^08 Transactions of the South African Pliilosophical Society. 



preserved in the Colonial Archives, has been recently published 

 by the same author in a " Collection of Important Historical 

 Documents." * 



Barrow ("Travels in the Interior of South Africa," i., p. 255, 1803) 

 visited the north-eastern portion of the Colony in October, 1797. He 

 states that Plettenberg's beacon was then already thrown over and 

 broken up by the Bushmen. 



The next reference I have met with in regard to the beacon is a 

 letter addressed by a Mr. C. J. Kemper to the Grahamstown Journal 

 in 1843. I have not been able to see the original, but the following 

 is a copy kindly obtained for me by Mr. Murray, the donor of the 

 stone to the Museum, who obtained it from Mr. L. Kemper, son of 

 the original writer. The following is a transcription of the letter : — 



"COLONIAL BEACONS. 



" Lichtenstein, September 16, 1844. 

 " To the Editor. Sir, — Seeing in your esteemed Journal a sketch 

 of a land beacon, supposed by Mr. James Howell to be that of 

 Governor van Plettenberg, I am induced to send you a sketch from 

 a drawing of one which I took on a journey in the year 1830 on the 

 other side of the Zeekoe Eiver, not far from the place of the Field 

 Commandant Tjard van der Walt :— 



7> pLE'.m) 





This worthy old gentleman informed me there was a stone on the 

 flat a short distance from his residence called " Plettenberg's 

 Baaken," and that it had engraved upon it some figures and his 

 name. Feeling much interest in this statement, I requested the 

 Commandant to show me this stone, which he did, and I then took, 

 in his presence, a sketch of it and the surrounding hills. 



* " Belangrijke Historische Dokumenten verzameld in de Kaap Kolonie en 

 elders door," George McCall Theal, LL.D., No. I., Kaapstad, 1898. 



