questions, such as. What was my nation ? Where 

 was I from ? Where was I bound for ? Why I trav- 

 eled about alone in such a manner ? Where was my 

 farm ? Were my father and mother living ? How 

 many brothers and sisters I had ? Was I married ? 

 A.nd had I never been married in the whole course of 

 my life ? On my replying in the negative to this last 

 question, the Boer seemed petrified with astonishment, 

 and the family gazed at one another in utter amaze- 

 ment. On the farm was a fine specimen of the Afri- 

 can wild boar, which was perfectly tame, and took veg- 

 etables from the hands of the children. On the follow- 

 ing day I performed two long marches, and again halt- 

 ed on the farm of a Boer, whose name was Potcheter. 

 I found this man particularly bitter against the gov- 



