320 
COURSE AND BRANCHES OF THE GARIEP. 
16, 17 Sept. 
of which rise in the mountains northward of CafFreland, and others 
probably near the country of the Tainbu or Tambukis: of these three 
the Nu Gariej) is the largest. 
Some of the water discharged by the Gariep into the ocean, 
cannot have flowed a distance much less than a thousand miles. This 
fine stream traverses the continent from east to west ; thus proving 
that the highest land of Southern Africa, without the tropic, lies 
towards the eastern coast. Among the African rivers, this can 
hardly claim to be ranked the fourth, as to length ; but, for beauty, 
it probably stands the first, if I may form an opinion of the others, 
from engraved representations. 
11 th. The river, at the place where we first reached its banks, 
not being fordable, search was made, and a practicable ford dis- 
covered about nine miles higher up. A large party of men with 
spades and pickaxes, had been sent the day before, to make a con- 
venient road down the bank ; and every necessary preparation having 
now been made to ensure a safe passage, we set out at an early hour, 
that, in case of any unexpected delay, there might still be time 
enough for all the waggons to get through before the daylight 
ended. 
The new road which we were obliged to take, was very uneven 
and dusty ; often over hillocks and mounds of sand which continually 
threatened to overturn the waggons ; sometimes forcing our way 
through groves of Acacias ; or climbing over the rocky ridges which 
frequently intervened between the ravines. The heat was at this 
time almost too great for travelling in the middle of the day, 
(Therm. 90^" — 32°. 6 Centigrade) yet, as it was but a short stage, we 
thought it adviseable to lose no time, lest the river should suddenly 
rise, and delay our crossing for a week or a fortnight. 
On the way I halted a few minutes, to gather a beautiful para- 
sitic plant *, growing on the branches of a Haakdoorn, and now in 
full flower. I approached the thorny bush with caution, profiting 
by past experience, and succeeded in cutting off the plant, without 
A species of Loranthus. 
