CHAP. XXIX. 
JOURNEY ACROSS THE CONTINENT OF AFRICA. 
VISIT HARDCASTLE— ASBESTOS MOUNTAINS— ROWLAND- 
HILL-DORP— CROSSING THE GREAT RIVER. 
August 9th, 1813. 
Tl HE next missionary station to be visited was in 
Namaqua land, which lies on the western coast of 
Africa near the mouth of the Great River, while 
Griqua land lies towards the eastern shores. Only 
two ways presented themselves, either to return almost 
to Cape town, and travel to Namaqualand along the 
western coast, which would be a journey of at least 
three or four months, supposing that our cattle should 
be able to hold out, which was extremely doubtful.; 
the other was to go directly across Africa, following 
the course of the Great River, which had before been 
attempted by two Europeans, but they failed, in 
consequence of ridges of rocks running up from the 
Great River for upwards of twenty miles inland, over 
which no waggon could travel, and the country 
appeared so barren and dry, that they returned to 
