I Have The Like Pleasure In Confessing My Thankfulness To The Astronomer Royal
At The Cape, Thomas Maclear, Esq., For
Enabling me to recall
the little astronomical knowledge which constant manual labor
and the engrossing nature of missionary duties had
Effaced from my memory,
and in adding much that I did not know before. The promise he made
on parting, that he would examine and correct all my observations,
had more effect in making me persevere in overcoming the difficulties
of an unassisted solitary observer than any thing else; so whatever credit
may be attached to the geographical positions laid down in my route
must be attributed to the voluntary aid of the excellent and laborious
astronomer of the Cape observatory.
Having given the reader as rapid a sketch as possible of events
which attracted notice between 1840 and 1852, I now proceed to narrate
the incidents of the last and longest journey of all, performed in 1852-6.
Chapter 5.
Start in June, 1852, on the last and longest Journey from Cape Town -
Companions - Wagon-traveling - Physical Divisions of Africa -
The Eastern, Central, and Western Zones - The Kalahari Desert -
Its Vegetation - Increasing Value of the Interior for Colonization -
Our Route - Dutch Boers - Their Habits - Sterile Appearance
of the District - Failure of Grass - Succeeded by other Plants -
Vines - Animals - The Boers as Farmers - Migration of Springbucks -
Wariness of Animals - The Orange River - Territory of
the Griquas and Bechuanas - The Griquas - The Chief Waterboer -
His wise and energetic Government - His Fidelity - Ill-considered Measures
of the Colonial Government in regard to Supplies of Gunpowder -
Success of the Missionaries among the Griquas and Bechuanas -
Manifest Improvement of the native Character - Dress of the Natives -
A full-dress Costume - A Native's Description of the Natives -
Articles of Commerce in the Country of the Bechuanas -
Their Unwillingness to learn, and Readiness to criticise.
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