A F R I C 377 
^Ith my waggons and all my caravan, I took 
the refolution of making this little excurfion 
on foot with a few only of my people. 
The journey could not be otherwife than; 
very fatiguing ; but it would take me only a 
fortnight. Accordingly, encumbering myfelf 
with no baggage, I took with me four of my 
hunters, of whom Klaas was one, a few of my 
dogs, and fet off. - 
My defign being, as I have faid, to recon- 
noitre the Orange, I travelled very fcrupuloufly 
along its banks, without ever deviating from 
them, unlefs compelled to make a circuit by 
high or fteep rocks intervening. After a few 
days march we difcovered an ifland, which I 
was anxious to vifit, in the hope of finding 
there fome new objeft to gratify my curiofity. 
My companions had no difficulty about the 
paflage, all the favages being excellent fwim- 
mers. For my part, I had recourfe to the 
fame means as I had employed before in croff- 
ing Elephants-River, beftriding the trunk of 
a tree, while fome of my fwimmers drew it 
along before, and the others puflied it behind. 
The firft time I tried this expedient, it had 
nearly coft me my life ; but on this occafion 
the 
