1812. RAPID TRAVELLING. — VAN HEERDEN'S. - A WHITE CAFFRE. 1*71 
rapid tt^avelling of a vehicle drawn by six horses in hand, left little 
time for making remarks of any kind. We flew past every object, 
and, hardly had I turned my eyes to any thing remarkable by the 
roadside, than it was already behind us. Such expedition was, 
indeed, a novelty to me, and very different from the rate to which I 
had been accustomed during the last ten months ; but, as a traveller 
desirous of observing the features and productions of a strange 
country, I abhorred galloping horses, and would have preferred 
sitting behind a team of my own oxen, whose steady pace seemed to 
have been measured exactly to suit an observer and admirer of nature. 
Yet, notwithstanding what appeared to me to be great ex- 
pedition, it was nine o'clock in the evening before we arrived at 
Cootje Van Heerdens, where we had purposed to pass the night. This 
farm house was superior, in most respects, to all which I had hitherto 
seen in this quarter, and nearly equal to the best in the Cape 
District. It was built on a larger scale, and in a more substantial 
manner, than the general class of colonial dwellings, and therefore it 
scarcely need be added, that the owner was in affluent circumstances. 
My fellow travellers, being the intimate friends of Van Heerden, 
were received, and myself also, in the most hospitable manner. 
The appearance of the place and its inhabitants, was altogether as 
respectable as any I had seen in the colony. 
29th. At this farm were many servants : among them a girl 
was pointed out to me, whose history was interesting ; and who 
Was, besides, a surprising lusus 7iatur<F. Her parents were genuine 
Cqffres, and resided at this farm when she was an infant : on some 
occasion they went back to their own country, while their child, under 
pretence of being unequal to the fatigues of the journey, was left 
at Van Heerden's. But as they never afterwards returned for her, it 
was supposed that her singular appearance had induced them to 
desert her. At the time when I saw her, she was sixteen years 
old, of a very stout make, and of short stature : in which respect 
she was not different from many Caffre girls, whom I saw about 
a year afterwards. But the color of her skin, was that of the 
fairest European ; or, more correctly expressed, it was mere pink 
z 2 
