202 APPENDIX 
canal-like appearance by its evenness of width, unlike most 
of the rivers to the westward, having but little jungle, but 
plenty of fine timber, and it could easily be led out if requi- 
site for the purpose of irrigation. The Omtongala succeeds 
as next in consequence, at about ten miles in advance, and 
the greater and lesser Omgazis, the Mogassie of the tra- 
veller William van Reenen, follows at another advance of 
twenty miles, at the mouth of which, according to report, 
there is a fine but small inlet or bay. 
A very few miles farther brings us to the Onvimvaeboo, 
the Sinwowoe of Van Reenen; the native name is translate- 
able as the Great Sea-Cow River, of which animal it is full, 
and is the St. John’s River of our hydrographical maps. It 
is one of the largest streams on the coast, and rises in the 
Ingale, or Snowy Mountain, the great range already so fre- 
quently mentioned ; its eastern course is called Omsimelaff, 
and it is joined by five very considerable branches from the 
‘westward. This stream forms a mighty barrier, or rather 
gulph, between the eastern and western territories, and has 
along its whole course, of about one hundred miles direct, 
but two or three passes, from the steepness of its rocky 
banks, which near the mouth are from fifteen hundred to two 
thousand feet high: in fact, it appears that some extraor- 
dinary convulsion has split the solid mountain in two, to 
‘allow the escape of its impetuous waters. A road, with 
much difficulty, has been made by the indefatigable Caffer 
traders from the Colony, down this awful deep, and waggons 
now easily pass through it on their way to and ftom the 
Colony to Natal. At its estuary the width is about four ~ 
hundred yards, spreading inside into a splendid and per- 
fectly sheltered basin. It appears to be the most capable 
of entrance of all the rivers to the eastward; and Lieute- 
nant King of the Royal Navy, who minutely examined it 
