TRAVELS IN 
Like all tlie African rivers that discharge tlieniselves into the 
sea on the eastern coast, the mouth of the Great Fish river was 
nearly sanded up. The quantity, however, of water brought 
down by its stream, is sufficient to keep open a constant 
channel, which, at the lowest ebb, seemed to be deep enough 
in every part for the admission of large boats. Within the 
bar of sand it was from three to four hundred yards in width, 
and appeared to be very deep. The Portuguese, in their 
earliest voyages, discovered this river, and gave to it the 
name of Rio Infante ; and, persuaded that it might admit of 
being made a place of security for their shipping within the 
bar, they built a fort upon the left bank, and kept there a 
small establishment for a short time ; but the subsequent dis- 
covery of Rio de la Goa, farther to the north-east, promising 
more solid advantages, induced them to abandon Rio Infante. 
The banks descended with a fine smooth slope from the ele- 
vated plains on each side, and were covered with grass to the 
water's edge. The shore on the Kaffer side was beautifully 
skirted with thick coppice wood. Towards the evening a 
vast number of Hippopotami, or sea-cows as they are called by 
the Dutch, appeared with their heads above the surface ; but 
keeping close to the opposite shore, they were too far to be 
easily hit with musquet balls. Several of the paths of these 
animals led from various parts of the river to a spring of fresh 
water about a mile distant. To this spring it seems they pro- 
ceed in the night-time to drink ; the water of the river, for a 
considerable distance from the mouth, being as salt as the 
sea. They also graze during the night in the reeds, and 
browse among the shubbery. Short-sighted man would be 
apt to arraign the Providence of Nature, and accuse her of 
