Third Journey (MS 107/2)
3rd December 1778
transcription
[3rd December 1778]
3
vertrokken de voorn: vrienden naar de Caap en ik z:z: oostwaards aan de kwadouw over, langs een esels jagt, de uile valey, en arriveerde door de zand valey door de diepe kom tot in de koo. de ossen weigerden de wagen kankoos riviertje, op te trekken, reed voor uit, na gideon Joubert, welkers plaats gordons fontein hiet en ik van de hoogte sag, dog in den donker miste de weg en arriveerde om 10 uren S’avons op de plaats harmonie van Coenradi. bleev daar en sond na Joubert, die mijn wagen met zyn volk liet halen staande nog in de selfde plaats, arriveerende dus tegen den morgen by Joubert.
het terrein van daag hier en daar sanderig anders caro. lage bosjes veel rhinosterbosjes.
toen op kwadouw was daar in 3 uren, van de vos, arriveerden daalden wy seer langssaam en weinig dus een hoog heuvelig land. weinig water
sagen vele struisen dog kon geen onder schoot krijgen.
hebben 12 uren gereisd nogtans maar vier a vyf mylen geavanceerd door de vele hoogtens en draajen vooral omtrent de remhoogte. de hoogte van kwadouw is wel steil dog niet seer klippig, de aard der steen veel quarts.
in de cos. goed weer w wind wat bewolkt term: 60 74 58 kout na sons onder.
schoon ver gereden, word sterk en fris.
translation
[3rd December 1778]
3
The abovementioned friends left for the Cape and I went south-south-eastwards, first through the Kwadouw, past Eselsjagt and Uilevlei, and arrived at the Koo through the Zandvlei. The oxen refused to pull the wagon through the Kankoos rivulet. Rode ahead to Gideon Joubert whose farm is called Gordonsfontein and which I saw from an elevation, but missed the way in the dark and arrived at Conradie’s farm, Harmonie, at ten o’clock at night. Stayed there and sent to Joubert, who ordered my wagon to be fetched by his domestics. It was still in the same place. It arrived at Joubert’s towards morning.
The terrain today was sandy in places but otherwise Karoo-veld. Low shrubs, much rhinoceros-bush.
When we reached Kadouw, three hours from de Vos, we descended very slowly and but little, it being steep hilly country. Little water. We saw many ostriches, but could not get within shooting range of them.
We had travelled for twelve hours, but we advanced only four to five miles on account of the many heights and turns especially because of slopes on which it was necessary to brake. The high parts of Kwadouw are steep, yet they are not very stony. The nature of the rock is much quartz in Cos.
Fine weather; west wind. Somewhat cloudy. Thermometer: 60 -74 - 58. Cold after sunset.
Though we rode far, I am becoming strong and healthy.