SOUTHERN AFRICA. 19 



with snow, while g-arden hedg-es of quince, and a roAv of 

 lemon-trees on either side, bending- beneath a load of ripe 

 fruit, formed decorations as beautiful in themselves as they 

 were novel to an Indian eye. 



We considered GraafF Reinet to be the starting* point or 

 base of our operations. Our object now was to sweep rapidly 

 over a g'reat extent of country, in order to reach the most 

 distant point that our time and the duration of oui* supplies 

 would permit us to visit. This method of proceeding- not 

 only g-reatly increased the probability of romantic peril, 

 adventure, and discover}^, but also enhanced our prospect 

 of sport. We therefore resolved to reach Kuruman, or 

 New Litakoo, a missionary station of importance, four hun- 

 dred miles to the northward, with all practicable expedition, 

 and to proceed thence to the country of Moselekatse, king* 

 of the Abaka Zooloos, or Matabili, a powerful and despotic 

 monarch, whose dominions were known to abound with 

 game, and possessed the additional advantag-e of having- been 

 little traversed by our countr3^men. Arriving- there, time and 

 cu'cumstances would enable us to form a further prog-ramme 

 of our proceeding's ', but I determined at all events to extend 

 my researches to the tropic of Capricorn, and even if possible 

 also to visit the Great Lake, which is reported to exist con- 

 siderably beyond it in the interior — finally forcing* my way 

 back to the colony by the hitherto unexplored route of the 

 Likwa or Vaal River, which, thoug-h the most direct, had 

 hitherto, in consequence of Moselekatse's interdiction, re- 

 mained unexplored by Europeans, and which I intended to 

 survey. I need scarcely say that at this time the result of 

 Dr. Smith's recent inquiries had not been made pubhc, 

 and even Avhile I now write, his work has not reached India. 



At the time of our arrival at GraafF Reinet, the rao=e for 

 emigration beyond the boundary was rapidly spreading-, and 

 wag-gons being- consequently at a hig-h premium, we had no 



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