62 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



who had guided us from Graaff Reinet, and now left 

 to our own devices once more, we inspanned and set 

 forth. We had before us a drive of between two 

 and three miles before reaching Swanepoels Poort, 

 where we should halt for the night. We got on well 

 enough — barring the increasing roughness of the 

 road — till dusk, when we had still some miles to 

 compass before finding shelter. We had now some 

 little difficulty in keeping to the rude track, miscalled 

 a road ; once or twice, descending suddenly and 

 without warning into deep spruits, we had terrific 

 shakes up, the cart all but capsizing. However, we 

 blundered along as best we could, until at length we 

 neared a light on the right hand. We were now on 

 the banks of the Plessis River, a Karroo stream, which 

 here runs through the narrow mountain gorge known 

 as Swanepoels Poort. The drift or ford here is one 

 of the most precipitous and dangerous in all the 

 Colony, and even in broad daylight has to be crossed 

 with great care. Of all this, however, we were in 

 blissful ignorance, and finding ourselves on the 

 brink of the river, we straightway prepared to cross 

 it, and attain the light we could see burning just over 

 on the thither side. As luck would have it, we took 

 the drift in the right place— otherwise we should 

 have tumbled cart and all over the high rock bank 

 into the river — and very speedily found the horses 

 scrambHng and slipping down what seemed like the 

 roof of a house. Here we were in deep water, 

 through which we plunged, and then with a rush and 

 shouts of encouragement, our gallant nags scrambled 

 up the other steep and lofty bank. It was a most 

 unpleasant sensation on a dark night, and if we had 

 known what was before us, I don't think we should 



