CHAPTER VIL 
RETURN FROM THE COLONY, THROUGH THE COUNTRY OF THE BUSHMEN, TO 
KLAARWATER. 
The first occurrence after quitting the Colony, was that of meeting 
with the friendly river so often mentioned on our former journey ; 
and as it appeared by the map which I had then made, to run in a 
direction sufficiently near to what would have been our shortest road 
homewards, I resolved to follow it the whole way, and not to incur, 
with so many people and cattle, the risk of suffering from want of 
water, by attempting any other more direct course. 
Just before sunset we arrived and unpacked at an excellent 
spring of water, surrounded by abundance of reeds. It was known 
to Platje, who had once formerly visited it on a hunting excursion 
with a boor in whose service he then was, and who at this place 
administered a flogging to his slave named Nieuwejaar (New-year) ; 
on which account this spot, is called by the Hottentots Nieuwejaars 
Jbntein, 
