SOUTHERN AFRICA. 143 
favorable for the profecution of fuch an undertaking. Wood is 
in fuch abundance both for building and for fuel, that it could 
not be exhaulled in an age. Two ftreams of water unite in the 
bottom of the glen. The country would fupport with cattle 
and corn any number of people that might be required to carry 
on the works ; and the diftance of the mine is only five miles 
from the mouth of Van Staaden's river in Camtoos bay. 
Having finifhed our obfervations on Zwart-kop's bay and the 
adjoining country, the next ftep was to make the beft of our 
way to the eaftward along the fea-coaft where the KafFers were 
faid to have ftationed themfclves in the greateft numbers. An 
old Hottentot, who on former occaiions had ferved as inter- 
preter between the landrofts of Graaff Reynet and the KafFer 
Chiefs, had, according to appointment, joined us with his fuite, 
confifting of about half a dozen of his countrymen. The land- 
roft, on his joining us, invefted him with his ftaff of office, a 
long ftick with a brafs head on which was engraven the king's 
arms. By fuch a ftaff, in the time of the Dutch government, 
a Hottentot was conftituted a captain ; and, by the number 
they created of thefe captains, the ruin of their hordes was 
much facilitated. But they are now no more ; they and their 
hordes have entirely difappeared, and our old Captain Haajbeck 
commands in Graaff Reynet without a rival. 
Twenty years ago, if we may credit the travellers of that 
day, the country beyond Camtoos river, which was then the 
eaftern limit of the colony, abounded with kraals or villages of 
Hottentots, out of which the inhabitants came to meet them by 
:t hundreds 
